Crowded Kitchen Players’ “Noelle,” a new holiday comedy that looks at issues facing the elderly, opened 8 p.m. Dec. 16 and continues at 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18 and 2 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19, Charles A. Brown Ice House, Bethlehem.

Also, Star of the Day is reviving a holiday-themed comedy written by a local playwright, “Tidings: A Fractured Christmas Fable,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and 3 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19, Macungie Memorial Hall, Macungie.

“Noelle” takes place during a Christmas Eve party in the home of a grandmother, Noelle Whitlock, who is facing mental and physical challenges.

When she displays a series of potentially serious lapses, Noelle’s concerned but dysfunctional family insists that she can no longer remain in her home.

A string of relatives and friends, including a frustrated son, a lascivious pastor, a kind neighbor, a larcenous ex-daughter-in-law and a county caseworker pressure Noelle to accept their well-meaning but unwelcome plans for her.

After she is tested for incompetence, and failed, by an intoxicated doctor, Noelle desperately wishes for someone to rescue her from the situation.

That’s when a charming but uninvited guest appears at her door and presents Noelle with an alternative to her own desire to remain independent and to the family’s insistence that she move into an assisted-living facility.

“Noelle” playwright and the play’s director Ara Barlieb was inspired to write the play by the statistics that the fastest-growing population by age in the United States and Pennsylvania is 65 years and older.

“About one of every five people is over 60 years of age,” says Barlieb. “And yet services for that population, although critically needed, are in short supply and underfunded.

“Service-providers are severely understaffed. And government response to the looming crisis has lacked any sense of urgency or serious commitment,” Barlieb says.

The cast features Sharon Ferry as Noelle and Trish Cipoletti as the uninvited guest. Other cast members are David Oswald, Suzy Hoffman, Dawn Daignault, Scott VanNortwick, Pamela McLean Wallace, Jerry Brucker, Bruce Brown, Alexandra Racines, Paula Klein, Dan Ferry, Billy Erlacher, Brian Wendt and Thomas Rush.

Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services staff will be at performances to provide information and answer questions about services and assistance available to those more than 60 years of age. Resource materials will be available.

“Noelle” includes adult language and situations.

Audience members must wear face masks.

Tickets: www.ckplayers.com; 610-704-6974

“Tidings: A Fractured Christmas Fable,” written by Macungie playwright Brian McDermott, combines elements of “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol” into a magical story set a few days before Christmas in a department store.

In the story, George is a down-on-his-luck department store Santa who has hit rock-bottom and resigns himself to spending another Christmas alone (and drunk) until his guardian angel appears to attempt to steer him on a better path.

At the same time, the Spirit of Christmas Present is on his own mission to reform the wicked store manager Frederick Neezer.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, the guardian angel and the spirit, who is known as CP, discover they need a shy young woman named Virginia to help with their assignments.

The cast features Kirsten Almeida, Mike Catanzaro, Dara Connelly, Mike Daniels, Michael Ignudo, Emma Fliszar, Corinne Fecho, Isabella Robbins, Connor Roberts, Benjamin Ruth, Parker Ryan, Coby James Steiner, Cindi Surovi, Florence Taylor and Natalie Woytek.

It will be the fourth time “Tidings” has been presented in the Lehigh Valley. It was originally produced by the Pennsylvania Playhouse in 2006 and then by Crowded Kitchen Players and Notre Dame High School theater department.

McDermott has won several playwright competitions in Pennsylvania and has had his works produced in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos.

Audience members must wear face masks.

Tickets: https://www.staroftheday.org/

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com