Carousel Theatre presents The Wizard of Oz this holiday season at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island. It’s the fantastic tale of Dorothy, the Tinman, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto (her little dog, too).
Scarecrow (Darren Burkett), Tinman (Mike Stack), Dorothy (Robyn Wallis) and Lion (Josue Laboucane) in Carousel Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz. Photo by Tim Matheson.
Based upon the 1939 motion picture, the theatrical version of the production was adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Company. I have never seen a live version of The Wizard of Oz but I was in one as a child. Our elementary school produced one when I was in grade three and our class made up all the munchkins in Munchkinland.
The show opened last night and will run nightly at 7:00pm until December 31, 2011. There are also 2:00pm matinees on the weekends. The duration is 95 minutes and is suitable for children 4 years old and up. Tickets are going very fast with many shows sold out already.
Carousel Theatre has kindly offered up a prize pack for one of my readers that includes 4 tickets to the show, a copy of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, and even a Glinda tiara. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post naming your favourite (or your child’s favourite) Wizard of Oz moment (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at 10:00am on Thursday, December 8, 2011.
Update The winner is Angela! (comment on December 5th)
Bright Nights in Stanley Park light up the park starting tonight and running until January 2, 2012. It’s the 14th annual event that sees millions of lights decorate the park and the miniature railway.
View animated displays, listing to holiday music, enjoy hot chocolate, and try the fresh popcorn and roasted chestnuts from the Stanley Park Ecology Society. Santa will also be on-hand for visits.
Stop by daily from 3:00pm until 10:00pm and stay until 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturday. Bright Nights will just be closed on Christmas Day. You can park at the miniature railway lot, take the #19 bus into the park, or walk in from downtown.
Admission is by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund and train tickets are $9 (adults) and $6 (children and youth). You can purchase train tickets ahead of time online or by calling 1-855-985-5000.
Visit Bright Nights in Stanley Park on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
I’m at the Whistler Film Festival again this year and though I’m linked to two films in the festival (my dog Momo is in the Rob Leickner’s Lost Lagoon and a short I’m producing, Mermaid in a Jar, has been shortl-isted for MMPIA short film award), I will be covering the festival for Miss604.com.
This year there will be over 70 films from around the world being screened and a lot of tributes and awards (way more than in previous) honouring various people in the industry including Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt, and Jay Baruchel.
There are also a lot of money being handed out – up to $50,000 in cash prizes! There is $15,000 for the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature; $10,000 for the New Voices; and various others including the MPPIA short film award ($15,000 cash prize plus $100,000 in services).
And of course the films. I’m going to try to see Foreverland, Monsieur Laxhar, Café de Flore, Doppleganger Paul, and of course Lost Lagoon (Go Momo!).
But because there are so many films, so many parties, and so many outdoor-related activities to distract you, you always have to go with the flow at WFF and see what happens. Stay tuned as I report back after this weekend.
The Whistler Film Festival is on now until December 4, 2011. If you’re heading to Whistler yourself, download the free mobile app for events and schedules. Follow @WhisFilmFest on Twitter for news and updates from WIFF.
Afternoon tea at the Fairmont is a tradition in many cities along the coast. You can sit in a regal tea room at the Empress in Victoria, enjoy scones before your flight at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, and I’ve recent experienced a special holiday treat at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle.
Holiday Tea is hosted under the under sparkling chandeliers the Georgian dining room, just through the hotel’s festively decorated lobby. Tea selections include their signature Olympic Holiday Tea, 1907 Blend, English Breakfast, Empress Blend 1908, Darjeeling, Japan Sancha, Jasmine Green, Kae Lani Orange Pineapple, Cherry Rose, Chamomile, Peppermint, Ceylon, and a decaffeinated black tea option.
I picked up a box of the Empress Blend in Victoria and often substitute my morning cup of coffee for this rich brew. For this sitting however, I went with the peppermint, which is sourced locally from the Cascade Mountain region. Should you have any questions, Tea Sommalier Jessica Mullhollen is on-hand to provide insights.
Scones
Orange-cranberry with orange marmalade and Devonshire cream.
Sandwiches
Roasted tom turkey with cranberry spread, sticky rooftop honey bacon
Smoked wild king salmon crepe with young salmon pearls
Butternut squash tart with aged swiss, toasted pumpkin seeds
Lemon infused English cucumber with candied red onion
The sweet bacon (with honey from the bees on the roof of the hotel) added some texture that I think turkey sandwiches usually lack. The desserts that followed on the bottom tier of the tower were just as diverse as the sandwiches above. There was the freshness of the peppermint pavlova, the tender gingerbread, and the crunch of the stollen, which provided varying textures with these sweets.
Sweets
Raspberry almond cake, a chocolate gingerbread man, peppermint pavlova, stollen
Holiday Tea at the Olympic is served Monday through Saturday from 12:00pm until 2:30pm, and until 5:00pm on Sundays. While at $55 it may be outside an everyday budget for tea, the Fairmont’s afternoon tea experiences are special occasions. You can celebrate the holidays with friends and family in this dazzling setting and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the busy downtown shops. The Fairmont Olympic is just an 8 minute walk from the shops at Westlake, Nordstrom, and Macy’s [Google Map].
While you’re at the Fairmont Olympic during the holidays, check out the Teddy Bear Suite on the third floor. It’s open to the public for visits and story-telling daily from 10:00am until 7:00pm. Admission is by donation to the Seattle Children’s Hospital.
