The season onstage: Your holiday theater roundup

Sure, a pint or three of peppermint bark ice cream and the 99th rerun of “Rudolph” can be a fine way to while away a holiday evening. (Or morning. No judging here.)

But long after your channel-changing finger has seized up and your pudding has grown significantly less figgy, yuletide theater will still be there for you.

Here’s a look at what San Diego’s stage artists are cooking up this festive season:

“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”: The Globe’s holiday favorite returns for its 18th season, with Broadway veteran J. Bernard Calloway (“Memphis”) stepping in as the Christmas crank who is mean, green and (eventually) redeemed. 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. (Performance times vary; check with theater for specific dates.) Sensory-friendly performance 10:30 a.m. Dec. 12. Through Dec. 26. Old Globe Theatre, Balboa Park. $24-$65. (619) 234-5623 or theoldglobe.org

“Meet Me in St. Louis”: This one is not, strictly speaking, a holiday show. But the splashy-looking musical, based on the 1944 Judy Garland movie, does include the yuletide standard “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays; 1 and 8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Through Jan. 31. Welk Resorts Theatre, 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido. $58 and up ($19 additional for preshow meal). (888) 802-7469 or welkresorts.com.

“Tinseltown Christmas”: Holiday romance meets classic movie stars in this boisterous musical in Escondido. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 20. Patio Playhouse, 116 S. Kalmia St., Escondido. $12-$20; (760) 746-6669 or reservations.patioplayhouse.com.

“It’s F---ing Christmas”: The title might say it all (although we can’t print it all) about this improv-happy ode to the holidays. 8 p.m. Dec. 12. Finest City Improv, 4250 Louisiana St., North Park. $15. (619) 306-6047 or finestcityimprov.com

“A Christmas Carol”: Scrooge returns in Cygnet’s richly Victorian-set staging of the Dickens classic, which is infused with music and includes puppetry and other vivid visuals. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays (except Dec. 24, 2 p.m.); 8 p.m. Fridays (no performance Dec. 25); 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays; plus 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22. Through Dec. 27. Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town. $37-55. (619) 337-1525 or cygnettheatre.com

“The 1940s Radio Hour”: The sounds of the swing era drive this period musical set in a broadcast studio during the yuletide season. 7 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 31. New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St., Carlsbad. $25-$47. (760) 433-3245 or newvillagearts.org

“Orson Welles Presents: A Christmas Carol Radio Show”: Another radio-minded show, this one conjures the spirit of the masterful Welles to retell the Scrooge tale. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 20. Lamplighters Community Theatre, 5915 Severin Drive, La Mesa. $17-$20. (619) 303-5092 or lamplighterslamesa.com

“Festival of Christmas: All I Want for Christmas”: Lamb’s family-minded annual production rolls out an original story set in San Diego’s Little Italy circa 1949. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 27. Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. $29-$58. (619) 437-6000 or lambsplayers.org

“Miracle on 34th Street”: The longtime favorite about a lawyer who defends Santa Claus is being staged radio-style. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12; 3 p.m. Dec. 13. San Marcos Players at the Lake San Marcos Conference Center, 1105 La Bonita Drive, San Marcos. $8-$14. (760) 290-4990 or sanmarcosplayers.com

“Big Apple Christmas”: The inspirational holiday piece is being staged in tribute to its late playwright, Stephen C. Yednock Jr. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 20. Community Actors Theatre, 2957 54th St., San Diego. $14-$16. (619) 264-3391 or communityactorstheatre.com

“This Wonderful Life”: Actor James Leaming returns as George Bailey from the beloved Frank Capra movie in this holiday heartwarmer. 7 p.m. most Tuesdays-Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 27. North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. $35. (858) 481-1055 or northcoastrep.org

“A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration in Concert”: Paula Vogel’s moving, 1860s-set story of Abraham Lincoln’s last Christmas gets its first local pro production at long last. 7 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Jan. 3. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights. $29-$51. (619) 220-0097 or diversionary.org

“La Pastorela de Plata”: Teatro Máscara Mágica returns with its long-running “Pastorela,” a treasured tradition that brings topical new twists each year to the biblical saga of shepherds and archangels battling the devil. 70 p.m. most Wednesdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Dec. 10-20. Lyceum Space, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown. (619) 544-1000, teatromascaramagica.org.

“Mistletoe, Music and Mayhem!”: New Point Loma Playhouse artistic chief Matt Thompson directs this bit of comic madness he wrote with Phil Johnson and Rayme Sciaroni. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sundays. Dec. 10-20. Point Loma Playhouse, 3035 Talbot St., Point Loma. $22. (619) 800-5497, pointlomaplayhouse.com.

“Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold”: The comic saga, an NCRT favorite, returns. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13-15. North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. $35. (858) 481-1055 or northcoastrep.org

“Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin”: The versatile actor-musician-writer, who has portrayed a string of celebrated composers, steps into the shoes of the man who penned “White Christmas” and other American classics. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays (plus additional matinees on some dates); 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Dec. 16 to Jan. 3. La Jolla Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive (University of California San Diego campus). $50-$80. (858) 550-1010 or lajollaplayhouse.org

“An American Christmas”: Lamb’s Players’ bountiful feast-and-theater celebration moves to a new location this year, but once again immerses its audience in holiday traditions from a century ago. 6:30 p.m. nightly, Dec. 17-26. US Grant Hotel, 326 Broadway, downtown. $152-$168 ($40 discount for ages 5-12). (619) 437-6000 or lambsplayers.org

“Traditions of Christmas”: The annual variety show once again celebrates the holidays in song, dance and stories. 7 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday; 2 p.m. Wednesday. Dec. 18-23. Don Powell Theater, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego State University campus. $20-$48. (619) 588-0206 or cytsandiego.org

“Feeding the Soul Foundation presents HoliDAZE Concert”: This show, hosted by Day Old Johnson and Bushwalla, features music by Cody Lovaas, MC Flow and more. It benefits the Mountain Shadows Foundation, a nonprofit supporting intellectually disabled adults. 7 p.m. Dec. 20 (doors open 6:30 p.m.); Star Theatre, 402 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. $45-$150. feedingthesoulfoundation.org

“A Christmas Bizarre!” The fundraiser for the grassroots troupe Circle Circle dot dot offers drink, merriment, music, sketch comedy and even some last-minute shopping opportunities (for local crafts), all hosted by one St. Beat Nick. 6 p.m. Dec. 21. Tenth Avenue Theatre & Arts Centre, 930 10th Ave., downtown. $20; circle2dot2.com or email circle@circle2dot2.com.