Christmas Shows in Rhode Island to Buy Tickets for Now

An overview of performances from Scrooge to Santa, hits and hymns

Newport Ballet

Photo courtesy of Newport Ballet

The Park Theatre

Photo courtesy of Park Theatre

Newport Ballet

Photo courtesy of Newport Ballet

Boston Pops

Photo courtesy of Providence Performing Arts Center

Chorus of Westerly

Photo courtesy of Chorus of Westerly

Posted Monday, December 1, 2025 9:00 am

By Emily Olson

During the annual holiday scramble, seasonal performances become a cherished tradition that offer people a moment to pause, reflect, and recognize the passage of time. For many Rhode Islanders, these shows are a highlight of the season. But they’re just as meaningful for the organizations working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring them to life. Across the state, theater and music offer a cozy sanctuary, from Cranston’s renovated Park Theatre to Newport’s mansion-set Nutcracker and Westerly’s chorus hall.

Riley Nadeau is the public relations specialist for Spectacle Live, the company that manages The Park Theatre in Cranston, and she says Christmas is a busy and joyous time for the venue. “People from all over want to come to our shows for something fun to do with the kids,” she says. “So we put on a lot of programming in the holiday months to give people an opportunity to get out of the house and have some fun.”

The Park was originally a movie theater, and re-opened in October 2024 after a full renovation to give it more of a live-show feel. “Because it was a movie theater, the performance space is really dark,” Nadeau explains. “People love the way the darkness makes the stage pop. And they also love our seats. They’re very comfortable.”

During the renovation, the theater was completely gutted. In addition to new seats, the theater added new lighting and audio, and the adjacent 848 Lounge got an upgrade. The Rolfe Square venue fits approximately 1,000 people and this year’s holiday lineup ensures those seats will be filled. December kicks off with a weekend full of holiday cheer, with a Saturday performance by the Vienna Boys Choir bookended by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and The Four Tops. “I love Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and I’m also very excited for the Vienna Boys Choir,” Nadeau gushes. “They’re a group of child musicians who travel across the globe and sing Christmas songs. Spectacle Live books them at all our venues.”

The celebration continues with performances by Sean Healy, who will be singing Scottish and Irish Christmas melodies accompanied by his fiddle and backed by his Celtic band, Wizards of Winter, who will be putting on a holiday rock concert; and Canadian Brass, who will be playing Christmas tunes on brass instruments. But even with this packed lineup, Nadeau suggests would-be concert goers keep an eye on the Park calendar. “We always announce additional shows, and you might see something new pop up!” she says.

If the Park is the new kid on the holiday block, Newport Contemporary Ballet – formerly Island Moving Company – is a beloved classic, and this year, it’s celebrating the 25th anniversary of a performance special to so many: Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff. “The performance was created to take place in Rosecliff mansion,” explains Danielle Genest, artistic and executive director of the company.

In the performance, audience members are invited into the party that takes place in the ballet’s opening scenes. The first act of Newport Contemporary Ballet’s version is closely tied to the Oelrichs family, who owned Rosecliff mansion at one time. To celebrate the performance’s 25th anniversary, the company is leaning even more into its Newport roots by shifting the second act. “We’re tying it more to our area in costuming and choreography,” Genest explains. “Our Clara is named Tess after Tessie Oelrich. In the original ballet, Clara goes to the Land of Sweets. In our version of the ballet, Tess sees all of the beautiful things there are to see in Newport. It’ll be an interesting unveiling.” The first act of the ballet travels from room to room,” Genest says. “Audience members follow us in and then watch the scene unfold. It’s a very up-close, intimate experience.”

As the company takes on this evolved performance, Genest praises its versatility. “Our company is a very collaborative one,” she says. “All of our dancers are classically trained, but also train in other forms of contemporary dance, so there’s a range of what audiences can see when they come to our performances. And we have a supportive, inclusive environment. The way we work is grounded in respect, decency, and support. It shows through in the work audiences see. We’re doing highly professional work, but we’re a family in a way.”

The Chorus of Westerly also considers itself a family. And sometimes literally. Isobel McCollough, advancement associate for the chorus says that it is unique in that children and adults sing together. “We have three generations of multiple families singing together,” she says. “I think we had five generations once.” The annual holiday concert has become a tradition for many families who often bring out-of-town guests along for the event. “Many people encounter us for the first time through our holiday concert,” McCollough says. “Not everyone wants to hear Bach. But if you do want to bring your kindergartener to a choral concert, a sing-along with the Grinch is a big draw.”

The Chorus of Westerly’s Holiday Pops concert is modeled after Boston’s renown concert; it’s a staple for the organization and has been performed annually since 1981. “The holiday pops concert offers an opportunity to celebrate the holidays and all the warmth and joy of community in our hall in Westerly,” says Ryan Saunders, executive director of the organization. “It’s part concert, part block party, and part family homecoming. For those 75 minutes, our job is to welcome you into our house and send you out into the world with some goodness in your heart.”

Community outreach is a mission-critical value for the organization. In addition to the symphonic chorus of about 180 voices, the Chorus of Westerly has a non-auditioned choir for people interested in dipping a toe into the music world, an after-school chorus program, a choir at Stone Ridge Senior Living, and a chapter of Threshold Singing International – a program that brings comfort and peace to those in hospice care and their families.

“Our mission is to harness the power of music,” says Saunders. “We aspire to the highest level of artistic excellence, but at our core, what we do is about community connection. Bringing people together to provide something joyful and good has given me the biggest personal satisfaction possible.”