Goldstar

Under the direction of Bruce Hangen, conductor, The Boston Conservatory Orchestra performs Schubert's Overture in D and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. The orchestra will be joined by The Boston Conservatory Chorale to present Mozart's Kyrie and Regina Coeli, and Beethoven's Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage. Learn more...

The Boston Conservatory Dance Theater performs with The Boston Conservatory Orchestra, under the direction of Beatric Affron, conductor. The program features David Lichine's light-hearted and youthful Graduation Ball, staged by Ellen O'Reilly and Leslie Woodies, and a premiere by guest artist and renowned contemporary choreographer Kathryn Posin. Learn more...

Boston Ballet's annual production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Join Clara on her magical journey through an enchanted winter wonderland to a palace of sugary confections. Boston Ballet's production features a large cast, lavish costumes, a live orchestra and a magical Christmas tree that grows from 16 to 30 feet, right before your eyes. Learn more...

A 2008 Tony Nominee for Best Play, The Seafarer is a funny and haunting alternative to traditional holiday fare. On Christmas Eve in North Dublin, Sharky Harkin finds himself reluctantly hosting old friends at the rundown house he shares with his older brother. A lot of booze and card-playing carry the men into Christmas Day when Sharky must face the grim promise he made to one of his guests decades ago. Learn more...

The Wilbur Theatre hosts Linda Rocks the Holidays, a seasonal concert by Linda Eder. Eder, who rose to stardom in the hit musical Jekyll and Hyde, has a rich voice which has been compared to Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland. She'll sing beloved holiday standards . Learn more...

Catalyst Collaborative @ MIT presents Einstein's Dreams, the wry, wild, funny and surprisingly moving adaptation of Alan Lightman's bestselling novel. Einstein's Dreams imagines Einstein's dream-world as he re-conceives time. Learn more...

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods is a whimsical look at our most beloved fairy tales and what happens after "happily ever after." What begins as a lively irreverent fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories we tell our children. Learn more...

Stoneham Theatre presents It's a Wonderful Life, the stage version of the beloved Frank Capra film that is a perennial holiday favorite. It's the heartwarming story of George Bailey, a small-town everyman whose dreams of adventure have been quashed by family obligation. His guardian angel, Clarence, descends on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and remind him that his life is a truly wonderful one. Learn more...

Harvard's Sanders theatre hosts the 38th Annual Christmas Revels. This unique celebration of the holiday season features traditional music, country dances, mummers, sing-alongs, and more rollicking entertainment based on English winter traditions. This year's guest performers include England's Mellstock Band, and the program is inspired by the works of Thomas Hardy. Learn more...

Part of the Gardner's popular After Hours series, Jazz at the Gardner features live music, art, cocktails and more. Browse the galleries, linger in the courtyard bar or sample a small plates menu in the café, then listen to a live jazz concert. Experience something different each month. See full event description for details. Learn more...

This lavish production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, now in its fourth year, offers a feast for the senses, ranging from a pre-show caroling concert to luxurious period costumes, from singing and dancing -- the performers accompany themselves on over a dozen different instruments -- to ghosts that fly through the air and evaporate into the London fog. Learn more...

Watson Adventures' presents Murder at the Museum of Fine Arts, their most challenging scavenger hunt yet. A curator has been murdered and left a trail of clues connected with secrets in works of art. As your team gathers answers about the art, you begin to piece together a sordid tale about greed, lust, pride, revenge and treachery. Can you figure out who dunnit? Learn more...

Boston Baroque's performances of Handel's Messiah have received standing ovations in Carnegie Hall, Europe and Boston. Boston Baroque's thrilling interpretation of Handel's masterpiece was nominated for a Grammy Award and has been a favorite of both audiences and critics alike. Learn more...

Improv Asylum's Main Stage Show features a troupe of actors plus a musician who bring together improvisation and sketch material in front of a live audience. Their performers develop hilarious scenes based solely on the audience's suggestions. Because the shows are improvised on the spot, nothing is predictable and anything can happen -- no two shows are ever the same. Learn more...

The Morgan's (Irish-Southie) and the Grappa's (Italians-North End), separated by the Big Dig, come together for their children's wedding for the first time. At this interactive comedy dinner show, you not only watch the show -- you're part of the show. You'll be the friends and relatives of Gino Grappa and Gillianne Morgan. Witness them exchange wedding vows, join in dancing the Tarantella, and look out for some unexpected guests and family feuding. Learn more...

