Visitors to the Christmas City, as well as theater-goers from the Lehigh Valley and beyond, should include Touchstone Theatre's "Christmas City Follies IV" on their itinerary. The show, continuing through Dec. 22, is bright and will make your season merry.

When the big quilted curtain goes up on the stage of the south side Bethlehem theater, audiences are in for an evening of sketch comedy better than, for example, much of this season's "Saturday Night Live" in originality, writing and acting.

The two-hour, two-act comedy with music (a New Orleans-style quartet including sax, trombone, clarinet and flute, as well as lovely singing and fine four-part harmonies) has 11 sketches in Act 1 and 13 sketches in Act 2, created by the Touchstone Ensemble and "Follies" cast, directed with whimsical aplomb by Jp Jordan, Touchstone Theatre artistic director.

The sound design by Jordan is excellent, as is the lighting design by Emma Chong, Ensemble member and Touchstone general manager.

The "Follies" costumes and properties by Lisa Jordan, Ensemble member and Touchstone managing director, and cast are inventive and superbly crafted.

Bill George, Ensemble member and Touchstone co-founder, is back as the Old Guy. This time, he's mentoring the clueless, pink-attired Penelope (Catherine Restivo, Touchstone apprentice), who's a little too enthusiastic about spreading joy to the world.

Superheroes abound in "A Long Time Ago ...," as Joshua Neth, Allentown Public Theatre Artistic Director, portrays a father reading the nativity story to his son, played by Jordan Orth, Touchstone apprentice.

"Reindeer Games," which concludes Act 1, provides the community guest spot.

Act begins with "Shopping Subtext," where four actors riding in shopping carts serve as the inner voices of the four actors pushing the carts. "The Shopping Cart Ballet" is another Follies" motif.

This segues into "Follies IV" most entertaining piece, "No More Toys," which parodies the barricade scene in the musical, "Les Miserables," as Santa's elves go on strike for better wages and health care benefits. The shopping carts are piled up as barricades.

In "The Feline Phantom," Kyle Lewis, Ensemble journeyman, reprises his Kwanza Panther role, singing and dancing to the tune of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," with three 1970's-styled female backup singers.

The show's through-line has to do with Megan Schadler, Touchstone intern, standing in, or, in this case, sleeping in, as a teen Scrooge who not only doesn't want to believe, but just doesn't want to be bothered.

"Trouble at the Top" has Mallory de Forest, Touchstone apprentice, as a conflicted Christmas tree-topping angel, Neth as Nutcracker, and Orth as a decorative green light bulb.

Mary Wright, Touchstone associate, returns as Little Red, with Chong as Little Blue, the latter disappointed that the reality of a live nativity pageant hasn't fulfilled her "artistic vision." Little Red gets some of the audience into the act (including yours truly on opening night, Dec. 5).

In "Enough of Stuff," Neth is a standout in a Tom Waits-esque scat-singing, jazzbo monologue.

"Chiron Beta Prime," written and originally performed by Jonathan Coulton, with its Robot Overlords, is one of the most bizarre sketches of the evening and sheer brilliance.

Touchstone Theatre's "Christmas City Follies" puts the holiday season into perspective. "IV" is one of its best "Follies" ever. Put it on your holiday season list.