Holiday market
White Rock Museum & Archives’ 20th annual Holiday Market runs until Dec. 20, featuring over 24 local artists and crafters.
Opening hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The museum, the former Burlington Northern station building, is at 14970 Marine Drive, White Rock. For more information, call 604 541 2221.
Art Society
The White Rock and South Surrey Art Society will hold an evening reception – featuring artists whose work is in its current exhibit – Dec. 12 from 7-9 p.m. at Mel Edwards Centre, Centennial Park (14600 North Bluff Rd.).
The exhibit will continue at the centre until Jan. 3.
For more details, visit www.semiahmooarts.com or call 604-536-8333 for viewing times.
Handel’s Messiah
The Handel Society of Music continues a grand Christmas season tradition by presenting Handel’s immortal oratorio, Messiah, Saturday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Church, 2250 150 St.
The Handel Choir and the Chilliwack Metropolitan Youth orchestra, both directed by artistic director Johan Louwersheimer, will be joined by well-known soloists Raphael Wagner, Sonya Sweeney, Christopher Simmons and Angus Bell.
Tickets ($20, $15 seniors and students) are available from 604-585-9102, www.handelsociety.ca or by visiting the society’s Facebook page.
Stella Maris choir
The Stella Maris Concert Choir, recently returned from its second European concert tour, will present its annual Christmas concert Sunday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 2250 150 St.
The 45-voice choir, directed by Trudi Stammer and accompanied by noted keyboardist Henri Lorieau, has assembled a new Christmas repertoire including two pieces written by local composers – Corlynn Hanney’s Carol of the Stable Dog and Larry Nickel’s No Room.
Returning in the program will be a well-received Christmas favourite, Lorieau’s arrangement of O Holy Night, including soloist Kiel Magis.
Partial proceeds of the event will go to the choir and church’s long-standing charity, Chalice, supporting three foster children in the Ukraine, Guatemala and Africa.
The choir is also asking attendees to bring an item for the Sources Food Bank to the concert.
It’s been a busy year for the choir, recently featured as part of White Rock’s Christmas on the Peninsula event, and which will also perform at the Surrey Memorial Hospital Hospice Society Celebrate A Life event at the Guildford Town Centre Mall, Dec. 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
This year’s European trip was highlighted by performances in some of the continent’s most beautiful and historic churches, including the St. Stephen Dom in Vienna.
Tickets ($10, $8 seniors and students) are available from the church office, or at the door.
Jazz Society
The danceable rhythms of retro jazz continue each Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240 (2643 128 St.).
Next attraction in the White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s current season will be The 49th Parallel Jazz Band (Dec. 16).
Joining leader/drummer Bob Aitken will be regular band members Glen Tremblay (trumpet), Ron Minshall (trombone), Gerry Green (clarinet and sax), Ron Thompson (banjo and guitar), Dominik Heins (piano) and Casey Tolhurst (bass).
Admission is $8 (members) and $10 (non-members). Memberships ($15) are available at the door.
Gospel Blues Xmas
Tickets are selling fast for Peninsula Productions’ second annual Gospel and Blues Christmas Show featuring incomparable keyboardist/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist John Lee Sanders, his seven-piece band – featuring phenomenal vocalist Sibel Thrasher – and special guest Cajun blues fiddler Gary Comeau.
The show is on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. at First United Church, White Rock.
Tickets ($25 advance, $30 at the door) are available from Tapestry Music or https://tickets.surrey.ca
Pinocchio
White Rock Players Club’s 2012 pantomime, Pinocchio, runs until Dec. 29 at the Coast Capital Playhouse, 1532 Johnston Rd.
Panto veteran and club president Dave Baron’s script is a new adaptation of the classic tale by Carlo Collodi, incorporating some original and intriguing elements that have been filtered out in successively de-natured versions.
Pinocchio (Michelle Gaetz) – a puppet brought to life who wants to become a real boy – must battle the evil Puppet Master and his minions Fox (Jennifer Tiles) and Cat (Elyse Raible), survive being swallowed by a whale, rescue his beloved Isabella (Melissa Paras), and even put up with Isabella’s overbearing aunt, Miss Ann Thrope (Bryce Paul Mills).
Expect all of the the over-the-top humour, music and general nonsense the White Rock pantomime has been noted for over six decades, under the capable direction of Susanne de Pencier, with musical direction by Kerry O’ Donovan, choreography by Lena Dabrusin, set design by Andrea Olund and costumes by Heather Maximea.
For tickets ($18, $16 seniors, students and Coast Capital members) and further information, call 603-536-7535, visit www.whiterockplayers.ca or email wrpctix@uniserve.com
Robinson Crusoe
The Royal Canadian Theatre Company’s 2012 Christmas pantomime – founder-director Ellie King’s rollicking seafaring tale, Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates – will come to Surrey Arts Centre Dec. 20 to Jan. 6.
The show offers “spectacular sparkling family fun” including King’s patented brand of colourful, traditional, kid-friendly cheer-the-hero, boo-the villain adventure, with plenty of song and dance and a healthy helping of groan-worthy knockabout humour, spearheaded by obligatory panto animal Griselda the Gorilla and veteran RCTC player Alan Cedargreen as Dame Kitty Crusoe.
Well-known White Rock performer Erin Coon takes the role of Robinson, with Tony DeMatteis as Cap’n Blight, Bob Wilson as First Mate Bruce, Tim Zhang as Second Mate Bruce, and Claurien Zanoria as beauteous Princess Friday.
Regular admission is $23.95 plus box office charges, or $14.95 plus charges for children under 12.
For ticket information and bookings visit www.rctheatreco.com or www.arts.surrey.ca or call 604-501-5566.
