Back by popular demand, it’s a holiday season filled with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles – and of course, the tree! After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh, la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited. After selling some of her old gowns and accessories, she’s finally able to buy a brand-new sparkly tree topper. She simply cannot wait to decorate the Christmas tree. But when things don’t go as planned, can Nancy still make Christmas as splendiferous as she dreamed?
Recommendation: Ages 4 and up. Great for the entire family.
“The hourlong musical…has a dramatic tension….as well as a refreshing sound:…elements of swing well as contemporary pop… Everyone learns the true meaning of the holiday…but what makes Splendiferous Christmas winning is that it dares to be a little naughty as well as nice.”The New York Times
“Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas is a wonderful holiday indulgence…an energetic and colorful production… in addition to being entertained, young audiences will be inspired to think about generosity, kindness and the true spirit of the holidays. And … the songs are catchy and charming.”Mommy Poppins
“When you watch the play, Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas you will realize that Fancy Nancy is not too fancy and is someone with many good qualities that you want your children to learn from.”The Culture Mom
Robin Walton, Katelyn Spurgin, Abel Miramontes, Kristin Cortines and Shai Culver in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by James Michael McHale; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Doug Catiller.
Kristin Cortines, Abel Miramontes, Shai Culver, and Katelyn Spurgin in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by Karen O’Hanlon; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Shinshin Yuder Tsai.
Kristin Cortines and Robin Walton in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by Karen O’Hanlon; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Doug Catiller.
Kristin Cortines, Abel Miramontes, Katelyn Spurgin, and Shai Culver in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by Karen O’Hanlon; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Doug Catiller.
Kristin Cortines and Robin Walton in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by James Michael McHale; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Doug Catiller.
Hailey Knowles and Kristin Cortines in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by Karen O’Hanlon; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Shinshin Yuder Tsai.
Kristin Cortines and Katelyn Spurgin in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by James Michael McHale; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Doug Catiller.
Hailey Knowles in “Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas” at Chance Theater. Playing at the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center on the Fyda-Mar Stage. Book by Cara Lustik & Matthew Hardy; Lyrics by Matthew Hardy; Music by Randy Klein; based on the popular “Fancy Nancy” books by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser; directed by Karen O’Hanlon; music direction by Jimmy Beall. Photo by Shinshin Yuder Tsai.
The Chance is thrilled to be providing at least one "Relaxed Performance" per show in our TYA Family Series. Relaxed performances are specifically designed to welcome patrons who will benefit from a less restricted audience environment. Patrons of all abilities are welcome, including but not limited to those with intellectual or learning disabilities, sensory processing conditions or autism. There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement within the auditorium, and some minor production changes may be made to reduce the intensity of light, sound and other potentially startling effects. This year, our Relaxed Performances are on
We always bring another person or 2 with us. Small, intimate, engaging venue. Want to foster life long theater goers. The staff is very friendly, helpful and considerate. And they obviously love theater.
— Cathy
The acting and sets were impressive and the energy very engaging. Our daughter loved it.
— Anonymous
It was charming, engaging, and cute, with a great message for the season. The songs and performances exceeded my expectations! We loved everything about the show
— Anonymous
It was so good and entertaining
— Anonymous
It’s a really fun show with great performers, great music, and this theater is a really nice intimate venue. We saw this same cast last year, and they are phenomenal! We were so excited to get to see them all again this year.
— Anonymous
It was a perfect bite sized moment of Christmas magic.
— Anonymous
Very cute and perfect for girls. Our 4 year old enjoyed it very much
— Marsha Lindsey
It is such a great performance to bring girls to. I just wanted to see what Fancy was all about. The girls were so good. The adults were good also. I’m glad that my daughter wasn’t much of a drama queen, but I surely enjoyed Nancy and JoJo’s antics. The best part was at the end when the little girls could come down and have pictures taken with the cast. You do good stuff!!!
— Anonymous
The talent was incredible and the pacing and stage changes were perfect for keeping my daughter’s attention. Absolutely loved the performance and so happy we were able to attend. My daughter couldn’t have been happier
— Anonymous
It was the perfect show for my 3 year old. She loved it so much. I also appreciated the care and attention of all the staff.
— Kimi Feeney
Having seen “A Christmas Carol” many times over the years, including the highly regarded performance at South Coast Repertory, my husband and I were ecstatic to see the wonderful cast at The Chance singing and dancing their hearts out in one of the best musicals we have ever seen ! Kudos to all involved ! We love seeing the local talent perform ! Our daughter got her first job as an actress at The Chance back in 2006(?) in TOMMY and we are happy to support these new (and seasoned) actors in their careers ! What an utter joy to watch these talents folks !
— Elizabeth Porto
It was so fun! I loved the light-heartedness of the story and the enthusiasm the actors brought to their characters. I enjoyed seeing actors who so thoroughly enjoyed playing their parts!! I loved the after-show interaction with the audience!!
— kathy
Wonderful play, professionally acted, and very suitable for young children (not too long, and held their attention). I liked that it was very appealing to our 4-year-old DIY granddaughter. She “got” it! I don’t think it could have been changed for the better.
