Thanksgiving and Halloween are over and Christmas season (technically) does not start until December — though the sound of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” starting to pop up everywhere might make you think otherwise. So, with no festivities this month, you might be in need of some help breaking up the daily routine. Luckily, there are still plenty of things happening in Waterloo Region this November.
Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The Crazy Canuck Kitchener
141 Ontario St. N, Kitchener, Ont.
Started by comedian Alex (stage name Sandy) MacFarlane in 2016, Rusty Nail Comedy has produced hundreds of comedy shows in the past five years with the philosophy that “Comedy will save the world” & “laughter is the best medicine.”
Doors open at 7:30. Shows have an 8 p.m. start time and a new lineup each week. The Nov. 5 show will feature comedian Scott Faulconbridge and the Nov. 6 show will feature digital creator and comic Ernie Vicente. Tickets are $22.23 and are available on EventBrite.
Nov. 12, 13, 19, 20 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 14, 21 at 2 p.m.
Cambridge Arts Theatre
47 Water St. S, Cambridge, Ont.
Though a bit farther away in Cambridge, Burs of a Feather is a new play that offers theatre aficionados the chance to return to live theatre. Written and directed by Martin Smith, executive chair at the Cambridge Community Players Theatre, the play will be performed by the Cambridge Community Players. The play is “about three old high school friends who travel to a secluded cabin in the woods to spread the ashes of their dearly departed friend. Nothing goes as planned. Old tensions resurface, a mysterious squatter arrives and the urn disappears. A breezy, layered comedy about friendship, forgiveness and acceptance.”
Student tickets are $15 and available on the Cambridge Community Players website. The theatre’s green room will be open an hour before the show for audiences to pre-order drinks for intermission. The green room will also be open after the show for audiences to meet the cast and crew.
Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bingemans
425 Bingemans Centre Dr. Kitchener, Ont.
Even if you are a staunch believer that Christmas does not start until Dec. 1, early Christmas shopping in November is by now a common occurrence. Considering current supply chain issues and subsequent shipping delays being encountered by large companies (and the ever-present push to shop local), taking advantage of early local Christmas markets before everything is sold out is probably a good idea.
It’s a Christmas Market in Kitchener hosts over 75 different vendors in Marshall Hall at Bingemans. Please be prepared to show proof of vaccination at the door. Tickets for those 12 years of age and older are $5 and can be purchased through EventBrite.
Begins Nov. 30 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
THEMUSEUM
10 King St. W, Kitchener, Ont.
The Rolling Stones | UNZIPPED is a travelling exhibition that has been shown in Europe, the United States and Asia, and is now making its Canadian debut at Kitchener’s THEMUSEUM.
According to THEMUSUEM’s description, “The show boasts more than 300 original objects from the Stones’ personal collection.” The collection is the world’s biggest exhibition on The Rolling Stones, including several three dimensional, immersive experiences, “rare audio fragments, video footage, personal diaries, iconic costumes, posters and album covers” and original work from artists such as Alexander MCQueen and Martin Scorsese.
Tickets are available on THEMUSEUM’s website. Admission is timed and good for two hours in the exhibition. Best value student tickets, available Mondays through Wednesdays, are $24.99. Premium student tickets, only available Thursdays through Sundays, are $32.99.
THEMUSEUM features exhibits for all ages and will host UNZIPPED for a limited time.
The NUMUS Orchestra: The Phantom of the Opera
Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.
KW Little Theatre
9 Princess St. E., Waterloo, Ont.
The NUMUS Orchestra will be performing a live soundtrack alongside “The Phantom of the Opera” — though not the Andrew Lloyd Weber version. “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925), starring Lon Chaney as the Phantom, is a classic silent film and is one of the original horror/monster movies.
The NUMUS Orchestra was founded in 1985 by composer Peter Hatch and strives to introduce Waterloo audiences to contemporary orchestral music. According to the orchestra’s website, “The ensemble will play from an aleatoric score created and composed by NUMUS artistic director Kathryn Ladano, and the NUMUS orchestra members.”
Tickets to the event are available on the NUMUS website and are “pay what you can afford,” ranging from $5 to $40. The live performance will also be professionally recorded, and tickets to an encore presentation that will be live streamed on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. are also available with the same pricing scheme.
