Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Chicago)

Family Tickets > Children's Music & Theater

The beloved stop-motion classic RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL™ and his friends soar off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. From fleeing the Abominable Snow Monster™ to saving Christmas, join RUDOLPH ® and his friends Clarice™, Hermey the Elf™ and Yukon Cornelius™ as their adventures teach us that what makes you different can be what makes you special. Don't miss this wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the little misfit in all of us. Honoring the tradition of the original animated television special, Emerald City Theatre and First Stage bring to life the magical world of the North Pole in a large-scale, spectacle-filled musical with all the classic songs.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Chicago) Concert & Tour Photos

Fan Reviews

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

NicolesGrandma

I attended couple of shows with my granddaughter and this one was the best. Grate costumes a lots of action she was drown by the play all the time ( no toilet brakes, you know what I mean :) if they are bored the need to go).Very appropriate for the youngest audience. Definitely will go next year! Thanks all the team! Grate work! Marry Christmas!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

Great performance. It was just like the Rankin/ Bass movie. I love how authentic the misfit toys, Sam the Snowman and abominable snow monster (the bumble) were. Rudolph, Hermie & Yukon were great. I brought my niece and we just loved it.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Sillygrandma1

This was an awesome production! I had a 4 yr. old and three 2yr. olds that were mesmerized. One even cried at intermission because he thought it was over! To capture the attention of children that age is great. i am telling all my friends about it! Great Job!!!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

momandherteens

Took my 4 year old nephew. He loved it! There was an intermission about 45 minutes into the show, which probably wasn't needed.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lilmadrew

Adorable your whole family will love it! Great way to get into the Christmas spirit!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

My husband and I went and loved it- never a dull moment and it was easy to follow along. The time flew by with only one brief intermission.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

LorenaD77

What a wonderful show for children (and grown-ups)! My twin sons, 5 years old, and 10 year old nephew loved it. It was the perfect length for a younger audience. The actors were wonderful and the costumes were cute and creative.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

poletown1956

Nice adaptation of the old Burl Ive's movie that we all saw growing up. Our 2 year old grandson loved it, as did all the adults there too!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Elee3675

I really loved how they adapted it for stage and the costumes were so nice! It was also nice to see the additional conversation tools that were include in the Playbill for parents an their to talk about the message behind the musical. Would highly recommend!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

loved it! 3 year old son says "That was the best show ever" as we walked out!!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sun, Nov 17, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

DrSterling3

I loved it!!! The songs and the acting and putting together of the scenes was great.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

MsIves

Fun watching a live performance of Rudolph; all ages enjoyed the show. Good singing and acting Rudolph's nose must have malfunctioned near the end as it wasn't lit.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Musicallover9

My four year old loves Rudolph and he's already asked if we can go back again. We really enjoyed the show!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Anonymous

The overall production was staged beautifully and the puppets and costumes were beautiful. For those reasons alone would go again! There were a few moments in the show that need to be tightened up but I know the production has just opened. To the average viewer I am sure they were not as noticeable but I still thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Mrs. Claus was great!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

BellaDellaStellar

I loved this show. It's great entertainment for young and old alike. All the characters are wonderful. The songs are fabulous. The story line is great. It's just an all round good family show. I particularly loved Rudolph. That boy is going to be a star!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Marze1

Excellent theatre...... Not a bad seat there. I got in in the $25 tickets and felt that was much more reasonable than the full price. Makes it easier for families to go. The musical was good and just the right lenght,

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

sersly

Amazing how well they stuck to the story line and even sounded like the original characters from the movie. Awesome Job!!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cbosnich

Every part if the play was awesome!! There was never a dull moment. The costumes, stage props, and actors/actresses were phenomenol!!! Perfect venue as well- not too big, not too small.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Bill847

Great show, wonderfully staged and faithful to the original. The cast was talented and enthusiastic. Just the way to start the holiday season!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Mommylane

I have a 3 and a 4 year old boy and girl and Rudolph was the perfect show for them! They loved watching it from beginning to end. It kept their attention the whole way through. It follows the cartoon perfectly which was also good so as not to create confusion in their minds. Additionally, the venue at Water Tower (playhouse theater) was perfect for a kid-focused play as it's smaller, thus there was not a bad seat in the house. AND TO TOP IT OFF, the ticket prices were reasonable. Tickets to some plays are so exorbitantly priced that you don't want to risk buying them in case you have to leave due to a young one not having it. We will definitely go back in years to come!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Nov 16, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

