Social Seen drops in on a hip variety show and a classic holiday ballet

At Christmastime even the hardest of hearts turn to mush — a sentiment well proven at Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza, a variety show hosted by Edmonton comedian Jon Mick on Thursday, Dec. 13.

An artsy, mostly under-40 crowd with an eclectic, retro sense of style filled the Metro Cinema at the old Garneau Theatre for libations, laughs, live music and warm-andfuzzy holiday cheer.

The premise of Mick’s onstage antics called on a familiar social scenario: two house parties on the same night, hosted by two friends in the same circle.

The lineup of activities at Mick’s party are trumped by those at the elusive Smokey Johnson’s party, where rumours of waterslides and a petting zoo allow Mick to welcome local acts like Craig Schram, Tim Mikula, Mitch Holtby and Jessica Jalbert onstage to perform reworked Christmas jingles before they move onto bigger and better— or so they think.

There was even opportunity for Mick to take an onstage catnap and dream of farcical Star Wars characters doing the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, an amusing performance by the Good Women Dance Collective.

The real ballet graced the stage at the Jubilee Auditorium from Dec. 14 to 16.

I snapped photos of guests and aspiring ballerina’s at the matinee performance of the Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 15. Tchaikovsky’s classic suite, played by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, whisked us away to 20th-century Russia, where spellbinding sets, costumes, and the province’s top ballet dancers reminded us what Christmas dreams are truly made of.

Photos: Caroline Gault/ Edmonton Journal From left, Minnie Proc joins Wanda Sparrow and Christine Beamish with their daughters Paige and Paris Sparrow and Annika Beamish at the Alberta Ballet’s matinee performance of the The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Jubilee Auditorium.

Comedian Jon Mick, left, host of Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza, with Doug Hoyer.

Taryn Lyster, a student at the University of Alberta, joins Kristi Leavitt, a dental assistant, at The Nutcracker.

From left, Nonnie de Beer, Luke Schoeman, Andrea Schoeman, Riaan Schoeman, Neil Schoeman, Juliette Atkinson and Marika Atkinson at the matinee performance of the The Nutcracker.

Cory Haller of Barber Ha joins Alex Trann-McEwen at Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza.

From left, Michelle Martin, Cori Sanderson, Matt Kerby and Justin Bonko at Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza.

From left, Jane Berry joins Kaylin Betteridge, Leslie Tinge, and Joses Martin at Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza.

Emily Rault joins Patrick Michalak, centre, and Paul Arnusch at Saint Mick’s Muletide Extravaganza on Dec. 13.

Lynnea Waselenko and her daughter at the Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker.