Ladies of the Canyon co-creators Raha Javanfar and Hailey Gillis (l-r)One of my favourite things at Soulpepper is their concert series. Under the leadership originally of creator and music director Mike Ross and now under Frank Cox-O’Connell, each concert explores a new theme, artist or group of artists, interweaving words and music in a uniquely satisfying way particular to the story or stories that emerge.

Read more: Ladies of the Canyon at Soulpepper

“Mervon had never programmed anything between Christmas and New Year’s, but the tremendous success of our first two Sondheims inspired him to try it” – Sondheim’s Follies, presented as a staged concert at Koerner Hall in 2021. photo by Lisa SakulenskyThe holiday season’s musical shows run a wonderful gamut: perennial holiday fare; more modern takes on the holiday; year-round family favourites; and, of course, pantomime. 

Among the perennials this year are such shows as the National Ballet’s Nutcracker, the Shaw Festival’s A Christmas Carol, and Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre’s Wintersong compilation of dance pieces celebrating the winter solstice, while the more modern takes include a musical version of the 1983 movie A Christmas Story about to take the stage at Theatre Aquarius directed by Artistic Director Mary Frances Moore. And headlining the year-round family favourites are My Fair Lady, also at the Shaw Festival, and The Sound of Music at The Grand Theatre London, both of which run right into the waning days of December.

Pantos soar on stage at theatres across the province at this time of year, usually combining contemporary comedy with songs in the telling of traditional fairy tales or equally well-known magical tales. This year’s crop includes Sleeping Beauty…A Fairy’s Tale at Theatre Orangeville and what seems to be a panto-oriented Christmas Carol at Tweed & Company’s stages in Bancroft and Tweed. Even Ross Petty’s madly modern yet traditional panto, The Wizard of Oz: The Toto-ly Awesome Family Musical, is back, at the Elgin Wintergarden Theatre Dec 6 to Jan 5. It is now under the banner of Canadian Stage but with many of the former creative team in place. Written by Matt Murray, it will be directed by Ted Dykstra with music directed by Mark Camilleri, and stars audience favourites Dan Chameroy (Plumbun) and Eddie Glen (The Scarecrow), along with multi-Dora-Award-wining Vanessa Sears as the Wicked Witch.

Read more: Perennials, panto, old favourites and modern takes highlight this year’s holiday fare

MATILDA The Musical: The cast of The Grand Theatre’s 2024 High School Music Project, directed by Megan Watson.There is a particular joy to watching music theatre, arising from the story being told in both words and music: a natural exuberance, another level of emotion, music as an international language that can carry us further than words alone can do. The Grand Theatre in London understands and celebrates this, giving us a 2024/25 season, under the title “A Time for Play,” with even more music theatre content than usual, anchored by four major musical productions as well as the always sold out Jeans ‘n Classics concert series.

Read more: A joy-filled and music-fuelled season at London’s Grand Theatre and beyond
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