Community theatre company St. James Players brings one of the most popular musicals of the modern era to Peterborough when they present Mamma Mia! at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough for seven performances beginning Friday, November 8th.

Directed by Jacquie Butler, with musical direction by Dustin Bowers and choreography by Melissa Earle, Mamma Mia! has a powerhouse cast of local musical theatre favourites bringing the magic and energy of Swedish pop sensations ABBA once again to the Peterborough stage.

One of the most popular pop bands in the world, ABBA is a perennial favourite that bridges generational gaps, ensuring an instant audience anytime their name is involved on the stage. Formed in Stockholm in 1972 by song-writing partners Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and female singers Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, ABBA found international fame in 1974 when they won the Eurovision song-writing competition with “Waterloo”.

The song quickly hit the top of the charts on every continent, and for the next eight years the band put out hit after hit, including a total of 20 on the Billboard Top 100.

“I watched ABBA when they won the Eurovision song competition in 1974 and we were all hooked in Europe,” says director Jacquie Butler, who originally comes from the U.K.

“England always did well in the European song contest, but when Sweden came in they all knocked us out of the water with Waterloo,” Jacquie recalls. “And then ABBA just went up and up. Every song they put out was a hit. I grew up singing ABBA songs. I don’t know what it is. They are obviously well written, but they just have that certain something. I’ve always liked them.”

“So when I was approached by the board of St. James about directing a show I said ‘Definitely Mamma Mia!’ I am very passionate about the show, and I’ve told the cast that many times. It’s an uplifting and fun-filled show. When the audience comes out, they leave feeling good.”

Written by British playwright Catherine Johnson and originally opening in London’s West End at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1999, Mamma Mia! has become a worldwide theatrical phenomenon that continues today. Ensuring its popularity on the cultural landscape, the play was turned into a hit film in 2008, starring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, and Pierce Brosnan, once again bringing the music back to mass popularity, and making the story and characters familiar to audiences beyond the theatre world.

While Mamma Mia! has surprisingly never been won any major theatrical awards, the show has become a beloved favourite, acquiring a cult following, popularizing the “jukebox musical” genre, and creating a second wave of ABBAmania.

VIDEO: Mamma Mia! promo

In the St. James Players’ production of Mamma Mia!, the audience is invited to the fictional Greek island paradise of Kalokairi, where one woman’s romantic past is about to return to her life in a very real way. Weeks before her wedding, 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan (Gillian Harknett) reaches out to three men she has never met — one of whom may be her father — to come to her wedding, but without telling her fiery and independent mother Donna (Natalie Dorsett) about her plan.

Part of a pop trio in her youth, Donna gave up music when she got pregnant with Sophie while on tour in the Greek Islands in 1979. Settling down and creating her own successful holiday resort, Donna has lived her life as a strong-willed business woman and mother who never looked for assistance from Sophie’s father.

As the guests begin to arrive to the Island for Sophie’s big day, all three men show up … but which one is her real father? Is it American architect Sam Carmichael (Warren Sweeting), thrill-seeking explorer Bill Austin (Mark Gray), or punk-rocker-turned banker Harry Bright (Keevin Carter)?

Now, with the island exploding with excitement for the upcoming wedding, Donna’s past comes crashing down on her as old romantic wounds are reopened, secrets are revealed, and the meaning of family is redefined.

Meeting with the cast during a Sunday afternoon rehearsal at St. James Church, I was surprised by the amount of thought and depth the primary cast has put into their roles, as they weave together the back story between the various characters. Having seen Mamma Mia! multiple times, I have never thought of it as a complex show, but my conversation with the cast made me realize that there is more to this story than perhaps I initially believed.

“There are a lot of layers to this show,” says Christie Freeman, who takes on the role of Tanya, one of Donna’s friends and former bandmates. “The show may seem one dimensional, but once you start analyzing the relationships you can start picking and prodding and moving the pieces around.”

