Tickets to A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL at the Ahmanson Theatre on Sale Now

From the acclaimed songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — Tony Award for “Dear Evan Hansen,” Academy Award for “La La Land,” Golden Globe for “The Greatest Showman” — comes “A Christmas Story, The Musical,” a new holiday tradition featuring a festive and nostalgic holiday-themed score that brings the classic 1983 movie to hilarious life on stage, in a special Ahmanson production mounted just for Los Angeles December 5 to 31 (opening December 8).Tickets and information are available at CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Set in 1940s Indiana, “A Christmas Story, The Musical” chronicles the young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder toy BB gun(“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”). An infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the distractions that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas wish. Chock-full of delightful songs and splashy production numbers, “A Christmas Story, The Musical” has proudly taken its place as a perennial holiday classic for the whole family.

“I have been a fan of this show since day one, and have tried to bring it to the Ahmanson many times in the past, but the timing just hasn’t worked out—until now!” said Center Theatre Group Producing Director Douglas C. Baker. “I am beyond excited to bring such a joyful and nostalgic holiday show to Los Angeles, particularly with a cast comprised of so many notable and talented Angelenos. I am also very happy to be collaborating with my friend and colleague Daniel Sher at Big League Productions, who developed and created this new version of the show, and is expanding it just for us at the Ahmanson.”

The cast features Chris Carsten as Jean Shepherd, Eric Petersen as Old Man, Sabrina Sloan as Mother, Shelley Regner as (Miss) Shields, Kai Edgar as Ralphie, and Henry Witcher as Randy.

The ensemble includes Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Gabbie Fried, Andrew Ge, Juliane Godfrey, Julia Harnett, Michael James, Trent Mills, Kyle Montgomery, Gabriel Navarro, and Jane Papageorge. The children’s ensemble includes Zeke Bernier, Addalie Burns, Jack Casey, Jordan Coates, Greta Rebecca Kleinman, Kayden Alexander Koshelev, Emilie Ong, Izzy Pike, Jacob Pham, and Charlie Stover.

And David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter said, “It packs ample heart into its wistful glance back to a time when rewards were simpler, communities were closer-knit, and both parental and filial roles were less polluted by the infinite distractions and anxieties of contemporary life. In short, a time when happiness was just a Christmas gift away.”

“A Christmas Story, The Musical” premiered on Broadway in 2012 and was a critical and commercial success. The musical was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best New Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Book of a Musical. The show features a score by composer/lyricist team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, with a book by Joseph Robinette, and is based on the motion picture “A Christmas Story” distributed by Warner Bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, and upon “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” written by Jean Shepherd. Produced with permission of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Dalfie Entertainment.

At the Ahmanson Theatre, “A Christmas Story, The Musical” is directed by Matt Lenz with choreography by Warren Carlyle.  It was originally directed on Broadway by John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The associate choreographer is Brooke Martino.  Musical supervision and direction by Andrew Smithson.  Casting by Alison Franck. The Executive Producer is Daniel Sher.

Tickets for “A Christmas Story, The Musical” are available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Offices (at the Ahmanson Theatre) at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012. Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

“A Christmas Story, The Musical” is produced by special arrangement with Big League Productions, Inc.Led by President and Executive Producer Daniel Sher, Big League is celebrating its 32nd season of producing and general managing Broadway shows and attractions throughout the world. BigLeague.org

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading not-for-profit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Artistic Director Snehal Desai, Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman, and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1,600 to 2,100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the country’s leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics, and circumstances to serve Los Angeles. Founded in 1967, Center Theatre Group was led by Founding Artistic Director Gordon Davidson until 2005 when Michael Ritchie was the artistic director until his retirement in 2021; Snehal Desai was appointed the organization’s next artistic director in 2023. Center Theatre Group has produced more than 700 productions across its three stages, including such iconic shows as “Zoot Suit;” “Angels in America;” “The Kentucky Cycle;” “Biloxi Blues;” “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992;” “Children of a Lesser God;” “Curtains;” “The Drowsy Chaperone;” “9 to 5: The Musical;” and “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.” CenterTheatreGroup.org

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