Cirque du Soleil: ‘Twas the Night Before — Straz Center

One performer in ‘Twas the Night Before spins by her hair roughly 100 times at top speed — about seven rotations per second — while another duo works a strap act 20 feet above the stage and a roller-skating pair hits 30 mph in tight circles. It’s Cirque du Soleil’s first holiday-themed production, built loosely around the Clement Clarke Moore poem rather than a traditional book musical: a family settling in for Christmas Eve becomes the frame for aerial straps, hoop diving through stacked rings as small as 18 inches across, hair suspension, and a neon-diabolo number that spins lit-up tops out into the crowd.

Reviews have been mixed on whether it hits the emotional highs of Cirque’s non-holiday shows — some critics have called it a notch below the company’s best work — but the acrobatics themselves are consistently singled out as the draw, and it’s become a recurring touring holiday staple since its 2019 debut.

It’s family-friendly throughout — no violence, no mature content, built around a Christmas story — and runs about 90 minutes, making it an easier sit for younger kids than most touring productions. The show plays Carol Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for an 11-day run with multiple performances most days.

Good to know: Carol Morsani Hall, Straz Center, 1010 N W.C. MacInnes Pl, Tampa, FL 33602. Nov. 18-29, multiple showtimes daily (1pm, 3pm, 4pm, 6pm, 7:30pm depending on the date). Tickets from $116, through Ticketmaster.