“It’s our job as actors to project to the audience that the show is not one dimensional, and that there is depth to these relationships,” adds Warren Sweeting. “I think some groups that put on the show don’t look at it in depth, and I’ll admit that this is the first time I’ve thought that much about it.”

“It’s easy to be in a musical and have it just be a musical,” Natalie Dorsett says. “But if you don’t take a musical to that next level, then it isn’t going to be relatable. Mamma Mia! is relatable. You all know people like each of these characters. You all know a Tanya. You all know a Rosie. You all know a Harry.”

Starring as Donna (portrayed by Meryl Streep in the film version), Natalie is performing a dream role that she’s wanted to play since she was a teenager.

“I love playing Donna,” she explains. “I first saw Mamma Mia! in Toronto when I was 18, and it was the first date my husband and I went on. We were watching it and he said to me ‘So, do you want to play Sophie?’ and I said ‘Hell no, I want to be Donna!’ I like that she’s strong, she gets things done, and she raised Sophie by herself. Sophie is an amazing person. I love that. I think there will be the people on the audience who will also want to be Donna.”

“I find Donna layered,” Natalie continues. “She has walls up, but she’s super vulnerable. You can see Sophie trying to be the opposite of her mother, but by the end she finds that she is exactly like her mother. That’s also a relatable story for people.”

Although faced by a trio of potential fathers, Donna finds her romantic foil in Warren’s character Sam.

“Sam is like the clandestine love interest of the show,” Warren says of his character. “We know what’s going to happen at the end of the show, but there is a battle between him and Donna through the whole show. Do they like each other? Do they not like each other? Are they playing angry because they are covering up the fact that they like each other? Sam is not hugely different from myself, so it’s not hard to walk into the role.”

“Sam is also the only one who is able to break through Donna’s walls, because her walls are sky high and four feet thick,” Natalie adds.

“It’s because Sam shows some backbone throughout the show, while the other guys kind of bend a little bit,” Warren replies. “Sam is the first person who took Donna to the island, and he took their dreams and made them a reality that he never knew about. That’s says a lot about the relationship as it was.”

“It’s because there is investment in the relationship,” Natalie points out. “The other two guys were just flings. Sam was a short-term love affair, while the other guys were just rebounds.”

One of the “other guys” is played by Mark Gray, who makes his St. James Players debut in the role of dashing travel writer Bill.

“I like the role of Bill,” Mark says. “It fits with me. Bill is the intrepid traveller and writer, gets in adventures all over the world, and writes about it. That fits with me. I like the bush and go solo camping. I like to write and have travelled to 14 countries around the world. I’ve been using that to connect to the character.”

However, as Mark notes, the majority of his scenes are not with Natalie, but are instead with Gillian who plays Sophie.

“When Bill starts to discover that he could be Sophie’s father, he’s nervous about it,” Bill says. “Nothing has pinned him down in his whole life, so by having a 20-year-old daughter in front of him he’s got to come to turns with that. But she’s such a beautiful young woman, so why wouldn’t he want to be her father? I hope to portray how nervous he is because that could change his life.”

In the role of Harry, the third potential father, Keevin Carter plays a man not only searching for a version of himself from the past but one who also reveals something unexpected to his former lover.

“Harry is very successful and works in London in the finance sector,” Keevin says. “But he is in a place where he feels his life has become boring and routine and he is fearful that his partner feels the same way. So he comes back to the island to revisit his past days where he was spontaneous and a head banger and completely different from what he has become. He wants to share who he really is now with Donna, which he wasn’t able to do all those years ago. There might be some people in the audience who will say ‘Wow, I didn’t see that coming!'”

As the comedic relief in the drama, Christie Freeman and Lyndele Gauci play Donna’s best friends and former musical co-horts Tanya and Rosie.

“Rosie and Tanya are opposites,” Christie says. “Tanya is insecure and self-absorbed, while Rosie isn’t. We represent double sides of a coin. Playing Tanya is fun because she’s so different from me. Tanya has had an interesting life of numerous marriages and jet setting round the world, and I’m still an immature flirt. I’m the comic relief I suppose.”