— Anonymous
Honestly, I was so impressed I took an extra brochure and passed it along to (2) good friends that very night at dinner telling them it was the best play I’d seen all year (and we’re regular theatre goers. My husband was the senior w/ the walker who sat in the front row. It was nice to find the venue not only accessible but welcoming. It was our first time at this venue. And even though it was a children’s play we’d been looking for something Christmasy that was different from Scrooge & It’s a Wonderful Life. When you’re 96 y/o it takes a bit to be impressed but my husband got such a kick out of the excitement of the little ones in attendance, all dressed up in their Splendiferous finery. We stayed to the very end watching the photo session with the actors and enjoyed every minute of it. We will definitely be back!
— Anonymous
The kids loved it.
— Anonymous
The overall performance was outstanding.
— Anonymous
Truly an unexpected delight. My daughter enjoyed the show. She was over stimulated (my fault for not bringing her headphones) and sadly didn’t feel comfortable going down to meet the actors, but they still allowed me to get their signatures for her. The actors were outstanding! I’m looking forward to our next visit. Adored the performance! I’ve been sharing our experience as an audience member with friends to encourage them to watch a performance with their girls.
— Valerie Drasdo
Great family show. Loved having the artists stay after for photos with kids in the audience.
— Georgia Well
Great length for young kids to be introduced to theater. Quality cast. Wonderfully kid friendly when they invite them up afterwards. My kids ask to go every year. This time we also brought cousins. 🙂
— Anonymous
The production was top notch! Everyone was professional and courteous.
— Leslie Head
My child did not sit inside the performance but so many staff members were kind about this and made us comfortable and welcome outside in the waiting area. The director lent us the book to watch and talked with us also. So thank you for making it still special and for your kindness. We truly appreciate it. Excellent, funny, age appropriate
We always bring another person or 2 with us. Small, intimate, engaging venue. Want to foster life long theater goers. The staff is very friendly, helpful and considerate. And they obviously love theater.
The acting and sets were impressive and the energy very engaging. Our daughter loved it.
It was charming, engaging, and cute, with a great message for the season. The songs and performances exceeded my expectations! We loved everything about the show
It was so good and entertaining
It’s a really fun show with great performers, great music, and this theater is a really nice intimate venue. We saw this same cast last year, and they are phenomenal! We were so excited to get to see them all again this year.
It was a perfect bite sized moment of Christmas magic.
Very cute and perfect for girls. Our 4 year old enjoyed it very much
It is such a great performance to bring girls to. I just wanted to see what Fancy was all about. The girls were so good. The adults were good also. I’m glad that my daughter wasn’t much of a drama queen, but I surely enjoyed Nancy and JoJo’s antics. The best part was at the end when the little girls could come down and have pictures taken with the cast. You do good stuff!!!
The talent was incredible and the pacing and stage changes were perfect for keeping my daughter’s attention. Absolutely loved the performance and so happy we were able to attend. My daughter couldn’t have been happier
It was the perfect show for my 3 year old. She loved it so much. I also appreciated the care and attention of all the staff.
Having seen “A Christmas Carol” many times over the years, including the highly regarded performance at South Coast Repertory, my husband and I were ecstatic to see the wonderful cast at The Chance singing and dancing their hearts out in one of the best musicals we have ever seen ! Kudos to all involved ! We love seeing the local talent perform ! Our daughter got her first job as an actress at The Chance back in 2006(?) in TOMMY and we are happy to support these new (and seasoned) actors in their careers ! What an utter joy to watch these talents folks !
It was so fun! I loved the light-heartedness of the story and the enthusiasm the actors brought to their characters. I enjoyed seeing actors who so thoroughly enjoyed playing their parts!! I loved the after-show interaction with the audience!!
Wonderful play, professionally acted, and very suitable for young children (not too long, and held their attention). I liked that it was very appealing to our 4-year-old DIY granddaughter. She “got” it! I don’t think it could have been changed for the better.
Honestly, I was so impressed I took an extra brochure and passed it along to (2) good friends that very night at dinner telling them it was the best play I’d seen all year (and we’re regular theatre goers. My husband was the senior w/ the walker who sat in the front row. It was nice to find the venue not only accessible but welcoming. It was our first time at this venue. And even though it was a children’s play we’d been looking for something Christmasy that was different from Scrooge & It’s a Wonderful Life. When you’re 96 y/o it takes a bit to be impressed but my husband got such a kick out of the excitement of the little ones in attendance, all dressed up in their Splendiferous finery. We stayed to the very end watching the photo session with the actors and enjoyed every minute of it. We will definitely be back!
The kids loved it.
The overall performance was outstanding.
Truly an unexpected delight. My daughter enjoyed the show. She was over stimulated (my fault for not bringing her headphones) and sadly didn’t feel comfortable going down to meet the actors, but they still allowed me to get their signatures for her. The actors were outstanding! I’m looking forward to our next visit. Adored the performance! I’ve been sharing our experience as an audience member with friends to encourage them to watch a performance with their girls.
Great family show. Loved having the artists stay after for photos with kids in the audience.
Great length for young kids to be introduced to theater. Quality cast. Wonderfully kid friendly when they invite them up afterwards. My kids ask to go every year. This time we also brought cousins. 🙂
The production was top notch! Everyone was professional and courteous.
My child did not sit inside the performance but so many staff members were kind about this and made us comfortable and welcome outside in the waiting area. The director lent us the book to watch and talked with us also. So thank you for making it still special and for your kindness. We truly appreciate it. Excellent, funny, age appropriate