Festive Theatre Offerings! What's Onstage in #yeg in December!

Seeing as it's opening night for the return of the Citadel's in-person A Christmas Carol, I thought I would highlight some of the shows that are available to Edmonton audiences this month. There are a few different things to entertain you and get you in the holiday mood! 

First is the aforementioned A Christmas Carol onstage in the Citadel's Maclab Theatre. It's a relatively new adaptation from Alberta playwright David van Belle set mid-century with Ted Dykstra playing the curmudgeon Scrooge. It features many local theatre favourites, with Julian Arnold as Marley and Patricia Zentilli as Emily (not Bob) Cratchit. It's filled with live performances of music from the era and shakes up the traditional story. Carol is a family favourite and is recommended for children 6+ to adults of all ages.  Remember to bring your donation for the Food Bank as this is an opportunity to give while you get a great night at the theatre! A Christmas Carol is onstage now until December 23rd and tickets range from $68.00 to $128.00 and can be purchased here. 

Also in December, Shumka is back onstage for three shows at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, December 17 & 18, for Shumka's Nutcracker.  A luxurious Christmas performance loved by everyone, but Shumka's Nutcracker is also a true Edmonton production, created and performed by local artists. Featuring ballet, folk dance, and character dance, the show is a celebration of Tchaikovsky's beloved Christmas classic which blends the grace and lyrical nature of classical movement with the strength and power of Ukrainian character dance. Tickets are on sale now starting at $25 and can be purchased here.

Opening next week at Walterdale Theatre is 5@50 by Brad Fraser. This one is not for the kids. Billed as a raw and darkly comedic portrayal of turning fifty in contemporary society, and of the friendships we can’t live without. Acclaimed playwright and Edmonton native Brad Fraser (Kill Me Now, Love and Human Remains) wrote 5@50 for all the “excellent middle-aged actresses who were having trouble finding parts.” This production was slated to go onstage shortly after the shut down in March 2020 and was put on hold until now. It also marks the Edmonton and Albertan Premiere of the play! 5@50 runs from December 8-18, with tickets at $25.00 which can be purchased here. Please note: There is reduced capacity due to Covid and tickets must be purchased in advance. 

Another Edmonton favourite is also returning, Whizgiggling Productions' The Best Little Newfoundland Christmas Pageant... Ever! I've seen this show in previous incarnations and it is both hilarious and touching. Silliness abounds and it is terrific for kids! Trouble is on the horizon when the Herdmans show up for auditions for the annual Christmas Pageant, after all they are the "worst kids in the world". You can catch the show live onstage at the Backstage Theatre December 17-19 with tickets ranging from $24-$30 each. Tickets are also available for an online performance on December 22-23. You can purchase your tickets here. 

I hope that you will be able to catch one or more of these shows over the next month and that it helps you celebrate the season! 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SUMMER READING! #yegbookclub

Image
On May 26th we had a lively chat on twitter with author Thomas Trofmiuk about Waiting for Columbu s .  It was wonderful to be able to ask questions about the characters and their possible paths and has the author answer them.  It was very clear that they all continued to live outside the book.  We begged for a Consuela sequel as she was a favorite of many of us readers. It was also great to learnt hat there is a Waiting for Columbus movie in the works.  When I read the book I was struck by how cinematic it was and, like The English Patient , I thought it would lend itself to film. Following the discussion I indicated that there would be some Summer Reading Choice(s) for the next #yegbookclub.  I don't know about you, but I am always hard to pin down for the summer.  With holidays and day camps for the kids and, for this year, directing two Fringe Shows I thought we could have 2 selections to read over the summer and then in September we could take two evenings to chat about th
Read more

Fringe #42 - Sat, Aug 19 - Three Great Musicals and More WORD OF MOUTH Recommendations!

Image
I saw three great musicals on Saturday. They were very different, but enjoyable in their own ways! First I took in Morningside Road , a new musical by Mhairi Berg and Simon Abbott. It was so beautiful. having written a play about a similar topic I thought the way that the story was told was very well done. The music is lovely and sung very well - tight harmonies and gorgeous voices. At the end, I estimate 50% of the audience (if not more) was in tears and there was an instant standing ovation. This is a terrific pick!  Next up was The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes which in the spirit Schmigadoon, the lead character Howard wakes up to find himself living in a a musical and wanting to get out of it. It was a super fun ride of a show. It hit on so any musical theatre tropes and references what feels like a thousand specific shows. The Musical Theatre afficionado should not miss this show! I loved how they really leaned into all the ridiculousness because that's the only way this k
Read more

Bringing The Color Purple to the Stage with Joyous Song and Truthful Storytelling!

Image
Sometimes when you are very excited for something, it fails to live up to your expectations. This is NOT the case with The Color Purple currently running at the Citadel Theatre . As I wrote earlier, I loved Alice Walker's novel and I am happy to report that the production is everything and more than I could have hoped for. From the first few seconds of the show, when Celie (Tara Jackson) and Nettie (Allison Edwards-Crewe) sing a child's rhyme together, you know that musically you are going to be treated to something magnificent. This grows as the full cast joins them onstage and the world of Celie is created. The power and beauty of this cast in their vocals is majestic. It's the kind of music sung so well that it makes you want to lift from your seat. The Citadel has done an incredible job of bringing together this cast which has no weak links, each voice expressive, joyful and strong. Kudos to the cast and to Music Director Floydd Ricketts for creating such amazing sou
Read more