With its beautifully decorated Christmas trees, its ‘hysterically funny’ panto, and its December line-up of concerts for all tastes, Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre is a destination for your holiday season enjoyment.

Whether you’re coming to the theatre to see a show or just want to immerse yourself in the spirit of the season, the 27th annual Festival of Lights and Trees encompasses the lobby with adorned Christmas trees for free viewing by the entire family. Viewings are available until December 17 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays as well as from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with additional viewings from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15 and from 12 to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 17.

A community favourite and holiday tradition in Port Hope, the festival is also a fundraiser for the not-for-profit theatre. During display times, guests have the option to purchase a raffle ticket and enter to win a wreath, or all of the decorations on a tree, plus a Capitol Theatre 2024 summer season subscription. The prize draw takes place at the Capitol on Monday, December 18 at 11 a.m.

Along with the Festival of Lights and Trees, a highlight of this year’s holiday season at the Capitol Theatre is Jack – A Beanstalk Panto, running until December 23 with both “naughty” performances and “nice” family-friendly matinees.

“It was hysterically funny,” writes Janine Marley of A View from the Box. “There were times I could barely catch my breath from laughing so hard.”

That reaction is not surprising, considering the show is written and directed by award-winning Canadian actor, improviser, and playwright Rebecca Northan (Alice I Think, The Joe Blow Show, Blind Date, Goblin: Macbeth) and performed by Christy Bruce, Paul Constable, Robbie Fenton, Madison Hayes-Crook, Clea McCaffrey, Zoe O’Connor, Hal Wesley Rogers, and Steve Ross.

VIDEO: Jack – A Beanstalk Panto promo

“Because Northan is a masterful comedienne and improviser, she knows the minutiae of crafting and creating a joke or realizing a funny moment based on an audience’s reaction,” writes Lynn Slotkin of The Slotkin Letter. “Her gifted cast is a collection of equally smart actors who know how to float a laugh line for the biggest laugh. As with all good comedians, every joke, every reaction is played absolutely straight — no joke is telegraphed.”

“The stellar cast of Jack: A Beanstalk Panto deliver incredible performances, most taking on more than one character during the course of the story and each of them getting to show off their incredible singing voices,” Marley writes.

Pantomine (panto for short) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for families that originated in England and is performed around Christmas and New Year’s. Usually based on a well-known nursery story or fairy tale, a panto features songs, gags, slapstick comedy, magic, dancing, gender-crossing actors, topical humour, and audience participation. British pantos include risqué double entendre that go over the head of children in the audience but, in North America, pantos usually include separate “nice” family-friendly performances and “naughty” performances intended for adults.

“Make it a nice day out and take the kids or grandkids to this show, or be a little bit naughty and head out for an evening of off-colour jokes,” writes Mary Alderson of Entertain This Thought. “You’ll be laughing either way.”

“Nice” performances of Jack – A Beanstalk Panto take place at 2 p.m. on December 9, 11 a.m. on December 10, and 2 p.m. on December 16, 22, and 23. “Naughty” performances run at 8 p.m. from December 4 to 9, December 12 to 16, and December 19 to 23, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on December 13.

Tickets are $48 and can be purchased online at capitoltheatre.com or in person at the box office.

In addition to the holiday panto, during December the Capitol Theatre is presenting two Christmas concerts and two concerts to cap off 2023.

Celebrated Canadian tenor John McDermott will perform a family Christmas show with his band on Saturday, December 10th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55.

Good Lovelies (Whitby’s Caroline Brooks, Port Hope’s Kerri Ough, and Cobourg’s Susan Passmore) will be bringing their songwriting and multi-instrumental talents and their gorgeous harmonies to the Capitol stage for two performances of their Christmas tour on Saturday, December 17th. Tickets are $45 for either the 2:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. shows.

VIDEO: Elton Rohn promo

For the last weekend of 2023, the Capitol Theatre is presenting Toronto tribute band Tommy Youngsteen who will perform Bruce Springsteen’s classic album “Born in the USA” at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 30th. Named one of Toronto’s best cover bands, the band includes members and alumni from The Sam Roberts Band, Stars, The Stills, The Dears, Sloan, The Trews, Lowest of the Low, Serena Ryder, and The Arkells. Tickets are $55.

At 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Elton Rohn will return to the Capitol Theatre for the fifth time, with Ron Camilleri and his band of some of Canada’s finest musicians performing all of British rocker Sir Elton John’s most well-loved hits. Don’t delay getting your $65 ticket, as all previous Elton Rohn appearances at the Capitol have sold out.

Tickets for all concerts can be purchased online at capitoltheatre.com or in person at the box office.

Two veteran Peterborough musicians have launched a new book of poetry for children — about vegetables.

The Radish is Reddish and Other Vegetable Poems contains short poems about vegetables written by Hank “Washboard Hank” Fisher with illustrations by Willie “Catfish Willie” Lindsay.

“The Radish is Reddish is a humorous celebration of vegetables aimed at children, who as we all know should eat their vegetables,” reads a media release.

This is not the first collaboration between Washboard Hank and Catfish Willie, who have performed together for over 10 years in the western swing cartoon and western band Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters.

As an entertainer of both children and adults, Washboard Hank is well known for producing jingles and thought-provoking songs that convey a serious message in a funny way.

He has performed at numerous children’s festivals across Canada, and has also appeared on television shows including The Elephant Show, Mr. Dressup, and Shining Times Station.

A graduate of three art schools in Toronto, Catfish Willie was a natural choice to illustrate the book.

“His illustrations perfectly convey the humour and whimsy of Hank’s poems,” reads the media release. “The purpose of this book is to spread the long-held love of vegetables that both Willie and Hank enjoy.”

Copies of the book can be purchased at The Toy Shop 180 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough (705-742-6294), or you can contact Washboard Hank through Facebook.

This story has been updated with details about where you can buy the book.

British pantomimes are a holiday tradition at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon and this year is no exception, with the theatre company presenting Puss in Boots for eight public performances from December 8 to 17.

Inspired by the classic fairy tale, Puss in Boots tells the story of Dame Tallulah Tart’s youngest son Harry, who has inherited a cat with a very special skill — it can talk. Harry and Puss embark on an adventure in a world featuring madcap characters, dastardly villains, and a princess Harry is determined to marry.

The Globus Theatre production is a traditional British pantomime (panto), a form of theatrical entertainment for families that involves music, topical jokes, slapstick comedy, and the “Dame” — a traditional role that is often a male actor in drag. Usually inspired by fairy tales or nursery stories, pantos are produced around Christmas and audience members are encouraged to participate in the fun.

Globus Theatre’s 16th annual panto was written by Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic director Sarah Quick, a native of Britain, who says pantos are a phenomenon in England during the holidays.

“At Christmas time every child goes and sees a panto, without exception,” Quick told kawarthaNOW in 2017. “You have 2,000-seat theatres packed every day for six weeks with kids and families. They get top stars to star in them.”

While most North American theatre companies producing pantos create both a “nice” version of the show for children and a “naughty” version for adults, traditional British pantos instead cleverly incorporate adult-oriented humour in a way that goes over the head of the children in the audience. Children enjoy the action, songs, and audience participation, with adults loving the local references and innuendos.

Globus Theatre’s annual panto is also an opportunity for community actors, both young and young at heart, to mix with professional actors on the stage. This year, more than 40 local youth are participating, with many of the cast enthusiastic participants from Globus’ School of Dramatic Arts. Along with Quick herself, the professional cast includes Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic producer James Barrett and Rhys Bernier, a graduate from Toronto’s Randolph College of Performing Arts.

“I am so excited to have so many children participating in this year’s panto — so many in fact that we have three separate casts so that all of them have great parts that allow them to shine,” Quick says. “There are lots of new faces that have grown up enjoying the panto as audience members and have now chosen to hit the stage, alongside kids that are now performing in their seventh panto. And of course, James is taking the role of the Dame for his 16th time — he truly is a sight to behold.”

Prior to the public performances, Globus Theatre is also presenting six sold-out school shows including in Bobcaygeon, Dunsford, Ridgewood, and Fenelon Falls.

“It’s a time of great joy here at Globus Theatre and we can’t wait to entertain the schools that are coming and the families that make it part of their holiday season every year,” Quick says.

Puss in Boots runs at the Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon) for eight public performances from December 8 to 17, with 8 p.m. evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays (December 8 and 9 and 15 and 16) and 2 p.m. matinee performances on Saturdays and Sundays (December 9 and 10 and 16 and 17). An optional three-course Christmas dinner is available before the evening performances (doors open for dinner at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m.).

Tickets are $35 for adults and $22.50 for children 12 and under for the show only, or $45 for adults and $20 for children 10 and under for the show and dinner. You can order tickets online at globustheatre.com or by calling the box office at 705-738-2037 (toll free at 1-800-304-7897).

Like many of us, Peterborough musical brothers Ryan and Sam Weber will be spending Christmas Day with family and friends, but in their case they’ll be making the long trek to their original hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

Just two days prior, the duo will be in Berkeley Springs in West Virginia at the Historic Star Theatre, gifting their talent in the form of “A Weber Brothers Christmas,” their annual musical celebration of the season.

