A predictably light week of shows being a holiday weekend, but there are some gems, which are worthy breaks from your shopping and family gatherings and provide a great excuse to work off any turkey, potatoes, and stuffing.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from November 20^th – 27^th .

MONDAY NOVEMBER 20

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21

KCRep’s A Christmas Carol, Spencer Theatre (various dates through Dec. 24), $49-$109

A holiday classic! For over 40 years, this beloved tradition has created holiday memories for families all around our community, with all the heart and spectacle you’ve come to love… start your family tradition and create memories that will last for many Christmases to come!

Join Ebenezer Scrooge on his redemptive journey with Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and rediscover the true meaning of the holidays. You’ll meet the Cratchits, Tiny Tim, and the irresistible Fezziwigs, and hear the lush and joyous Candlelight Carol — all this and more, to kindle your Christmas spirit. Share the season with the people you love,

(note that the Sunday, December 3rd 5pm performance will include ASL interpretation from Juliana Ladd and Jasmine Velasco) The show is 1 hour and 40 minutes long with one 15-minute intermission.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 22-THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24

Mariah Carey Holiday Tour, Nov 24, T-Mobile Center, $59.95-$499.95

The Queen of Christmas is hitting the road for the holidays on her Merry Christmas One and All! Tour for only thirteen stops and KC is one of them! “Yes, the actual defrosting has begun! Announcing the MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL Tour!” she wrote.”

Produced by Live Nation, Carey’s shows are her “exclusive Christmas concerts for this holiday season,” per a press release.”This festive event is a celebration of the global superstar’s timeless collection of holiday classics including the record-breaking mega-hit, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You,’ and fan favorite chart toppers,” it continued.

In 2022, Carey recorded a performance at Madison Square Garden for the CBS special Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All, which featured appearances from Drew Barrymore and Billy Porter.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26

Pentatonix, Nov 26, T-Mobile Center, $29.50-$249.50

Pentatonix has announced their 2023 ‘The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Tour.’ Starting Nov. 14, the famed a cappella group will hit venues in support of their upcoming record ‘The Greatest Christmas Hits’ which features 23 holiday favorites along with eight new songs. We caught the vocal group live at a non-holiday show back in 2016 and were impressed with their harmonies and thoroughly entertained.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 27

alt-J w/Meagre Martin, Nov 27, The Midland, $49.50-$79.50

alt-J continues on tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary of their Mercury Prize-winning debut album, An Awesome Wave, which received a Mercury Prize when it was released in 2012. The KC show is not even on tour posters, so must have been a last-minute add.

The band says, “It’s been such a great year promoting both The Dream and An Awesome Wave’s 10th anniversary that we have decided to extend the party into 2023. We are delighted to announce a run of AAW anniversary shows in the US where we will play the album in the full for the first time in America. We hope you can join us.” alt-J’s latest album, The Dream, was released in 2022 and we’ve caught the band live a few times, including a fun Halloween night show in MN.

National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity? Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email johnc@weheartmusic.com