The Drunk Shakespeare Society is bringing Drunk Christmas Carol to its speakeasy at the Ruby Theatre, 35 West 39th Street, from November 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
The premise is borrowed from the company's long-running house style. Before each performance one actor drinks five shots of whiskey, and then tries to get through Dickens's ghost story anyway, while four sober colleagues do their best to keep the plot on the rails. The drinker changes every night, so no two performances run the same way, and the whole thing comes in at around 90 minutes with no filler.
The room matters as much as the script. The Ruby is a small, hidden speakeasy with the audience seated in the round, three rows deep, and cocktails and mocktails are brought to your seat during the show, with no drink minimum. It is strictly 21 and over, photo ID is checked at the door, and the company warns of strobe lighting, loud noises and sexual content.
The Christmas show follows the company's Halloween offering into the same space: Drunk Dracula runs at the Ruby through November 7. Drunk Christmas Carol is also being staged this season in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Phoenix and Houston.
New York tickets are sold through the company's own site, drunkchristmas.com.