“I’m typecast,” laughs Lyndele, who returns to the Peterborough stage after a four-year hiatus. “Rosie is also comic relief, but she is more practical. She’s the kind of girl who doesn’t take crap, but she’s super fun. I really relate to the character. I definitely see a lot of myself in her, but I also find that I’m learning from Rosie. I admire her confidence, and I see that’s where I am in my life.”

I was invited to watch the cast, a large ensemble spread across multiple generations of performers, be put through their paces by choreographer Melissa Earl during the massive “Voulez Vous” number. High energy and larger than life, the number beautifully fuses together the drama of Mamma Mia! with the music of ABBA which, at its core, is the backbone of the show.

There is no denying that now, more than ever, ABBA’s music is always a hit with any audience.

“Globally ABBA has had so much radio play,” Mark says. “Musically it defines a time when it first broke. For older audiences, it takes us back to when we danced and when we sang along. It’s also fun music — fun to sing along to and very danceable. It propels people to want to move. It did then, and it does now with younger people. I think there is an infectious quality to the music. That’s what draws people to it.”

“There is a certain age group that grew up with ABBA,” Warren adds. “In my household, when growing up, ABBA was on every day. It was fun music. It’s entertaining and uplifting. In Mamma Mia!, it’s amazing that they are able to take all those songs and insert them into a cohesive story in a meaningful way. That just amazes me.”

“But after a while it you start to forget that it’s ABBA music,” Natalie points out. “Eventually it becomes Mamma Mia! music.”

From tribute bands to karaoke bars, anything involving ABBA is going to find its audience, and Mamma Mia! is always a favourite. The St. James Players’ production combination of the endearing music, high-energy performances, and powerhouse cast made up of truly lovely individuals left me feeling excited and uplifted after the rehearsal. Based on my what I saw, I believe Mamma Mia! will be the feel-good musical of 2019.

Manma Mia! opens on Friday, November 8th and runs for seven performances until Saturday, November 16th at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough). Tickets are $27 for adults, $23 for seniors/students, or $20 for children/youth (plus fees) and are available in person at the Showplace Box Office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at showplace.org.

Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, October 24 to Wednesday, October 30.

If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.

Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada.

For November, Netflix is releasing a lot of original content, including the Martin Scorsese film The Irishman (Nov. 27) starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci in an an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century.

Spanning decades, the film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organized crime: its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics.

Other Netflix films include The King and Drive (both avaiable Nov. 1), Earthquake Bird (Nov. 13), and Atlantics (Nov. 29).

There’s also a host of Christmas-related Netflix films including Holiday in the Wild (Nov. 1), Let It Snow (Nov. 8), Klaus (Nov. 15), The Knight Before Christmas (Nov. 21), and Holiday Rush (Nov. 28).

For Netflix original series, there’s season three of The Crown (Nov. 17), portraying the Royals during the 1960s and a time of economic downturn and fierce nationalism.

VIDEO: The Crown Season 3

Also coming in November are the Netflix original sreies Queer Eye: We’re in Japan!, American Son, and season three of Atypical (all available Nov. 1), season two of The End of the F***ing World (Nov. 5), Green Eggs and Ham (Nov. 8), Volume 5 of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (Nov. 10), and Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings (Nov. 22).

Netflix comedy specials include Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby (Nov. 5) and Jeff Garlin: Our Man In Chicago (Nov. 12).

Theatrically released films include: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version; and Murder on The Orient Express (all available Nov. 1); and Erin Brockovich and Patch Adams (both available Nov. 6)

VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in November

Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in October, along with what’s leaving.

Coming in November (no release date specified)

• Levius (Netflix anime) – With the casualties of war still haunting him, young Levius uses his prosthetic arm to take his fight into the brutal world of Mecha Boxing.

Friday, November 1st

• American Son (Netflix television event) – Based on the acclaimed Broadway play, “American Son” tells the story of Kendra Ellis-Connor (Emmy-nominee Kerry Washington), the mother of a missing teenage boy, as she struggles to put the pieces together in a South Florida police station. Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee also reprise their roles in the adaptation which presents four distinct viewpoints, while also navigating the unique dynamic of an interracial couple trying to raise a mixed-race son. “American Son” by Christopher Demos-Brown is directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon. Washington and Pilar Savone executive produce under Washington’s banner Simpson Street. Jeffrey Richards and Rebecca Gold also serve as executive producers.
• Atypical: Season 3 (Netflix original) – As Sam heads into his first year of college, he grapples with new challenges, from making friends to managing his schedule.
• Drive (Netflix film) – A notorious thief allies with a street racer for a grand heist involving an elaborate game of deceit with authorities, who have their own dirty secrets.
• Fire in Paradise (Netflix documentary) – This documentary short chronicles the Camp Fire tragedy in Paradise, CA, beginning the morning of November 8, 2018. The film charts the course and consequences of the harrowing disaster — part of a terrifying new trend in California wildfires, and the deadliest fire in the United States in over 100 years — through personal interviews and first-hand video footage from survivors and emergency responders.
• Hache (Netflix original) – Created by Verónica Fernández and directed by Jorge Torregrossa (La vida inesperada, Cocaine Coast, Velvet Collection), Hache is a tale inspired by true events. It tells the story of Helena (Adriana Ugarte), a prostitute who starts as a simple pawn in the hands of Malpica (Javier Rey), the head of a gangster band that operates in Barcelona in the 1960s. But a steep and hazardous learning curve takes Helena from the lowest rung of the organization to the top, seizing control of its heroin operation.
• Hello Ninja (Netflix family) – BFFs Wesley and Georgie and their silly cat sidekick Pretzel transform into ninjas and enter a magic world, where they solve problems and save the day.
• Holiday in the Wild (Netflix film) – To keep her spirits high when their son leaves for college, Manhattanite Kate Conrad (Kristin Davis) has booked a ‘second honeymoon’ with her husband. Instead of thanking her, he brings their relationship to a sudden end; jilted Kate proceeds to Africa for a solo safari. During a detour through Zambia, she helps her pilot, Derek Holliston (Rob Lowe), rescue an orphaned baby elephant. They nurse him back to health at a local elephant sanctuary, and Kate extends her stay through Christmastime. Far from the modern luxuries of home, Kate thrives amidst majestic animals and scenery. Her love for the new surroundings just might extend to the man who shared her journey.
• The King (Netflix film) – Hal (Timothée Chalamet), wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne, has turned his back on royal life and is living among the people. But when his tyrannical father dies, Hal is crowned King Henry V and is forced to embrace the life he had previously tried to escape. Now the young king must navigate the palace politics, chaos and war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life — including his relationship with his closest friend and mentor, the ageing alcoholic knight, John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton). Directed by David Michôd and co-written by Michôd and Edgerton, “The King” co-stars Sean Harris, Ben Mendelsohn, Robert Pattinson, and Lily-Rose Depp.
• The Man Without Gravity (Netflix film) – A gravity-defying baby raised in seclusion matures into an extraordinary man — and an international celebrity — but longs for an ordinary life.
• Queer Eye: We’re in Japan! (Netflix original) – The Fab Five — Antoni Porowski (Food & Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), Karamo Brown (Culture), and Tan France (Fashion) — will bring their expertise to Tokyo, working to make-better four heroes while experiencing Japanese cuisine, fashion, design, grooming and culture firsthand.
• We Are the Wave (Netflix original) – A mysterious classmate leads four idealistic teens in a revolt against a rising tide of nationalistic fervor, but their movement takes a dark turn.
• A Christmas Special: Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir
• Apache Warrior
• Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures: Go Team Roberts: Season 1
• Christmas Break-In
• Christmas With A View
• Cleo & Cuquin: Season 1
• Ferdinand
• Holiday Joy
• Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version
• Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: Seasons 1-2
• Murder on The Orient Express
• Santa Girl
• Spitfire: The Plane that Saved the World
• The Christmas Trap
• The Public
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Zero Dark Thirty

Monday, November 4th

• A Holiday Engagement
• Christmas Crush
• Dear Santa
• The Devil Next Door (Netflix documentary) – A Cleveland grandfather stands accused of an Earth-shattering crime — being the infamous Nazi concentration camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.