MJlover

Everything was great about this show!!! Performance, costumes, props!! My 5 yr old was engaged and loved it the whole time

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

Its been a long time since anyone produced a theater production as well done as this one. The over all production,music, sets, lighting, cast, everything, was absolutely first rate! The children in the audience were positively charmed. The theme was very well portrayed and executed by the very professional cast, children and adults. A very uplifting holiday and everyday message to those of us who are somehow "different" from all of those who think they are not. AND visa versa!!!! A must see primer on how everyone should interact and respect each others' differences. While this was a "children's" production, everyone could learn from the themes message of tolerance for each other.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Iowa222222222222222222222

The only thing I was very upset with is that ticket master added $9:00 per ticket. There should be a way to buy directly from your theater other than walking up to the ticket booth. Most people can not do that. That fee along with $45:00 for parking makes this prohibitive for families.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

IdaK

I took a group of nine people, three adults and 6 girls ranging from 12 years old to 18 years old and everyone thought the play was wonderful.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

JodyQ

We took our 2 1/2 year old grandson & wasn't sure if he would make it through the entire play or not! He was mesmerized by it!!! He loved it!!! Did not have to correct his behavior one time because Rudolph captivated his undivided attention!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

GQGUY

We were so happy to get tickets to this wonderful show! It was so much fun to see one of our favorite Christmas TV traditions amazingly brought to life on stage. Clever use of puppetry and live actors made for a perfect production. Hope this travels because we would love to see it again! This venue was perfect, not a bad seat in the house, even from the back row! A Great funfilled show for young and old alike! Don't miss this show!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

It was great for all ages. The acting, set design and characters were top notch and really stayed true to the classic Rudolph story.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Blackhawkscrna

This is an excellent show. Intimate venue where every seat is perfect. Really was like watching a love version of the classic. You will not regret seeing this!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

karg

It was a great musical for the whole family. We live in Ohio and it did not work out for us to bring our 2 youngest grandchildren, but they would have really enjoyed it. Everyone did a great job and the music was wonderful. Thank you for a great evening of fun entertainment.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Chicagomom27

Excellent show! My 2 & 4 yr olds were amazed! Every seat is fantastic!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Nov 15, 2013

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Poopy2

Purchased these tickets for my 4 1/2 year old boy. He was interested in the first 15 minutes and then wanted to know when it was going to end. It seemed slow moving for children that like to see a lot of action. The elves dancing and singing were good and Rudolph flying in the air were the highlights of this event. Adults thought it was alright to bring you into the Christmas Spirit.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

TMladic

If you love the cartoon version of this story shown on television every Christmas, you would adore this live play. It was almost nearly identical to the Rankin/Bass show a lot of us grew up with and which continues to be a beloved tradition to this day. The actors were superb as were the costumes and special effects. Everything was identical right down to Hermey's voice and Yukon Cornelius's pick axe which he uses to taste the snow in search of gold! Adults and children alike enjoyed this performance, complete with intermission. I will be back next year if it comes back to town!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Hankeysse

Recommend to family's with kids 4 and older. Had great time.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Luvthegrandkids

The story told of some "misfit" toys. How many 3-6 year olds know what that means?The production itself was poor. People moving stuffed animals around and stage props needing to manually be moved. The whole production was about 10 years behind the times.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

SnoopyLovesRoses

Thought a program with cast listed would have been helpful. Seemed to be an overworked cast. I think being at the fifth show in two days showed. The musical itself was fun and entertaining. Great animation.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

jupetr

My daughter and I shared the best time together at this play! It was done so well and depicted all of the characters perfectly! It really kicked off our holiday season with a smile!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Anonymous

Did not enjoy this show for many reasons. Too slow moving for kids. Too much talking not enough action.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

chipmunksfan

Unfortunately, this show was less than eventful. The sound, the costumes, the lackluster set left us wanting more. We actually left early as a family because none of us were engaged. It's 2015, yet the scenery, costumes and overall quality appear to still be from the original production. Unfortunate as we were really excited for it!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

chatmandy

Did not attend, gave tickets to my daughter and grandkids. They loved it and would recommend.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lynn257

Perfect show for my 3 year old Grandson. He was totally enthused with the show.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Fri, Dec 27, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

