Fisher-Price Little People Mickey and Friends toy recalled. How to tell if yours is safe
HOLIDAY GUIDE

Christmas shows to see: 7 festive holiday performances in New Jersey and New York City

Kelly-Jane Cotter
Asbury Park Press

Holiday shows in New Jersey theaters are celebrating the beloved work of Charles Dickens and Charles M. Schulz.

Greg Wood, center, stars as Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" at McCarter Theatre in Princeton.

Theaters are also celebrating the holiday season with the artistry, culture and humor of various ethnic groups, from Irish storytellers and Catholic nuns to Jewish comedians and African-American poets.

Then there's the dazzling showmanship of the Rockettes, who paint a rose-colored view of Manhattan with their holiday stories at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Here are 7 holiday theater shows that will put you in a festive mood:

Dec. 5 to 31: "A Christmas Carol," McCarter Theatre, 91 University Pl., Princeton, NJ

A production of Charles Dickens' Christmas tale is a long-standing holiday tradition at McCarter Theatre. In 2016, the theater premiered a new production from a new director, Adam Immerwahr, to excellent reviews. A darker mood was cast with a new set and some new special effects, but the script by David Thompson was only slightly tweaked.

The professional cast is led by the energetic and soulful Greg Wood as Scrooge. His lines are familiar to all, but he brings fresh astonishment to Scrooge's predicament. Wood's reactions to the scenes of Christmases past are heartbreaking. 

MORE:Martina McBride Christmas tour comes to Count Basie Theatre

Michael Genet, outstanding as Marley's ghost, has a resonant voice and a compelling stage presence. His regret at his choices in life is so intense you may find yourself reviewing your own, as Scrooge is later compelled to do. Genet also plays the shady merchant Old Joe, and he is unrecognizable. A versatile actor.

Other stand-outs in the cast include Adeline Edwards as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Mimi B. Francis as the Ghost of Christmas Present. 

RELATED:100 shows in 49 days: Full steam ahead for Holiday Express

During this year's run, certain dates offer added attractions, such as ASL interpretation and audio description on Dec. 16, Fezziwig's party on Dec. 19, and a meet-and-greet with Scrooge on Dec. 28. At every show, there are festivities and entertainment in the lobby an hour before curtain. Members of the ensemble will greet you and will be eager to give you behind-the-scenes insights into stage and costume design, and the challenge for cast members who have to scale a narrow ladder to appear behind the upper-most windows of the set.  

The two-hour show has one intermission. Tickets range from $25 to $103.50. For tickets, show time and details, call 609-258-2787 or go to mccarter.org.

NEXT: "Elf: The Musical" in New York, NY