Tuesday, November 5th

• The End of the F***ing World: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Two years after James and Alyssa’s hair-raising road trip, a woman obsessed with the man they killed is released from prison and sets out for revenge.
• Giants of Africa
• Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby (Netflix original) – Late Night host, Seth Meyers, steps out from behind his desk and onto the stage at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis to explain to his fans that you can love a lobby baby as much as a hospital baby … in time. In his Netflix comedy-special debut, “Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby”, Meyers touches upon family, fatherhood, and why you should never take your girlfriend to Paris for her birthday.
• She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 4 (Netflix family) – Catra vows to conquer Etheria before Horde Prime arrives, Glimmer struggles with a new role, and Adora and the princesses face treachery old and new.
• Tune in for Love (Netflix film) – A student and a reticent teen first meet at a bakery in the 1990s and try to find each other through the years, as fate keeps pulling them apart.

Wednesday, November 6th

• Burning Cane
• Erin Brockovich
• Honey
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• Patch Adams
• SCAMS (Netflix original) – Hit hard by the Lehman shock, a well-meaning young man joins a phone scam operation and gets increasingly embroiled in the underworld.
• Shadow

Friday, November 8th

• Busted!: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Amateur detectives attempt to untangle a string of mystifying cases, which may be connected to an enigmatic figure known as the Flower Killer.
• Greatest Events of WWII in HD Colour (Netflix original) – From the attack on Pearl Harbor to D-Day, the most pivotal events of World War II come to life in this vivid docuseries featuring colorized footage.
• Green Eggs and Ham (Netflix original) – Opposites Guy and Sam take a road trip to save an endangered animal, learning to try new things like hope, friendship — and a certain delectable dish.
• Let It Snow (Netflix film) – When a snowstorm hits a small midwestern town on Christmas Eve, a group of high school seniors find their friendships and love lives colliding thanks to a stranded pop star, a stolen keg, a squad of competitive dancers, a mysterious woman covered in tin foil, and an epic party at the local Waffle Town. Come Christmas morning, nothing will be the same. Based on the best-selling book by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, LET IT SNOW stars Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson, Mitchell Hope, Kiernan Shipka, Jacob Batalon, and Joan Cusack.
• Paradise Beach (Netflix film) – Mehdi gets out of prison, planning to settle old scores. But first, he must reconnect with his gang, now living in an idyllic beach resort in Thailand.
• Wild District: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Still working as a hitman, JJ tries to assimilate into civilian life. Daniela’s campaign for president is plagued with practical and ethical challenges.

Saturday, November 9th

• Little Things: Season 3 (Netflix original) – As Kavya and Dhruv’s relationship goes from live-in to long-distance, their respective journeys of self-discovery begin to impact their life as a couple.

Sunday, November 10th

• Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: Volume 5 (Netflix original) – With his sharp comedic takes on politics and culture, Hasan Minhaj returns for Volume 5 of this variety series.

Monday, November 11th

• Chief of Staff: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Newly elected Tae-jun moves through the familiar grounds of the National Assembly with bold intent — and the will to do whatever it takes.

Tuesday, November 12th

• Harvey Girls Forever!: Season 3 (Netflix family) – The girls pull out all the stops to show Harvey Street’s newest resident — child bazillionaire Richie Rich — the simple joys of being a kid.
• Jeff Garlin: Our Man In Chicago (Netflix original) – Multi-hyphenate comedy veteran, Jeff Garlin — best known as Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Jeff Greene — brings his new Netflix comedy special “Jeff Garlin: Our Man in Chicago”. Filmed in his hometown, Chicago and on the 37th anniversary to the day of his comedy debut, the one-hour special is ripe with Garlin’s signature blend of storytelling and improv. The comedian takes viewers on a stroll down memory lane, with some detours into the personal lives of the audience, a few hours in jail and enough donuts to last a lifetime..

