PMT’s ‘A Lyrical Christmas Carol’ at New Hazlett; Highly Suspect and The Unlikely Candidates Play The X’s Xmas Concert (Thurs., 12/12/19)

Sometimes, hard times have a happy ending, as they do in ‘A Lyrical Christmas Carol.’ (photo: Pittsburgh Musical Theater)

1) The centuries have seen countless stage versions of the Christmas tale by Charles Dickens, and a longtime standard here in Pittsburgh is Ken and Jane Gargaro’s A Lyrical Christmas Carol. Ken Gargaro was founding director of the Pittsburgh Musical Theater school and performance center. He wrote A Lyrical Christmas Carol with Jane and premiered the show in 1991. It has been delighting local audiences ever since. As always, the cast includes accomplished adult performers along with outstanding younger folks from the PMT school. The show features song-and-dance numbers that’ll send you home from the New Hazlett Theater in a supercharged holiday spirit. 7:30 p.m. Performances continue through December 15. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. (MV)

2) This year, the X’s Kick Ass Christmas Show at Mr. Smalls Theatre features Highly Suspect. The band scored a number one rock song with “My Name Is Human.” If two of the members look similar, that’s because bassist Rich Meyer and drummer Ryan Meyer are twins. Their latest album is 2019’s MCID. The Unlikely Candidates open. 8 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. (CM)

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