The Cowichan Performing Arts Centre has picked up where they left off before the pandemic with a wealth of great shows coming to the big stage in Duncan.
Up first are some seasonal laughs with O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy, hitting the stage on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Billed as something for fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean and Dr. Seuss, O Christmas Tea is brought to you by off-Broadway comedians and three-time Impresario award-winners James and Jamesy, in what a press release for the show assures will delight the heart.
“When catastrophe strikes at James and Jamesy’s Christmas tea party, flooding the world with tea, the friends leap into action, finding innovative and hilarious solutions to keep them afloat,” the release describes the plot.
Tickets are $38 for adults and $24 for students. On Saturday, Nov. 20, get ready for some music.
The Journeymen - A Tribute to Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana takes the stage at 7:30 p.m.
Described as “an homage to two of the most significant guitarists in history”, any fan of the instrument is sure to be in for a treat, as the show explores the “cult of the lead guitarist” in rock mythology. All tickets are $39.50.
Then it’s time to get ready for some more laughs on Dec. 2 with the next installment in the God is a Scottish Drag Queen series.
“Thank goodness our capacity was increased, as this show is currently in excess of the half house mark,” said CPAC’s Patricia Greenwell.
So what’s all the fuss about?
“God, dressed in an all new holiday power suit, returns to set the record straight and expound on everything from the beginnings of Christmas with Yule, Saturnalia and Winter Solstice, to holiday foods, Christmas carols, Star Wars, the true story of the Nativity, and even Tiny Tim, ” says a press release for the event. “This show blends together the nostalgia of holidays gone by, a hilarious and laugh-out-loud look at the holidays of today and a heartwarming and perfectly sweet peek at holidays yet to come!” Tickets are $36.
After that comes a feast of holiday music, with Home for the Holidays: A Nat King Cole Christmas on Monday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m., the Jon and Roy Holiday Special on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and the perennial favourite Winter Harp on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m.
Home for the Holidays features acclaimed New York actor and singer James Rich, with special guest vocalist 13-year-old Samantha Madill in a West Coast holiday premiere concert under the direction of the National Stage Company of Canada. Listen for all your favourites, including ‘White Christmas’, ‘Sleigh Ride’ and ‘The Christmas Song’. Tickets are $54.50 for adults, $49.50 for seniors and $32.50 for students.
The Jon and Roy Holiday Special is a revue-style show featuring Kieran Campbell of Tofino, Nicky Mackenzie of Salt Spring Island, Joshua Hyslop and Chad VanGaalen, all ushered along by Jon Middleton and Roy Vizer. Tickets are $36.
Winter Harp offers an entirely different experience, described as “one of the most hauntingly beautiful Christmas concerts you will ever attend.”
For many in Cowichan it is a highlight of the season, featuring flutes, violin and rare medieval instruments. Tickets are $38.
And finally, CPAC is offering A Wonderheads Christmas Carol on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
“A feast for the eyes, ears, heart and funny bone, this astonishing production features larger than life characters, glowing ghosts, and 10-foot-tall puppets — to name just a few of the treats in store for audiences as they are whisked away with Ebenezer Scrooge on his life-changing Christmas Eve adventure,” promises a press release for the show. “Prepare to laugh, cry, and be utterly enchanted this holiday season!”
Tickets are $30 each, or get a family pack of four (two adults, two children) for $96.
All shows at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre require a vaccine passport and ID for entry, with masks mandatory for everyone over 12. Check out cowichanpac.ca/events for more information. For tickets go online, or call the Ticket Centre at 250-746-2722.