A Christmas Carol: The Musical

11/14–12/22 The composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) sets music to Charles Dickens’s holiday staple. $38–$42. Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge, Munster, Ind. theatreatthecenter.com.

The Christmas Schooner

11/27–12/29 The seasonal ship sails again in John Reeger (book) and Julie Shannon’s (music and lyrics) musical tale of the Rouse Simmons, a vessel bound for Chicago with a cargo of Christmas trees. $20–$59. Mercury Theater, 3745 N Southport. mercurytheaterchicago.com.

Elf: The Musical

11/26–12/15 What happens when a human orphan inadvertently ends up at the North Pole among a tribe of toy-making elves? This and other holiday queries are answered in the story of Buddy, who discovers both his real father and the true meaning of Christmas in a musical based on the 2003 movie. $18–$90. Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace, 151 W Randolph. broadwayinchicago.com.

Hello Dolly!

Through 1/5 Jerry Herman’s musical tale of the Yonkers matchmaker Dolly Levi boasts a score of indomitable standards. $35–$74. Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury, Oakbrook Terrace. drurylaneoakbrook.com.

Miss Saigon

Through 11/24 Les Misérables composers Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil set Madame Butterfly in war-torn Vietnam. Jim Corti directs. $36.90–$58. Paramount Theatre, 23 E Galena, Aurora. paramountaurora.com.

Musical of the Living Dead

Through 11/9 Cowardly Scarecrow Theatre taps into the scary creature of the moment with a tuneful satire about the survivors of a zombie apocalypse. $25. Cowardly Scarecrow Theatre at Stage 773, 1225 W Belmont. musicalofthelivingdead.com.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

11/14–12/29 Emerald City Theatre presents the kid-friendly fable of an outcast reindeer who saves Christmas with the help of an elf, the Abominable Snowman, and a fortuitous onset of foggy weather. $31–$51. Emerald City Theatre at the Broadway Playhouse, 175 E Chestnut. emeraldcitytheatre.com.

The Snow Queen, Or When Christmas Freezes Over!

11/8–12/21 The composer Rich Maisel turns Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale into a musical with ingenious puppetry. Previews through 11/10, $15. Regular run $25. $22 seniors, $15 students, $10 children under 10. Piccolo Theatre, 600 Main, Evanston. piccolotheatre.com.

Wicked

Through 12/21 The ever-popular Elphaba returns to defy gravity once again in the megablockbuster prequel to The Wizard of Oz. $37–$107. Broadway in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W Randolph. broadwayinchicago.com.