SEASONAL: STAGE
Holy Mo! A Christmas Show! Folly, Guff and Buffoona are back! And this time, it’s Christmas. A reverently irreverent re-imagining of the nativity told with gusto and a questionable commitment to accuracy by Pacific Theatre’s three favourite fools. • Pacific Theatre, 1440 W. 12th Ave. • Dec. 2-31 • $23.95-$34.95, 604-731-5518, pacifictheatre.org The Royal City Ballet: Nutcracker The Royal City Youth Ballet presents its annual production of this classic holiday ballet. • Dec. 2: Michael J. Fox Theatre, Burnaby, 604-664-8875
| Dec. 4: The ACT, Maple Ridge, 604-476-2787
| Dec. 9-11: Surrey Arts Centre, 604-501-5566
| Dec. 18: Centennial Theatre, North Van, 604984-4484 | Dec. 19: Massey Theatre, New West, 604-521-5050 • royalcityyouthballet.org A Christmas Carol in Gay Apparel An original comedy that parodies the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Eleanor S. Crooge has the classic “humbug” issues as the Dickens’ character, along with the added burden of being in denial that she is gay. Presented by the Leaping Thespians. • The Cultch Vancity Culture Lab, 1895 Venables St. • Dec. 6-11 • $23, 604-251-1363, tickets.thecultch.com, leapingthespians.com Bah! Humbug! With a script that is fine-tuned in response to the current issues affecting Vancouver’s DTES, Bah! Humbug! is Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol reconceived. A modern-day, sushi-loving Ebenezer Scrooge owns a pawnshop on Vancouver’s Hastings Street, where he is timing Bob Cratchit’s late arrival to work on his iPhone. • Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W. Hastings St. • Dec. 8-17 • $29/15, 778-782-9286, sfu.ca/sfuwoodwards/events Ballet B.C.: Nutcracker Ballet B.C. lights up the holidays with Nutcracker: The dream ballet beautifully brought to life by Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. • Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 630 Hamilton St. • Dec. 8-11 • $35-$98.50, ticketmaster.ca, balletbc.com The SantaLand Diaries “The funniest Christmas play ever written, ”The SantaLand Diaries is based on the true chronicles of celebrated humour writer and radio celebrity David Sedaris’ experience working as a Christmas elf in a Macy’s department store in New York City. • Presentation House Theatre, 333 Chesterfield Ave., North Van • Dec. 8-17 • 604-990-3474, phtheatre.org Christmas Queen 3: The Bachelorette Edition This episode of Vancouver TheatreSports League’s The Christmas Queen saga sees Her Royal Meanness as the star of her own reality show. • Improv Centre, 1502 Duranleau St., Granville Island • Until Dec. 23 • vtsl.com East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto will see Little Red Riding Hood bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to her granny, while battling bike thieves, distracted drivers and, of course, the Big Bad Wolf. • York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr. • Until Dec. 31 • From $20, 604-251-1363, thecultch.com Pinocchio: The Panto Cheer for a brave, but mischievous wooden puppet on a quest to become a real boy and boo the nefarious villains. Presented by FVGSS: A Musical Theatre Society. • Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 88th Ave.• Until Dec. 4 • $11.95-$27.95, fvgssociety.wixsite.com/fvgss The Day Before Christmas Alex is a perfectionist who is desperately holding fast to her Christmas traditions. Can she save the turkey from the dog and salvage a broken-down tree? Presented by the Arts Club Theatre Company. • BMO Theatre Centre, 162 W. 1st Ave. • Until Dec. 24 • From $29, 604-687-1644, artsclub.com A Charlie Brown Christmas Carousel Theatre for Young People brings this cherished holiday classic to the stage in a lively musical adaptation, complete with a live jazz trio. • Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright St., Granville Island • Held over until Dec. 31 • $18-$35, 604-685-6217, carouseltheatre.ca