Loved the play. Our granddaughters were with us, they lived it too. The young stars were fabulous.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

shortstuff61

The musical version of "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" was very entertaining. It is a show that appeals to youngsters and to those of us who have seen the TV Special. The acting and directing were great and followed the famous storyline. It is obvious that much work was put in the production. I would recommend "Rudolph" to my friends!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

bensenvillegram

Each time I looked over at my granddaughter, she had the biggest smile on her face. She had a wonderful time and so did her dad and I. My granddaughter will be four in March and the play held her attention completely. She's been "performing" Rudolph a lot at home.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

ILUVRUDOLPH

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was great. I went with my grandchildren ages 6 and 8 and they just loved it. It was so good I bought tickets for my friend. The cartoon is one of her holiday favorites. She loved how it followed the cartoon. I hope Emerald City continues to bring holiday theme shows for years to come.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Roo65

This show did a great job of capturing the essence of the tv special. I had heard that the lack of live musicians made the show mediocre. But I don't agree. I think the pre recorded music was fine and I thought the voices of the performers were very good. The way they interpreted the animals and misfit toys was very clever. I will take more kids to see it next year.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Undy72

This is a good show for small children. We brought our grandchildren age 4 & 6. They knew most of the songs from the TV show.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

This performance was a delight! It was enjoyable for the adults as well as the children. We especially appreciated the discussion questions in the program.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

TracyLin

Great show, by a fantastic company! We brought our 7 year old and our 21 month old. Both loved the entire show! A great tradition!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

abominable

The dancing elves added greatly to rudolph's adventures.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Anonymous

Very cute. Very faithful adaptation of a holiday classic. Enjoyed by children and adults alike. Child singers were impressive but some of the adults could have had stronger voices. Kept our 3 1/2 y.o. son's and 2 1/2 y.o. nephew's attention. Price could have been a little more reasonable. Charged a $4 fee for our 3 1/2 month old son (even though sat on our laps.)

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Sat, Dec 28, 2013

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Lynnye

Several thoughts... 1. It seemed like something I would spend $10-$15 for at a local kids' theater. Disappointed with the quality for the price. From someone who has seen a handful of "broadway" shows in Chicago and other major cities this didn't even come close to the quality. We drove several hours to see Rudolph on "Chicago on Broadway" and we weren't awed. 2. The price. Definitely not worth the $50 some dollars that we spent per ticket!! I was also disappointed that the price ended up going down to $25 per ticket and would have waited to purchase my ticket for the show!!- would have liked a refund for the difference of what we paid since it went down.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

TeacherMom83

This production of "Rudolph" was a great event to take kids of all ages to. If you grew up watching this show on TV or you've never seen it before, you will be delighted it! The scenery was amazing and so true to the TV original. Great acting - even the kids were super! Highly recommended!!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

constructionmom

Most enjoyable..grandsons 2 & 3 years old..had a great time!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Anonymous

Show and sets were spectacular!! It is perfectly scripted to the greatest animated feature of all time..

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

sprout410

Hey, it's not the Goodman, but for a children's performance this was all I could ask for. We would definitely return.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Anonymous

Alcohol should not be served at an event for small children. I had to sit next to a couple who were drunk when they arrived and made a scene throughout the play. The ticket website did not indicate that lap tickets for infants could be purchased for only $4

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Anonymous

Such a perfect way to enhance the Christmas spirit with your little ones

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Danskagirl

A wonderful production in a lovely theater. It is just like the classic claymation version of Rudolph from the 1960's. We had premium seats, just left of center section. My two suggestions are: (1) we could see back stage from our viewpoint -- the producers/directors need to fix that problem pronto because its disappointing to see the inner workings of the production and watch actors abandon their stage presence once they believe they're out of view; (2) the abominable snow man puppeteers need to work on making a little more magic with their huge puppet -- it looked clumsy and hard to handle, which is not really what you're going for.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Anonymous

What a great adaptation of the classic show! The show was such fun!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A555555555

The play was wonderful and the actors, both adults and children, were full of life and very engaging. I don't want to give away any details so I won't but I will say that the way they staged the secondary, non-live, characters was very clever. At first I thought it would be distracting but then I got caught up in the action and it became very natural and part of the background. The theater itself is relatively small and cozy. I don't think there is a "bad" seat in the house. I hope to see other plays there.

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL - Thu, Dec 26, 2013

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

JPJH

One of the best holiday performances I've ever seen. Move over Christmas Carol. Better than A Christmas Story.