December 3 edition: A stripper shares her origin story

Plus: Sweet treats and sweeter local charities

Arts Club Theatre Company

Hey there. Welcome to the last month of the year!

I’m planning on getting my Christmas tree today. There’s something very fun about rearranging your whole living room to fit in a huge houseplant for five weeks. Though you might have less luck if you’re doing the same thing in mid-summer for a potted palm tree. Ah, traditions.

— V.
Associate Editor

FEATURE  

Sex//Work: How I became a stripper

It’s not often you show up for your first day of work in the back of a police car—but that’s what happened to Madelyn Summers when she was trying to make it from Vancouver to Smithers for her first stripping gig. In the latest Sex//Work column, Summers explains how she got into the world of adult entertainment.

LIVING

BC organizations to support for Giving Tuesday

On a day dedicated to giving back, here are some local groups doing good work across the city and province to consider supporting.

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY
Arts Club Theatre Company

Photo credit: Alex MacIsaac and Kevin McNulty in Miracle on 34th Street, 2024; set design by Amir Ofek; costume design by Alaia Hamer; lighting design by Jonathan Kim; photo by Moonrider Productions for the Arts Club Theatre Company

Miracle on 34th Street

This holiday season, Kris Kringle takes the stand in the all-new Arts Club Theatre Company production of Miracle on 34th Street. Now playing to December 29 at the Granville Island Stage, this visually stunning rendition of the classic Christmas story will fill your hearts with wonder. Enjoy a sneak peek now, and then gather your loved ones and support Santa in his fight to prove he’s the real deal!

ARTS

Think opera is old-fashioned? Flight will change your mind

The next production in the Vancouver Opera’s 65th season is considerably younger than the company itself: Jonathan Dove’s modern masterpiece Flight.

  • Kick off 2025 with Missy D and Tonye Aganba at the Chan Centre 

  • Fan Expo Vancouver announces two new celebrity guests

  • Hold On Let Go marks 15 years of experimental works

  • Comedian, actor, and host Jeff Dye appearing live on December 6. Fans will know Jeff from FOX's gameshow, “Who the Bleep is that?”, "The Masked Singer" and "The Tonight Show"*

  • Arts Umbrella Dance Company presents Mixed Nuts, a modern twist on The Nutcracker. Tickets available now for four festive December performances at the Vancouver Playhouse!*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANDUSEN BOTANITCAL GARDEN
VanDusen Botanical Garden

Image from Festival of Lights 2023

Celebrating 40 Years of Holiday Magic at VanDusen Festival of Lights

Step into a winter wonderland this holiday season and celebrate 40 magical years of VanDusen Festival of Lights. Explore 15 acres adorned with over 1 million twinkling lights, watch the Dancing Lights display, and savour tasty treats from a variety of food vendors. Tickets are sold online.

FOOD

Where to get your holiday sweet treat fix in the 604

If anyone needs me, I’ll be inhaling the pecan praline pastries at Beaucoup Bakery.

SPONSORED BY WINTER HARP
Winter Harp

Image from Festival of Lights 2023

Winter Harp 2024

Winter Harp is a Christmas masterpiece. Velvet gowns, golden instruments, candles, and backdrops of cathedrals and snow combine to transport you to another time and place. Harps, flutes and rare medieval instruments, percussion, poetry and song envelop you in the silken cloak of Christmas. Winter Harp — Christmas begins here.

ICYMI

  • Highway to hell yeah: Vancouver is the only Canadian stop on AC/DC’s tour 

  • Surf’s up: the Beach Boys are coming to town

  • Van Jams: All the new Vancouver music you missed in November

  • New Italian sandwich joint Dante has just opened

  • You can now rent a Cybertruck in Vancouver, if you’re into humiliation

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

FILM: Greg Sestero hosts a holiday party screening of everyone’s favourite bad movie, The Room. (December 3 @ Rio Theatre)

COMEDY: Colin Mochrie teams up with hypnotist Asad Mecci for Hyprov. (December 3 @ Great Canadian Casino, Coquitlam) 

THEATRE: Leslie Dos Remedios leads the audience through A Christmas Carol. (December 4 to 15 @ Presentation House Theatre, North Vancouver) 

CULTURE: Science World becomes a giant mirrorball for an Eras Edition of After Dark. (December 4 @ Science World) 

THEATRE: Elika Mojtabaei premieres a new multilingual work, Draw Me A Home. (December 4 @ Vancouver Public Library Central Branch) 

MUSIC: Sam Lynch plays an album release show for her magnificent sophomore record Outline. (December 4 @ Fox Cabaret) 

DANCE: Check out new works from contemporary company EDAM. (December 4 to 14 @ EDAM Studio Theatre)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

Georgia Straight Merch

That’s it!

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