A very theatrical New Brunswick Christmas

Whether it be a peek into the servants’ quarters during a Christmas celebration, the iconic sound of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, or a Scottish drag queen making eggnog jokes — holiday theatre in New Brunswick is already underway.

With so much to choose from, Christmas lovers and theatre lovers alike will have a chance to “give the gift of time,” said Tim Yerxa, executive director of the Fredericton Playhouse. 

“I [have] people on my list that they don’t need or want anything physical, you know, so to give them the opportunity to go out and maybe do something they wouldn’t otherwise have chosen to do on their own, I think it makes a great gift,” said Yerxa. 

The Playhouse will welcome 13 shows this season, many of which will be touring the province.

One of these is the God is a Scottish Drag Queen Christmas Special. The comedy is performed by Mike Delamont, who has toured North American theatres with his series for the last 10 years.

The Ennis Sisters Christmas Show will also be travelling around New Brunswick. Maureen, Karen and Teresa will perform original and holiday songs along with some Irish dancing.

Some Christmas shows have already run their course, with the Saint John Theatre Company finishing its run of Miracle on 34th Street on Saturday.

But others are just gearing up. Theatre New Brunswick is bringing its production of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley to the Playhouse on Dec. 8 for four shows followed by a tour, stopping at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John, Bathurst High School and the Riverview Arts Centre. 

Theatre New Brunswick invited Lisa Cooke Ravensbergen to come from Vancouver to direct this holiday show. The play is a sequel to last year’s Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, based on Jane Austen’s beloved characters.

A look downstairs

While last year’s production showed the Darcy family celebrating Christmas on the ground floor of their stately home, this year’s production goes downstairs to the servants’ quarters during the same celebration.

“The focus for this year’s production is really about celebrating and honouring those people that are often seen as service workers or people who are not seen as having potential or value or or worth,” said Cooke Ravensbergen. 

The show embodies the Christmas spirit for Cooke Ravensbergen in the “heart of the characters.” She said Christmas for her is all about finding joy and intimacy in relationships with loved ones.

While she won’t be able to travel on tour with the company after it premieres at the Playhouse, she said the cast and crew are excited to move from theatre to theatre around the province for a few performances.

“I know this company has demonstrated over and over and over again their willingness and capacity and excitement at that prospect of being able to share this story with a number of communities around New Brunswick,” said Cooke Ravensbergen. “It feels pretty special.”

‘Talk about tradition’

The Nutcracker will be presented by Dance Fredericton Danse at the Playhouse and by the Academy of Classical Ballet & Modern Dances at Moncton’s Capitol Theatre.

“Talk about tradition,” said Yerxa. “It’s the same show every year, and it sells out, you know, every year.”

Yerxa said the two Playhouse performances are almost completely sold out, but he said people can always call and put their name on a waiting list for tickets.

There are often tickets that are held for different reasons then get released, said Yerxa.

This year, he said a lot of the shows are already sold out as it’s busier than normal, adding that a lot of artists are “itching to get back out on the road and give concerts,” after the lifting of COVID restrictions.

This includes the seasonal favourite the Barra MacNeils Celtic Christmas, which featuring the well-known musical siblings from Cape Breton Island.

For many, Yerxa said heading to the theatre is part of a holiday tradition.

“Being part of people’s holiday celebrations, it really feels great,” he said. “We love playing that part in people’s lives.”

This story was originally published in CBC News on Nov. 26, 2022.