Music is part of every performance of A Christmas Carol at the American Shakespeare Center. It plays before the show, during intermission, and through Fezziwig’s dance, shaping the rhythm of the evening and the energy in the Blackfriars Playhouse.
As the Holiday Season comes to a close, here’s a look at what you’ll hear during these final performances — and why it’s worth joining us before the season ends.
Building the Sound of the Holidays
Holiday music at ASC is shaped by Music Director Christopher Seiler and Music Captain Ronald Román-Meléndez, working with the ensemble to create a live, continuous holiday mix.
Rather than performing individual songs start to finish, the cast blends familiar tunes together, revisits melodies in new contexts, and adapts existing music with seasonal lyrics. Everything you hear is played live by the same actors you see onstage, responding to the room in real time.
Blackfriars Playhouse Holiday 2025 Song List
Before the show and during intermission, the cast performs live holiday hits drawn from a wide range of classic and contemporary favorites. Check out our Spotify playlist to keep the season going long after the final bow:
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Pentatonix
- Deck the Hall – Nat King Cole
- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love
- I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey
- Ribbons and Bows – Kacey Musgraves
- The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) – Nat King Cole
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
- It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas – Bing Crosby
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Dean Martin
- Jingle Bells – Frank Sinatra
- Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano
- Golden – HUNTR/X, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami
- Baby, It’s Cold Outside – John Legend & Kelly Clarkson
- The Fate of Ophelia – Taylor Swift
- I Saw Three Ships – Bryan Adams, Barenaked Ladies, Alan Doyle, Alessia Cara, The Sheepdogs
- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Good King Wenceslas – Bing Crosby
- The 12 Days of Christmas – Straight No Chaser
- The Hustle – Van McCoy
- Auld Lang Syne – Pink Martini
These songs are woven together throughout the evening rather than presented as a fixed set list.
Fezziwig’s Dance
When Fezziwig’s party begins, the music shifts again.
Keep your ears open for “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, “The Hustle” by Van McCoy, and “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift with new Christmas lyrics written by the cast. It’s one of the moments audiences talk about most as they leave the Playhouse.
A Note on the Elf Dance Song
One song we can’t stop singing is “Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!”
The song shows up during intermission, played live by Christopher Seiler, Alisa Ledyard, and the cast. If it sticks with you after you leave (and it often does), you can hear Chris and Alisa’s recorded cover on SoundCloud — banjo strumming and all.
Join Us Before the Season Ends
There are only a few performances of A Christmas Carol left this holiday season.
If this playlist sounds like something you want to experience in person — live music, Fezziwig’s dance, and a room full of people sharing the end of the year together — now is the time to come. These songs, this cast, and this version of the show only exist for a few more days.