So many wonderful holiday shows are available this year, it’s hard to know where to start. But here goes!

You can still catch Laurie Roldan’s Christmas gift of beautiful songs in “Laurie Sings a Song for You Christmas” with two shows on Friday at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m. in Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive. The nostalgic concert is inspired by Karen Carpenter’s music and includes such favorites as “Sleigh Ride,” “Merry Christmas Darling,” “Winter Wonderland” and many more.

“People were asking me after my first concert if I was doing a Carpenters Christmas, and I thought, ‘What a great idea,’ ” Roldan said. “We have a wonderful quartet made up of John Brown, Ben Chau-Chiu, Ashley Cowl and Ashley Houts and an amazing harp player, Krista Strader, as well as the marvelous Joyce Lee on violin.”

Noel Anthony Escobar directs with musical direction by Brett Strader. For tickets, call 925-943-SHOW or visit lesherartscenter.org online.

Also at Lesher: Everyone’s favorite curmudgeon returns to the Lesher Center with Center Repertory Company’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol” featuring Michael Ray Wisely as Scrooge.

This production has become a holiday tradition for many of the performers who have returned year after year including Jeff Draper (Marley), Jeanine Perasso (Mrs. Fezziwig) and Kerri Shawn (Ghost of Christmas Past). Scott Denison directs the beloved holiday classic with Kelly Tighe’s fanciful scenic design, lots of special effects, surprises, music and dance.

Running Dec. 8-22, the show includes an America Sign Language-interpreted performance Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 925-943-SHOW or go to the Lesher Center’s website above.

Lafayette: Sally Cookson’s “Cinderella: A Fairytale” brings holiday magic Dec. 3-18 to Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre Company. Following the death of her mother, Ella is raised by her loving father until he remarries, and her peaceful life turns upside-down. Her only allies seem to be the beautiful birds she loves. But these are no ordinary birds!

“I love this script because it challenges our perceptions of these characters whose stories have been told so many times,” said Director Sequoia Schirmer. “In our production, we are telling this story through a queer lens to bring representation to those of us who did not see ourselves in fairytales growing up.”

Schirmer notes that the show is “bold and fun and campy” while also telling of Cinderella’s resilience and courage.

“Ella’s journey, at its core, is one for dreamers of all ages. It’s a story of growing up, moving on, belonging and finding one’s place in the world, while also learning to appreciate the world around you and finding the ways to make it your own,” added Daniel Eslick, Town Hall’s curator of artistic programming. The cast includes Evelyn McCollum, Alicia Rydman, Ash M.D., Vanessa Dalpiaz and Scout Del Real. For tickets, call 925-283-1557 or go online to townhalltheatre.com.

Walnut Creek: Join Diablo Women’s Chorale for a holiday concert in its new venue at Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, 1543 Sunnyvale Ave. Concerts take place Dec. 10-11 at 3 p.m. Go to diablowomenschorale.org for more information.

Walnut Creek and Orinda: Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra presents “Holiday Rhapsodies and Reveries” on Dec. 3 at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek and Dec. 4 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Orinda. Pianist Paul Schrage will solo in Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with Lisa Canter the soloist in Vivaldi’s “Bassoon Concerto in E. Minor.” Go to contracostachamberorchestra.org for more information.

San Francisco: If you’ve never seen a pantomime theater performance, here’s your chance with just a quick trip to San Francisco’s Presidio Theatre. A traditional British holiday entertainment, pantos combine slapstick humor, crazy characters and parodies of current events.

The Presidio Theatre offers a panto of “Sleeping Beauty” in an over-the-top musical reimagining of the classic fairytale set in the magical kingdom of Pantoland, a mythical realm that looks a lot like contemporary San Francisco!

“Our annual panto productions are a great way to let loose, bring the kids and find the kid in all of us,” says Executive Producer Peggy Haas. “One of the world’s most popular theater traditions, panto does not take itself too seriously but delivers an uplifting message of coming together and hope.”

The show runs through Dec. 30 at the Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center, 99 Moraga Ave. Call 415-960-3949 or go to presidiotheatre.org for tickets.

Also in S.F.: Just when I thought COVID would no longer disrupt theater performances, it once again rears its ugly head. SF Playhouse had to postpone the opening of “As You Like It” to Dec. 9 because of cast members testing positive for the disease. It originally was scheduled to open Nov. 23. Preview performances resume Dec. 3 at 8 p.m.

The musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy features an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub, who collaborated with Sir. Elton John on an upcoming musical version of “The Devil Wears Prada.”

Directed by Bill English with music direction by Dave Dobrusky and choreography by Nicole Helfer, the show offers a utopian vision of a society that favors acceptance over division and grace over meanness. That sounds like something we could all use, especially over the holidays. The show continues (hopefully uninterrupted!) through Jan. 14. For tickets, call 415-677-9596 or go to sfplayhouse.org.

Sally Hogarty can be reached at sallyhogarty@gmail.com. Read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.