So, yes (West) Virginia, there are a pair of musical Santas coming your way, but fret not Peterborough — the brothers haven’t forgotten their many friends and supporters here at home, and are hosting a similar festive-themed event on Friday, December 15th at Erben at 379 George Street North in downtown Peterborough.

A fundraiser for One City Peterborough, the $45 ticket cost includes not only the full Weber Brothers Band doing its thing but also dinner, with a portion of proceeds destined for the organization that promotes housing, safety and community inclusion by responding to immediate needs, all while advocating for systemic change.

Tickets are available online at www.erbenptbo.com and at the pub. General admission tickets for the show only are also available for $25. Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner starting at 6:45 p.m. and the band will performing two sets beginning at 7:30 p.m.

While Ryan won’t divulge the set list — “I use the line from Napoleon Dynamite: If you come to this concert, all your wildest dreams will come true” — it’s a safe bet that selections from the 2015 album A Weber Brothers Christmas, including the city reference-laden “When Christmas Falls On Peterborough,” will be in the mix.

VIDEO: “When Christmas Falls on Peterborough” (2017) – The Weber Brothers

“That album started with just a song or two,” recalls Ryan. “We put them out as singles and then we thought ‘Well, let’s do this every year.’ After doing that for five or six years, we had enough for a full album. Next was ‘Let’s do a Christmas play.’ So we did a play that had the songs from the album interspersed through it. Then we made the movie When Christmas Falls On Peterborough.”

In December 2017, Ryan and Sam, joined by Emily Burgess, Marcus Browne, and Rico Browne, released a video for the “When Christmas Falls On Peterborough” that was filmed in the shadow of the Peterborough population sign on Highway 115.

“That was real snow falling (in the video), right in the middle of summer (when it was shot) … just for those 10 minutes,” cracks Ryan, suggesting a pre-Christmas miracle of sorts occurred.

In December 2020, with the pandemic lockdown in full effect, Ryan and Sam couldn’t make their annual visit to Fresh Radio to perform the song live on Pete Dalliday’s morning show. Instead, again with Burgess and Marcus Brown, they recorded a slowed-down acapella version of the song at home that was then posted on the radio station’s website.

That Christmas spirit continues at the Erben fundraiser, and Ryan says the choice of One City as the event’s beneficiary reflects the importance of the work the agency does.

“While there’s debate about what to do about the (homelessness) situation, I don’t think there’s any debate of the fact that it gets really cold up here and there’s going to be, right here in this town, quite a few people spending Christmas in tents,” he says. “One City is doing great work that we were really drawn to when we found out more about them. Any way we can help, we’ll jump at it.”

VIDEO: “When Christmas Falls on Peterborough” (2020) – The Weber Brothers

The timing of the brothers’ philanthropic choice couldn’t be better. Just this past week, One City Peterborough opened the doors of the Trinity Community Centre located at the former Trinity United Church at 360 Reid Street.

Until the end of March, it’s providing overnight winter sleeping accommodation for 45 people from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. In addition, a daily daytime drop-in space is provided from 1 to 5 p.m.

Christian Harvey, co-executive director of One City, says “grassroots fundraising” is key to his organization for two reasons.

“One, we have whole programs that receive no government funding and are totally funded through grants and donations, so we rely heavily on community support to provide them,” Harvey explains.

“The second thing is it matters a lot to have people partner with our mission. When The Weber Brothers do a concert like this, it helps us with funding but, even more importantly, it’s a partnership in working toward our vision, which is Everyone Belongs, Together We Flourish.”

Harvey says he and his One City colleagues “really value” any community effort that brings attention and dollars their way.

“Sometimes we don’t even know about a fundraiser (for One City) until after when someone comes by and says they did this event or that event,” he says, adding “For the Weber brothers to think of us, it lets us know that people are with us.”

“We are not going to end homelessness through the non-profit sector alone,” Harvey notes. “It needs a partnership involving the whole community. These (events) provide little glimpses of what that could look like.”

Meanwhile, the new programs at Trinity Community Centre are “operating well” so far, says Harvey.

“We’re getting good feedback from those using the programs. That’s more important than anything to us. We want people to feel it’s meeting their needs. We know we’re going to be constantly tweaking and adjusting, but staff seem excited and those using the program seem excited. We think this is a pretty great time and look forward to how it all plays out.”

“The staff team at One City has done so much to make this a reality. I’m really grateful to them but there has also been so many community members who have come in and volunteered to make it come together as quickly as it has.”