Vancouver holiday show guide 2022: Laughs, nostalgia, and classic choral beauty are all on the program
From a candle-lit harp concert to a one-man Christmas Carol, all the arts events you need to know to get festive
Left to right, Dawn Petten in East Van Panto: The Little Mermaid (Emily Cooper photo); the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Nutcracker (Samanta Katz photo); and Winter Harp creating medieval magic.
WANT A NOSTALGIC, classic Christmas? We have concerts, ballets, lavish musicals, and screenings for that. Looking for a twist on the classics? Check out some of the innovative holiday theatre this season—from a one-man Christmas Carol to a reimagined Nutcracker. Done with Christmas trappings and tinsel? An intimate solstice concert or a live drag bingo show might be just what you need right now. In search of laughs? Improv artists have you covered.
In other words, Vancouver has a full-on buffet of live holiday performances for every taste. Here’s a guide to all that’s going on.
Vancouver Bach Choir joins vocal forces for its powerful Messiah.
CHOIR
Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra
November 26 at 7:30 pm at Pacific Spirit United Church and November 27 at 3 pm at Surrey’s Good Shepherd Church
Elektra Women’s Choir amps up its seasonal offering by welcoming saxophonist Julia Nolan in a program of works ranging from the traditional to the contemporary, contemplative to spirited. Canada’s Kathryn Parrotta, Germany’s Winnie Brückner, and the late Austrian artist Alban Maria Johannes Berg are among the composers being featured. Holiday mood: Women-powered brightness.
Christmas With the Bach Choir
December 4 at 2 pm at the Orpheum
More than 400 singers take to the stage in this return to Vancouver Bach Choir’s classic Christmas concert, accompanied by brass quintet and organ. The grand event features the Vancouver Bach Adult and Children’s Choirs; A Touch of Brass Quintet; pianists Stephen Smith, Kin Ming Wong, Shifra Day, and Aslan Aslanov; Michael Dirk on organ; conductors Catherine Campolin, Shane Raman, and Cathrie Yuen; and music directors Leslie Dala and Marisa Gaetanne. Holiday mood: Awe-inspiring.
Handel's Messiah
December 10 at 7:30 pm at the Orpheum
Vancouver Bach Choir joins forces with members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and standout Canadian soloists Melody Courage (soprano), Marion Newman (mezzo soprano), Asitha Tennekoon (tenor), and Clarence Frazer (bass baritone). Leslie Dala conducts what is considered the pinnacle of choral music, which Handel composed in 1742. Holiday mood: Hallelujah!
Christmas by Candlelight
December 16 at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm Pacific Spirit United Church
Amid the soft, warm glow of candlelight, Vancouver Chamber Choir will present works of peace and beauty by composers John Tavener, Giovanni Gabrieli, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Sally Beamish, to name a few. Also on the program is “Love came down at Christmas” by VCC’s composer in residence Matthew Whittall. Holiday mood: All is calm, all is bright.
Christmas with Chor Leoni
December 16, 17 and 19 at 8 pm; December 17 and 19 at 5 pm; and December 17 at 2 pm at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church
The singing lions share seasonal classics such as “Jingle Bells” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” alongside lesser-known holiday gems like "S'vivon", an upbeat Hanukkah tune, and the peaceful winter song "Halcyon Days”. The 65-voice choir will also perform some world premieres, including “Cold Moon” by up-and-coming B.C. composer Nicholas Ryan Kelly and “A Fantasy of Carols” by Chor Leoni's composer in residence, Don Macdonald. The jubilant celebration comes to a close with the choir’s signature candlelit encore of “Silent Night”, with audiences invited to join in. Holiday mood: From the holy to the hilarious.
Christmas Reprise XIX
December 17 at 2 pm at Holy Rosary Cathedral and at 7:30 pm at New Westminster’s Queens Avenue United Church
A cappella singing calms the spirit and soothes the soul at this Vancouver Cantata Singers concert of traditional carols and contemporary Christmas compositions. Among the works being performed are Herbet Howell’s “A Spotless Rose”, Judith Weir’s “My Guardian Angel”, and settings of “Ave Maria” by R. Nathaniel Dett and Franz Biebl. Holiday mood: Hopeful and healing.
Festive Cantatas: J.S. Bach Magnificat & Cantata BWV 11(Let our Mouth Be Full of Laughter)
December 17 at 7:30 pm at Kay Meek Arts Centre and December 18 3 pm at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Early Music Vancouver’s jubilant seasonal offering features Juno-winning soprano Hélène Brunet: Portland soprano Arwen Myers; Hungarian-Canadian alto Krisztina Szabó; tenor Jacques-Olivier Chartier, winner of the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra’s 2016 Competition; and bass Sumner Thompson, one of the most sought-after voices today. They’re joined by Pacific Baroque Orchestra, directed by Alexander Weimann. A pre-concert talk takes place at the Chan Centre performance at 2:30 pm, with broadcaster/author Bill Richardson in conversation with Weimann. Holiday mood: Joyous.