Wednesday, November 13th

• Maradona in Mexico (Netflix documentary) – Arguably soccer’s greatest player, Diego Maradona comes to Culiacán, the heart of the Sinaloa Cartel, to save the local team, and maybe himself, too.

Thursday, November 14th

• The Stranded (Netflix original) – 18 year old Kraam survives a devastating tsunami along with thirty-six of his fellow students at an elite private high school on a remote island in the Andaman Sea. As mysterious events start happening on the island, it quickly becomes clear that no one is coming to rescue them and Kraam must lead the students to rescue themselves.

Friday, November 15th

• Avlu: Part 2 (Netflix original) – Shocking truths surface as Deniz reckons with intrigue, Kudret tightens the screws and Ecem confronts a growing threat.
• The Club (Netflix original) – A band of misfit rich kids in Mexico strike out on their own selling ecstasy and quickly run into trouble with other narcos, the law and their families.
• Earthquake Bird (Netflix film) – In 1980s Tokyo, an enigmatic expat is suspected of killing her friend, who’s gone missing in the wake of their love triangle with a local photographer.
• The Fanatic
• GO!: The Unforgettable Party (Netflix family) – Mía’s vacation with her dad is disrupted by the surprise arrival of Lupe, Mercedes, Juanma and Álvaro as their school drama moves lakeside.
• House Arrest (Netflix film) – A man trapped in his own fears locks himself in his home to keep out the onslaught of modern life. Starring Ali Fazal, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Jim Sarbh.
• I’m with the Band: Nasty Cherry (Netflix original) – In an era where there is no roadmap to success in the music industry, global pop star Charli XCX handpicked four women to form the alt-pop band, Nasty Cherry. The latest signing to Charli XCX’s label, Nasty Cherry is an unconventional mix of seasoned musicians and first timers. This six-episode series documents their origin story – from moving in together and their first practice to their first performance and debut single release and everything in between. An intimate look into what it takes to make your dreams come true, I’m With the Band: Nasty Cherry follows the women as they navigate a new age of music, making up their own rules as they go and blowing up Instagram feeds in the process. With Charli’s support and guidance, Nasty Cherry has the potential to really catch fire…or completely implode if they can’t keep their egos and insecurities in check, and in this unfiltered and intimate series, viewers find out what it takes to make — or break — this badass band.
• Klaus (Netflix film) – When Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) distinguishes himself as the postal academy’s worst student, he is stationed on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle, where the feuding locals hardly exchange words let alone letters. Jesper is about to give up when he finds an ally in local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones), and discovers Klaus (Oscar® winner J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys. These unlikely friendships return laughter to Smeerensburg, forging a new legacy of generous neighbors, magical lore and stockings hung by the chimney with care. An animated holiday comedy directed by Despicable Me co-creator Sergio Pablos, KLAUS co-stars Joan Cusack, Will Sasso and Norm Macdonald.
• Llama Llama: Season 2 (Netflix family) – New lessons, new adventures and new friends living right down the street! Join Llama Llama and his pals for another season of sweet fun and learning.
• Paw Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue
• The Toys That Made Us: Season 3 (Netflix original) – Take a deep dive into the origins and creative battles behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, and wrestling figures.

Sunday, November 17th

• The Crown: Season 3 (Netflix original) – While England in the Swinging Sixties confronts an economic downturn and fierce nationalism, the Royals are scrutinized as aristocratic freeloaders.

Tuesday, November 19th

• Iliza: Unveiled (Netflix original) – Iliza Shlesinger is back in her fifth Netflix original comedy special titled “Unveiled”. Armed with the newly wed ring on her finger and stories to tell, Iliza pulls back the veil on wedding planning, garters, honeymooning, and the dangers of a zombie bachelorette army.
• No hay tiempo para la verguenza (Netflix documentary) – A series following the life and work of provocateur fashion designer and influencer Santiago Artemis.