Acclaimed pianist David Benoit, one of the most popular and innovative musicians in the contemporary jazz world, takes the stage at Scullers Jazz Club for one night only to celebrate the holiday season with a performance of Vince Guaraldi's unforgettable A Charlie Brown Christmas. Learn more...

Underground Railway Theater presents Alice's Adventures Underground: an award-winning adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice books, featuring outrageous puppets, sets of hand-painted silk and performances by an intergenerational ensemble of actors. Learn more...

Lyric Stage Company presents Charles Ludlam's The Mystery of Irma Vep. A werewolf, a vampire, an Egyptian princess, a cursed estate, and more haunt one "dark and stormy night" in this Obie Award-winning, uproarious high-camp tribute to Gothic horror films and Victorian melodrama. Learn more...

Johnny A. is widely regarded as one of America's finest contemporary guitarists. His instrumentals span a gulf of styles from jazz to blues to pure rock n' roll, all played with virtuosity and lightning-quick licks. Learn more...

Step aboard the Spirit ship for unparalleled cruising fun in Boston Harbor. Dine on a delicious buffet brunch, lunch, or dinner, dance, enjoy Broadway-quality entertainers and catch breathtaking views of the city's historic skyline. Learn more...

Cendrillon (Cinderella), an opera by French composer Jules Massenet based on the beloved fairy tale, tells the familair story of Cinderella, Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother -- with a few surprises. With its rich and varied music from different classical traditions combined with Massenet's wit, Cendrillon has remained one of opera's most accessible and enjoyed works. Learn more...

J.P. Cormier presents the Third Annual Pan-Celtic Winter Sojourn at the Regent Theater. Cormier leads an array of leading Celtic musicians from Cape Breton, Mova Scotia, known as a hotbed of Celtic culture. They'll play holiday songs new and old. Learn more...

The Mahoney Brothers present Elvis and Friends Holiday Special: Jukebox Heroes Live. Renowned for their vocal mimicry, the Brothers' credits include Broadway's Beatlemania and Dick Clarks' Golden Age of Television. They'll sing holiday classics and hits by Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and more. Guest Lance Lipinsky impersonates Jerry Lee Lewis. Learn more...

Merrimack Repertory Theatre presents David Hare's acclaimed play. In Skylight, former lovers reunite at an emotional crossroads to remember -- and perhaps rekindle -- their electric past. Sparks of passion fly as conflicting desires and beliefs battle in this story delivered with wit, empathy and force. Learn more...

Meet up to 20 potential dates at Sheesha Lounge in Allston, in a fun, laid-back atmosphere, and maybe you'll meet The One! Speed dating allows you to skip the excruciating hit-or-miss first date experience. Instead, with DateandDash you can chat with a large pool of people, choose your favorites, and see if they choose you. Learn more...

Enjoy a cruise on the luxurious vessel Odyssey. Cruise through Boston Harbor, with unparalleled views of the nation's greatest landmarks, while you enjoy a delicious meal. Later, dance to a wide array of music provided by a live band. Learn more...

Salsa the night away with DJ Rob Suave spinning hot salsa rhythms, enjoy a performance from the Masacote Dance Company, and brush up on your salsa with lessons for the ladies and for all beginners. All ages are welcome. Learn more...

Scullers Jazz Club welcomes Karrin Allyson. The two-time Grammy nominee, known for her emotional range and mastery of a wide variety of material, recently released Imagina: Songs of Brasil, her eleventh album. For this concert, Karrin will infuse classic holiday tunes with her own signature songs. Learn more...

Improv Asylum founders/original cast members Chet Harding and Norm Laviolette take the stage with current Improv Asylum actors, alums and special guests to perform two extended sets of anything-goes, hilarious longform improvisation. Learn more...

You've seen ImprovBoston's House Teams and local area troupes and shows appear at the theater in their Sunday night Jamboree show -- now you can see more of them! ImprovBoston is pleased to present these troupes and shows each Wednesday night as part of The Hump series for experimental and improvisational theater. Learn more...

Sketch comedy troupe Bastards Inc. hosts a comedy show featuring sketch and improv groups, plus stand-up acts from around the city and beyond. Learn more...