For many, December represents the hustle and bustle of the holiday season—one of tradition, family gatherings and time spent with friends. Often, the arts take a special place in people’s calendars with repeated visits to favourite events like gallery walks and choral sing-alongs.
Parents and grandparents look for opportunities to introduce their offspring to treasured classics such as The Nutcracker Ballet, It’s A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol and pantomimes. Hopefully time is carved out for quiet reflection as the winter solstice approaches. Tickets are often purchased as gifts—for shared time together.
This December you can indulge a passion for music with Sing Your Joy, Victoria’s only non-auditioned young adult chorus, in concert. December 2nd at St Aidan’s United Church. Singyourjoy.ca
If your tastes run to more classical fare, the Victoria Bach Ensemble Concert presents Bach’s Glorious Music December 7th at St John the Divine and Ensemble Laude promises to fill your heart and lift your spirits with Skyward—full of era-sweeping melodies; December 11th at Alix Golden Hall.
Celebrate the winter solstice with A Place to Listen, December 21st at James Bay United. Co-founded in 2012 by Daniel and Laura Brandes, this experimental music series is about creating a space - a quiet place where, for an hour or two, one can be deeply attuned to something.
Nothing spectacular or sensational. Just some tones and some silence. Aplacetolisten.ca
If you like to “mix it up”, you might want to consider some twists on well-known titles. Since 2008, UVic alumni Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson have been making audiences laugh as the sketch comedy duo Peter n’ Chris. Now they take on Charles Dickens’ venerable A Christmas Carol in A Peter n’ Christ-mas Carol, December 16th at the Metro Studio. Intrepidtheatre.com
Local masters of improv Paper Street Theatre re-interpret holiday romantic comedies in Improv Actually, An Improvised Romantic Comedy Dec 14 to 18. Expect the unexpected as the cast navigates their way to the true meaning of the season, based entirely on audience suggestions.
Adventurous patrons can seek out an abundance of new work during the month. The Intrepid Theatre YOU Show is a chance for emerging artists to reveal new creations. Theatre Project presents a documentary project December 3rd and on December 4th Kathleen Greenfield and Kristin Atwood showcase military families in Calling Home: Stories From Military Families.
Emerging artists—Year II students at the Canadian College of Performing Arts—are featured in the TD Festival of New Works December 6 to 8 with original works and direction in musical theatre, choral, playwriting, directing and choreography.
Radio plays feature widely in local fare this year. Workingclasstheatre presents Radio: Scrooge, A Live Broadcast of A Christmas Carol December 14th - 18th at Market Square.
If you love It’s A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, you’ll want to join Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre for Christmas at the Roxy (December 15 to 18) where these perennial favourites are presented with some of Victoria’s most beloved performers and live foley sound effects. Launch Pad Theatre stages an original radio play Radio, Mistletoe and My Man Godfrey at Craigdarroch Castle December 27 to 30.
Commemorate the 20th anniversary of the snow storm of 1996 with Scrumpy Theatre’s Storm at the Paul Philips Hall (1923 Fernwood) December 28th. An evening of music, film storytelling. By donation at the door.
Wrap up the month and celebrate the year to come with the inimitable Atomic Vaudeville New Year’s Eve Cabaret, one of Victoria’s most fun year-end parties December 29-31. Ticketrocket.co