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At Christmas With Chor Leoni, Saina Khaledi premieres Persian song inspired by her father's melodies

Composer-musician draws on years of memories in new piece for santour and choir that celebrates Yalda Night

Goh Ballet fosters young talent and holiday cheer with 15th edition of The Nutcracker

Amid tulle tutus and fleecey lambs, director Chan Hon Goh reflects on the history of the “feel-good production”

DANCEJanet SmithDecember 11, 2025Holiday 2025, Goh Ballet, Nutcracker, Homepage feature

At The Cinematheque, David Lynch retrospective In Dreams delves into Hollywood’s dark side

Legendary director’s groundbreaking movies and TV work create a visual language that reflects on some of film history’s most sinister figures—and mushroom clouds

SCREENJanet SmithDecember 8, 2025The Cinematheque, David Lynch, Homepage feature

Marika Swan ƛ̓upinup meditates on balance and transformation in A Circle Strong Enough to Carry Both Sides

The artist’s solo exhibition of prints at the Burnaby Art Gallery looks back on years immersed in the creative and philosophical view of interdependence in Nuu-chah-nulth culture

Arts Umbrella’s dancers rise to the challenge of learning every part in Mixed Nuts

Company’s annual holiday twist on The Nutcracker features a flavoursome assortment of styles, from classical ballet to hip hop to ’60s swing

DANCEJanet SmithDecember 3, 2025Mixed Nuts, Arts Umbrella, ARTS UMBRELLA, Nutcracker, Holiday. 2025, Homepage feature

High teas put a delicious spin on classic flavours for the holiday season

Here’s our guide to six local establishments with savoury and sweet menus filled with festive spirit

Even after a century and a half, Little Women continues to capture emotions of both actors and audiences

Director Barbara Tomasic talks about the Arts Club Theatre Company’s new production of the Louisa May Alcott classic, which still inspires heartfelt reflection on sibling bonds and the challenges of finding a place in the world

THEATREJanet SmithNovember 25, 2025Arts Club Theatre Company, Holiday. 2025, Homepage feature, Holiday 2025

Holiday shows 2025: Stir’s ultimate guide to Vancouver’s merriest performances and events

The local arts and culture scene has bright gifts in store this season, from music by candlelight to wintry ballets

The Improv Centre mines classic TV-comedy tropes for yuletide yuks in ’Tis the Sitcom

Jacki Gunn and Alan Pavlakovic say the new seasonal show will evoke Friends, 30 Rock, and more

COMEDY, HOLIDAY25Janet SmithNovember 18, 2025The Improv Centre, Holiday 2025, Holiday arts, Homepage features, Homepage feature

Playwrights Pedro Chamale and Marcus Youssef joyfully throw jabs in all directions in East Van Panto: West Van Story

Duo complicates East-West rivalries and draws on everything from Shakespeare to Gen Alpha slang in a music- and dance-filled installment of the Theatre Replacement tradition

THEATREJanet SmithNovember 14, 2025The Cultch, THE CULTCH, York Theatre, Theatre Replacement, Jp, Homepage feature, HOLIDAY 2025

Theatre review: Frozen’s wintry spell carries the magic of the Disney original

With sparkling effects and powerful performances, the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of the beloved musical captures imaginations of young audience members

THEATREJanet SmithNovember 12, 2025Arts Club Theatre Company, Homepage feature, Holiday 2025

Beauty and brutality intermix in Polygon Gallery’s new show Lee Miller: A Photographer at Work (1932-1945)

Trailblazer shot everything from fashion in front of bombed-out buildings to the liberation of Dachau and Buchenwald

ART & DESIGNJanet SmithNovember 6, 2025POLYGON GALLERY, Polygon Gallery, Lee Miller, Homepage feature

From contortion to krumping, OUROFEST shines a spotlight on form-pushing street dance

OURO Collective’s second annual festival features mainstage performances at Massey Theatre by the likes of TARANTISM and RubberLegz

DANCE, FESTSJanet SmithNovember 4, 2025Ouro Collective, OUROFEST, Massey Theatre, Homepage feature

At Chutzpah! Festival, 8 Gays of Channukah sparkles with songs and stories of togetherness in troubling times

Performers Gila Münster, Yan Simon, and Sarah Freia bring their diverse talents and individuality to a glittering celebration of queerness and representation

THEATRE, FESTSJanet SmithNovember 3, 2025Chutzpah! Festival, Homepage feature

Stir Q&A: Dark thriller The Effect probes the crossover between authentic feelings and chemical manipulation

Presented by Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions, Lucy Prebble’s play is about two people who fall in love after testing a dopamine-regulating drug

THEATREJanet SmithOctober 31, 2025RUMBLE THEATRE, Rumble Theatre, Homepage feature

Gun barrels become instruments of life in Modulus Festival’s Resonant Transmutations

Responding to childhood memories of war, Kurdish-American artist Pedram Baldari forges dulcimers and woodwinds from decommissioned firearms

Drawing on globe-spanning influences, Gord Grdina’s Ru’ya creates kaleidoscope of melody and rhythm

Christ Church Cathedral performance by the renowned Vancouver musician’s latest project will blend intercultural virtuosity with poetry from a troubled Middle East

MUSICJanet SmithOctober 28, 2025CapU, CapU Global Roots, Homepage feature

Music review: Heavenly singing in Vancouver Opera’s Rigoletto lights up a dark Victorian world

Easing off some of the more disturbing themes and melodrama, the production feels somehow lighter, stripped-down, and relatably human

MUSICJanet SmithOctober 27, 2025Vancouver Opera, Homepage feature, Vancouver Civic Theatres

At the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, departed loved ones draw near in Spirit Encounters

Mexican-born artist Gerardo Avila helps celebrate the Day of the Dead and highlights the joys of the holiday through the magical migration of monarch butterflies