Wednesday, November 20th

• Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (Netflix documentary) – A documentary exploreing the dramatic rise and fall of Bikram Choudhury, the controversial founder of hot yoga.
• Dream/Killer
• Lorena, la de pies ligeros (Netflix documentary) – Rarámuri champ Lorena Ramírez dons sandals and traditional dress to compete in ultramarathons. Today, she’s among the fastest runners in the world.

Thursday, November 21st

• The Knight Before Christmas (Netflix film) – After a magical sorceress transports medieval knight Sir Cole (Josh Whitehouse) to present-day Ohio during the holiday season, he befriends Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens), a clever and kind science teacher who’s been disillusioned by love. Brooke helps Sir Cole navigate the modern world and helps him discover how to fulfill his mysterious one true quest — the only act that will return him home. But as he and Brooke grow closer, Sir Cole begins to wonder just how much he wants to return to his old life. Directed by Monika Mitchell (The Christmas Contract, Royal New Year’s Eve) and also starring Emmanuelle Chriqui, Isabelle Franca, Ella Kenion, and Jean-Michel Le Gal, “The Knight Before Christmas” is a cozy holiday romance about learning to let yourself believe in magic again.
• Mortel (Netflix original) – Desperate to find his missing brother, Sofiane lures classmate Victor into a deal with a mysterious figure, who gives them supernatural powers.

Friday, November 22nd

• Dino Girl Gauko (Netflix family) – In this Netflix original animated kids comedy series set in Japan, Naoko Watanabe is a typical tween … except that she possesses a strange gift and curse: when her anger exceeds a maximum level, she turns into Gauko, the fire-breathing dinosaur girl!
• Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings (Netflix original) – The Dolly music you love, the stories you’ve been waiting for. Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings is an anthology series that showcases the stories, memories, and inspirations behind her most beloved songs. New and classic Dolly music will score every episode. Each story will vary in tone, from love stories and inspirational tales to family dramas, westerns, and revenge comedies.
• The Dragon Prince: Season 3 (Netflix family) – As Callum and Rayla cross into the magical realm of Xadia, Ezran returns to Katolis as king and faces pressure from all sides.
• High Seas: Season 2 (Netflix original) – High Seas, an original thriller series, set on the 1940’s, starring Jon Kortajarena, Ivana Baquero and Alejandra Onieva, will follow its path to Rio de Janeiro and will welcome new passengers, who will get involved in disturbing situations, mysteries and a lot of secrets that will increase the suspense inside the ship. Among the new faces are Claudia Traisac on the character of Casandra, Antonio Reyes playing Erich, Chiqui Delgado in the role of Teresa and Pepe Barroso as Julian. All of them will be key pieces throughout the new season.
• Mon frère (Netflix film) – Thrust from a violent home into a brutal custody center, a teenager learns to navigate a tough new reality and forge unlikely alliances to survive.
• Nailed It! Holiday!: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Jingle bells. Funky smells. Panic in the air. We’re bringing hilarity home for the holidays with wonder-fail creations and woefully botched bakes.
• Narcoworld: Dope Stories (Netflix original) – Examine all sides of the brutal business of drugs in locales around the world, from the U.S. and Brazil to the U.K. and France.
• Nobody’s Looking (Netflix original) – Guardian angel Uli is new to the Angelus System. A rebel spirit, he makes shocking discoveries about life and how the world is run when he goes rogue.
• Singapore Social (Netflix original) – Peer into the lives of young Singaporeans as they defy expectations and traverse the tricky terrain of career, romance and family.
• Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 8 (Netflix family) – Explore a brand new season of radical adventures with Branch, Poppy, Biggie and the rest of Troll Village.