Winter Harp serves up medieval magic by candlelight.
MUSIC
Tom Jackson: Stories Songs and Santa Causes
November 25 at the Massey Theatre
Original songs, sing-along tunes, and signature Christmas music from a master Indigenous storyteller, actor, singer, and activist. Audience members can support the Don’t Go Hungry project with food, items, or funds. Holiday mood: Entertainment that gives back.
Bach & Mendelssohn
December 2 at 2 pm at West Point Grey United Church; December 3 at 7:30 pm at Grosvenor Theatre. Kay Meek Arts Centre; December 4 at 2 pm at Pyatt Hall; and December 5 at 7:30 pm at ArtSpring on Salt Spring Island
Back by popular demand, Vetta Chamber Music explores the deep connections between Bach and Mendelssohn in this offering performed by an all-woman ensemble. The second set of concerts in Vetta’s mentorship program, it features four players who are just starting out in their careers as professional musicians. Fundraiser for the Food Bank. Full ticket proceeds go to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Holiday mood: Getting into the giving season.
O Come All Ye Soulful
December 2 from 7:30 to 9 pm at Grosvenor Theatre - Kay Meek Arts Centre
Queen of soul Dawn Pemberton joins musical forces with the Jodi Proznick Quintet, featuring Proznick on bass, Chris Davis on trumpet, Noah Franche Nolan on piano, Nick Bracewell on drums, and Dominic Conway on saxophone. The program includes holiday classics made famous by the likes of Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, John Legend, Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding, Darlene Love, Vince Guaraldi, and more. Holiday mood: Bubbly.
Winter Harp
December 4 at the Massey Theatre, December 15 at New West’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, December 19 and 20 at BlueShore Performing Centre, December 21 at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church
Think flickering candles, Celtic harps, velvet gowns, and medieval poetry. With rare instruments, the Winter Harp ensemble brings to life ancient and familiar carols. Holiday mood: Magical and medieval.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Traditional Christmas
December 7 at the Massey Theatre, December 9 at Centennial Theatre, December 10 at Bell Performing Arts Centre, and December 16 and 17 at the Orpheum
A favourite VSO tradition continues, with favourite carols and Christmas music (think everything from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Disney’s Frozen) sung by guest soloists and performed live by the symphony, conducted by David Bui. Soprano Rachel Buttress and bass-baritone Odyn Mulder sing. Holiday mood: As warm and classic a Christmas as evergreen bows on the mantle and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
Music for the Winter Solstice
December 14 and 15 at Heritage Hall
Intimate performances of such Solstice favourites as Caroline Shaw‘s Winter Carol and the Wyrd Sisters‘ Solstice Carole. Robyn Jacob provides vocals and keyboard, with Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa on piano, tenor Asitha Tennekoon, and cellist Jonathan Lo. Holiday mood: Serene secular celebration.
Amanda Sum and Dawn Petten in East Van Panto: The Little Mermaid. Photo by Emily Cooper
THEATRE
Sound of Music
To December 24 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
Chelsea Rose plays Maria and Damien Atkins plays Captain Georg von Trapp in the legendary musical, brought to lavish stage life in the first remount in three pandemic years. Holiday mood: Glorious vintage movie musical brought to life.
East Van Panto: The Little Mermaid
To January 1 at the York Theatre
The beloved East Van tradition celebrates its tenth anniversary with a creatively staged dive under the sea. A smart-aleck crab, an evil octopus, magical bubbles, and a love story that upends the traditional fairy tale. Raucously reimagined pop songs flow throughout. Created by Theatre Replacement; The Cultch presents. Holiday mood: Rowdy made-in-East-Van fun for the whole family.
Mom’s the Word: Talkin’ Turkey
To January 1 at the Granville Island Stage
Via songs, dances, rhymes, re-enactments, and even a mini revamped version of The Nutcracker, the Moms are back with true stories of Christmas calamities—many of them kitchen-bound. Holiday mood: Dysfunction and hilarity meet genuinely moving moments.
The Messiah
November 25 to December 18 at the Pacific Theatre
A troupe of two actors and an opera singer, travelling by donkey, arrive to enact the Nativity story, absurdly trying to play a cast of thousands. Holiday mood: Kooky Christmas chaos.
Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs
November 30 to December 30 at the Waterfront Theatre
Carousel Theatre for Young People presents the Canadian premiere of a play that puts a fun, puppet- and tune-filled new twist on the classic tale. In the story, three little superstar piglets—Cha, Siu and Bao, named for the beloved Chinese pork dishes— are encouraged by Mother Pig to leave the family pigsty and make their own way in the big wide world. Holiday mood: Fresh family fable.
Me Love Bingo!: Best in Snow
December 1 to January 1 at the Newmont Stage at the BMO Theatre
The interactive cult hit comes to the Arts Club Theatre, with an all-queer cast spreading community joy for the holidays. Birthed in star Kyle Loven’s Seattle living room eight years ago, the drag bingo extravaganza has grown to encompass wacky prizes, tunes, and storytelling; guest assistants are Leslie Dos Remedios, Jenna Klein, and Joey Lespérance. Holiday mood: Campy Christmas.
A Wonderheads Christmas Carol
A Wonderheads Christmas Carol
December 6 at the Bell Centre for the Performing Arts, December 10 at Massey Theatre, and December 11 at Centennial Theatre
A dazzlingly creative and wordless take on the Dickens classic, with glowing ghosts, expressive masks, and 10-foot-tall puppets. Holiday mood: Enchanting visual storytelling.
Sanjay Talwar in A Christmas Carol. Photo by Jam Hamidi
A Christmas Carol
December 14 to 24 at the Firehall Arts Centre
Shaw Festival veteran Sanjay Talwar portrays all of the classic’s characters, from Tiny Tim to Ebenezer Scrooge, in Blue Bridge Theatre’s take drawn straight from the Dickens classic. Holiday mood: Old-school joys of storytelling, set in a cozy Victorian-era salon.
Anne of Green Gables—The Musical
December 15 to 31 at Gateway Theatre
Kyra Leroux stars as Anne Shirley, the plucky, carrot-topped orphan who charms the town of Avonlea. This is the Canadian institution that’s run for well over 50 years in Charlottetown. Holiday mood: A wholesome, heart-warming trip to Atlantic Canada.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s classic Canadian Nutcracker.
DANCE
Royal Winnipeg Ballet Nutcracker
December 9 to 11 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Ballet BC presents this glistening, distinctly Canadian rendition of the classic, complete with Mounted Police, Parliament Hill, and an outdoor hockey game. Gorgeous classical dancing by top-flight ballet artists. Holiday mood: Snow-sprinkled tutu perfection.
Goh Ballet The Nutcracker
December 15 to 18 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Emmy-winning choreographer Anna-Marie Holmes’s family-friendly spin includes a life-sized gingerbread man and mice battling by hurling big wedges of Swiss cheese; there’s even a real magician. About 200 performers bring the tale to life on a storybook set. Holiday mood: Sugar plums and candy canes.
Mixed Nuts
December 16 to 18 at the Vancouver Playhouse
Like the title promises, a brilliant melange of dance, from hip-hop to beautiful Nutcracker ballet from the bright young talents of Vancouver's Arts Umbrella Dance Company. The contemporary twist on Tchaikovsky’s beloved festive masterpiece fuses dance styles in a way that makes it utterly unique. Holiday mood: Like a Christmas cracker, you never know what you’re going to get next.
Meet Me in St. Louis.
SCREEN
Meet Me in St. Louis
December 18 at the Cinematheque December 18, 11 am
Find out where the world got “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, with Judy Garland starring in Vincente Minnelli’s tender Technicolor musical—one with sets and costumes that are so vividly beautiful you might have to squint. An uplifting Golden Age classic that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Holiday mood: Pure nostalgic Christmas.
Home Alone in Concert
December 14 and 15 at the Orpheum
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra plays John Williams’s live score for a screening of John Hughes’s rambunctious ‘80s comedy classic. Julian Pellicano conducts, with Vancouver Bach Children’s Choir giving vocal backup. Holiday mood: “Merry Christmas little fella. We know that you're in there and that you're all alone.”
The Improv Centre’s Happy (Hectic) Holiday, Photo by Mark Halliday at Moonrider Productions
COMEDY
Happy (Hectic) Holidays
To December 24 at The Improv Centre
Audience suggestions drive this family-friendly improv show about the Yuletide season. Holiday mood: Spontaneous laughs.
Randy of Trailer Park Boys: Randy’s Christmas Tour
December 2 at the Rickshaw Theatre
The beer-bellied Trailer Park Boys character mixes standup, goofy contests, and classic punchlines for an adult-themed Christmas comedy show. Holiday mood: Fall-through-the-roof funny.
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