Not surprisingly, holiday music is woven into three of the upcoming week’s big shows in New Orleans.

‘CHRISTMAS WITHOUT TEARS’ 20th ANNIVERSARY

TUESDAY, ORPHEUM THEATER

For two decades, jazz- and blues-based singer Judith Owen and her husband, Harry Shearer, have staged their “Christmas Without Tears” variety show. What started out as a living room gathering has grown into a star-studded production — alternately irreverent, naughty and nice — that raises money for Innocence & Justice Louisiana (formerly Innocence Project New Orleans).

For the 20th anniversary, Owen has assembled a roster of top-tier talent. That roster includes Irma Thomas, keyboardist Jon Cleary, actors John Goodman and Bryan Batt — who will likely do holiday-themed readings — singer Tonya Boyd-Cannon, burlesque perfo

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