Saturday, November 23rd

• Frontier: Season 3

Sunday, November 24th

• Final Space: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Gary and his intrepid crew scour the galaxy for Quinn while dealing with awkward family reunions, deadly space regattas and oddly happy fluffballs.

Monday, November 25th

• Florence Foster Jenkins

Tuesday, November 26th

• Mike Birbiglia: The New One (Netflix original) – Comedian and storyteller Mike Birbiglia brings his award-winning Broadway show, Mike Birbiglia: The New One, to a global audience for his newest and most highly anticipated Netflix comedy special. Filmed at the Cort Theater in Manhattan, Birbiglia brilliantly blends observational and confessional comedy as he struggles with the existential question of whether he wants to bring a child into the world.
• Super Monsters Save Christmas (Netflix family) – It’s Christmas Eve in Pitchfork Pines, and the Super Monsters are joining forces to deck the halls, find Santa’s missing reindeer and save the holiday!

Wednesday, November 27th

• Broken (Netflix documentary) – From the creators of the critically-acclaimed series Rotten and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Netflix’s new investigative documentary series Broken exposes the unknown fraud, corruption and negligence behind some of the world’s most popular merchandise. Launching just days before Black Friday — the biggest shopping event of the year — Broken takes on four big consumer arenas including cosmetics, e-cigarettes, furniture and plastics.
• The Irishman (Netflix film) – Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman”, an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century. Spanning decades, the film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organized crime: its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics.

Thursday, November 28th

• Holiday Rush (Netflix film) – Popular New York radio DJ Rush Williams (Romany Malco) has been spoiling his four children since they lost their mom. Unfortunately, the kids share their pricey Christmas lists right when he loses his job. To keep Rush on the air, his producer Roxy Richardson (Sonequa Martin-Green) and his Aunt Jo (Darlene Love) plan to help him buy another station — if the Williams family can downsize fast and embrace a simpler life. In this heartwarming film, a loving father reconnects with his children and opens his heart to love when they all learn that true joy comes from not what you have but who you have around you.
• John Crist: I Ain’t Prayin For That (Netflix original) – Get ready for the divine comedy special of the year as the country turns its eyes upon John Crist with “I Ain’t Prayin’ For That”. The son of a pastor and one of 8 homeschooled children, Crist evaluates the weakness of millennial culture, how to be a “good” Christian, dating in the modern era and more. Filmed while on his Human Being Tour at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham.
• Merry Happy Whatever (Netflix original) – A strong-willed dad navigates the stress of the holiday season when his daughter brings her new boyfriend home for Christmas. Starring Dennis Quaid.
• Mytho (Netflix original) – When Elvira begins to suspect her husband is having an affair, she pretends to be gravely ill — a small white lie that brings huge consequences.

Friday, November 29th

• Atlantics (Netflix film) – In a suburb of Dakar, 17-year-old Ada falls in love with young construction worker Souleiman, who returns to the neighborhood after disappearing at sea.
• I Lost My Body (Netflix film) – In a Parisian laboratory, a severed hand escapes its unhappy fate and sets out to reconnect with its body in this Cannes Critics’ Week selection. During a hair-raising escapade across the city, the extremity fends off pigeons and rats alike to reunite with pizza boy Naoufel. Its memories of Naoufel and his love for librarian Gabrielle may provide answers about what caused the hand’s separation, and a poetic backdrop for a possible reunion between the three. Based on the novel “Happy Hand” by Academy Award nominee Guillaume Laurant (Amelie).
• Masterminds
• The Movies That Made Us (Netflix original) – Get the real story behind the blockbusters that defined a generation. Actors, directors and industry insiders lead the way on essential deep dives.
• Sugar Rush Christmas (Netflix original) – It’s everything you love about “Sugar Rush” — with a holly jolly holiday twist — in this Christmas-themed spin on competitive baking.

Leaving Netflix Canada in November

Friday, November 1st

• Fifty Shades of Grey
• The Shawshank Redemption

Friday, November 29th

• Coco

All titles and dates are subject to change.