The Irving Berlin musical “Holiday Inn” is in its Lehigh Valley premiere, Dec. 2 - 18, The Pennsylvania Playhouse, Bethlehem.

It’s the last show directed at the Playhouse by Rody Gilkeson while still serving in a leadership role there.

In August, Gilkeson announced he would be stepping down as president of the Pennsylvania Playhouse board of directors when his term ends in December.

Gilkeson was named the Playhouse’s first Theater Administrator in 2018, but in 2020 the position was dissolved when revenue at the Playhouse dropped because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutdown.

Gilkeson has continued to lead the Playhouse as president of its board of directors since 2020.

“I have been president for two very difficult and tumultuous years. We were getting to an extremely precarious financial state as Covid crippled the arts.

“I am very happy to say that things have improved. Many positive changes occurred under my watch and I am proud to have been at the helm,” Gilkeson says.

Gilkeson will remain involved with the theater by continuing to act and direct from “time to time,” he says.

He was supposed to direct “Holiday Inn” in 2021, but the show was postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. He is excited to finally bring the production to the stage.

“’Holiday Inn’ is coming along nicely and I am looking forward to bringing it to the Lehigh Valley audience,” Gilkeson says.

“Holiday Inn” is based on the 1942 movie musical of the same title that starred Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with music by Irving Berlin.

In the storyline for the musical at the Playhouse, song and dance man Jim Hardy (Micah Henning) leaves show business behind to settle down in a farmhouse in Connecticut, but finds life just isn’t the same without performing.

When Jim meets Linda Mason (Elizabeth Marsh-Gilkeson), a spirited schoolteacher with talent and a love of theater, they turn the farmhouse into an inn with performances to celebrate each holiday from Thanksgiving to the Fourth of July.

However, Jim’s best friend Ted Hanover (Trevor Colahan) tries to lure Linda away to be his new dance partner in Hollywood, jeopardizing Jim’s chance at love.

The cast of characters includes Lila (Jenny Taylor), Ted and Jim’s star-driven former partner; Louise (Denise Long), the Inn’s handy woman; Charlie (Liam Griffith), the bank’s errand boy, and a singing and dancing ensemble of 20 performers.

The musical features Berlin’s hit songs, including “Blue Skies,” “Easter Parade,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Shaking the Blues Away” and ”White Christmas.”

Music director is Nancy Shumaker. Choreographer is Jennifer Dorn.

“Holiday Inn,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 8, 9, 16, 17; 3 p.m. Dec. 4, 11, 18, The Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem. Tickets: http://www.paplayhouse.org/ ; 610-865-6665

31st “Christmas Carol” at Civic:

Civic Theater continues its annual holiday tradition with its 31st production of Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” Dec. 2 - 17, Nineteenth Street Theatre, Allentown.

For more than three decades, Civic’s production has inspired thousands of Lehigh Valley children and adults to travel with Scrooge as “fellow passengers” on the road to humanity.

The timeless tale about Ebenezer Scrooge and his redemption is directed by Civic Theater of Allentown Artistic Director William Sanders.

Scrooge (Bill Joachim) is made to see the light as he encounters a series of ghosts: Jacob Marley (Troy Brokenshire) and the Christmas Spirits of Past (Lukas Barnet), Present (Troy Brokenshire) and Yet To Come (George Kovarie), who provide him with revelations about his life.

The cast takes you on a journey through the past, present and future of Scrooge’s Victorian London in Dickens’ magical tale of the Christmas spirit.

“A Christmas Carol,” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 9, 15, 16; 2 p.m. Dec. 4, 11; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 17. Tickets: Box Office, Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. https://civictheatre.com/ ; 610-433-8903

“Elf the Musical Jr.” at Star of the Day:

Star of the Day presents its production of “Elf The Musical Jr.,” Dec. 2 - 11, St. John’s United Church of Christ, 139 N. Fourth St., Emmaus.

The show features youth performers in the musical based on the 2003 hit film “Elf,” with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar (“The Wedding Singer”) and Chad Beguelin (“Disney’s Aladdin.” “The Wedding Singer”) and book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (“Annie,” “The Producers,” “Hairspray”) and Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”).

The musical tells the story of a child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is given the name Buddy and raised by elves at the North Pole.

Buddy (Jack Warnke) lives happily unaware that he is actually a human until his size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity.

“‘Elf the Musical’ is an uplifting musical about one boy’s quest to find his true identity. The story encourages each of us to approach each day with goodwill, wonder and cheer,” says Kirsten Almeida, Star of the Day Managing Artistic Director.

The cast includes Kyleigh Vicoso, Maggie Toner, TJ Seislove and Laney Levin.

Directors are Lauren and David Erb.

Almeida is music director and choreographer.

“Elf the Musical Jr:,” 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10; 3 p.m. Dec. 4, 11. Tickets: https://www.staroftheday.org/ ; 484-809-9228

“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.