The ninth annual Country Christmas Benefit Concert put on by the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Community Services will be kicking off the holiday season at the ACT this year.
The concert will take place on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., with money going towards the local Meals on Wheels program.
Produced by Rob Hess and Kevin Assoun, performers will include local Hawaiian dance group Halau Hula Ka’uhane o ka Pakipika, Maple Ridge country musician Rob Hess, local songstress Natasha Zimbaro, Geoff Robertson, Nicki Meier, The Wightmans and Friends, Christmas Swing and The All-Star Cloggers.
A free public, silent auction open to everyone will accompany the concert in the ACT theatre foyer. The auction will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until after the concert intermission, and feature more than 75 items, including a pair of Canuck hockey tickets, a $100 gift certificate for Canadian Tire, hotel packages, passes for WildPlay in Maple Ridge, a handmade cedar reindeer and bird condo, and various gift certificates for local business in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
Tickets for the concert are $14 each and can be purchased at the ACT by calling 604-476-2787, or online at www.theactmapleridge.org.
• The Royal City Youth Ballet presents the 23rd season of The Nutcracker on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.. This full-length traditional ballet promises beautiful sets, extravagant costumes and features a cast of young, dedicated dancers. Tickets for adults are $30 and for seniors and youth, $24.
• Enjoy the film Score: A Hockey Musical on Monday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
It is part of the second season of the Golden Ears Movie Series, in cooperation with Film Circuit, a division of the Toronto International Film Festival, that promotes Canadian and international cinema in communities across Canada.
The movie is about a 17-year-old boy named Farley Gordon who achieves instant fame and success as a hockey player after leading a sheltered and isolated life after being home-schooled by his parents. When he starts feeling pressure from his coach and teammates and a change in the relationship with the girl-next-door, Eve, it creates a strain on his life. Approximate running time for the movie is 120 minutes. General seating tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis and are $11 each. Doors open a half hour prior to the start of the film.
• The Maple Ridge Concert Band will be presenting “Joy,” a winter concert on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m.. Dubbed “an evening of music befitting the winter season,” the band under the direction of Ed Dumas, is hoping to evoke “a state of happiness or felicity,” (as defined by the Merriam/Webster dictionary), to all who attend. Tickets for the event are $9.50 for adults and for seniors and students, $7.50. For groups of eight or more will be one dollar less per person. Tickets are not available online, but can be purchased at the ticket centre by calling 604-476-2787.
• Robyn and Lorraine, otherwise known as Bobs and LoLo, a regular feature on Tree House TV, will have families on their feet, singing and dancing to their award-winning music on Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in the main theatre.
Following the performance families can then exit to 224 Street to watch the Santa Claus Parade.
Tickets are $13 per person or $45 for a family of four. Family passes can only be purchased in person at the ticket centre or by phone at 604-476-2787.
• Double-Juno nominee and multiple East Coast Music Award winner Jill Barber will transport her audience to another time and place with her sultry voice on Sunday Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the main theatre. Adults are $35, seniors $32 and students $15.
• Maple Ridge Secondary School’s music department will be putting on two evenings of amazing music on Dec. 5 and 6, with coffee and dessert served at intermission as part of the price of admission.
Monday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. will feature the Motown Vocal Jazz Choir, the Senior Concert Choir, the Intermediate Concert Band 9, the Junior Jazz Band 9 and Senior Jazz Band 11.
Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. will feature the Senior Concert Band, the Junior Concert Band 8, the Junior Jazz Band 8, the Senior Jazz Band 1, the Junior Concert Choir and Chamber Choir.
Adults are $12.50 and for seniors and students $9.50.
• SPECC-tacular Productions and the Emerald Pig Theatrical Society will be presenting A Christmas Carol, a musical by Michael DeMaio.
The classic Dicken’s tale is directed by Sharon Malone, the artistic director is Ed Marshall and musical director is Robyn Van Luven.
From Dec. 13-16 there will be a performance each evening at 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 17 there will be two performances, one at noon and the last at 6 p.m.. Tickets are $20 each or four for $65. The family pass is only available at the ticket centre at 604-476-2787.
• Wrapping up the Christmas lineup this year is Winter Harp, a well-loved tradition at the ACT.
Celtic and medieval carols are hauntingly performed with an ensemble of harps, medieval instruments, flutes, percussion, poetry and song.
There will be two performances, one at 3 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m., on Sunday Dec. 18 in the main theatre. Adults are $42, seniors $39 and students $15.