Join the Sid Williams Theatre online for some laughs and holiday cheer.

The public health order on Nov. 19 from B.C.鈥檚 provincial health officer forced the Sid Williams Theatre Society to suspend in-person audiences and focus on virtual events for the remainder of the calendar year.

While a normal December event schedule would have almost 20 live performances, this year will offer several virtual performances for audiences to enjoy.

On Saturday, Dec. 12, a favourite Scottish deity comes out of quarantine to expound on everything from 鈥渨ashing your hands鈥� to 鈥渂ooty smooches鈥� in an all new, hilarious hour of comedy in God Is A Scottish Drag Queen Pandemic Edition. Creator and star Mike Delamont recorded this special performance a few months ago in front of a socially distanced audience in Winnipeg and he is happy to share it with Comox Valley viewers.

In the week leading up to Christmas, there are two holiday productions to enjoy.

Ballet Victoria鈥檚 The Nutcracker, which has five streaming times between Dec. 18-20, is a family tradition updated for a 21st-century ballet production. This original Christmas tale is danced to the timeless score of The Nutcracker with humorous pantomime, beautiful costumes, magic, and surprises too. Although this year鈥檚 work has been adapted for a reduced cast, this timeless tale will spark magic and spread holiday cheer to enthrall the whole family.

The Sid Williams Theatre Society has teamed up with Courtenay Little Theatre to present the heartwarming theatre production audiences have come to expect over the holidays, right from the comfort of the couch. A Staged Reading of A Christmas Carol is an adapted version of the classic Charles Dickens novel and it will be available on four different dates 鈥� Dec. 23, 24, 26, and 27. Streaming tickets are 鈥榩ay what you can鈥� by donation and donations will benefit both Courtenay Little Theatre and the Sid Williams Theatre Society. In pre-pandemic times, the annual holiday production provides critical financial support for both organizations to operate throughout the year and any contributions to the virtual event are gratefully accepted.

Ticket sales and streaming of virtual events are done through the streaming platform ShowTix4U, which means purchases are done through a third party and not the theatre society鈥檚 internal ticketing program. This is a temporary measure as the Sid Williams Theatre Society works to build the infrastructure to use its existing ticketing system and website for sales and streaming.

A page with information about streaming can be found on the theatre鈥檚 website under 鈥淭ickets & Info鈥� for questions about the system requirements for streaming virtual events, how an event can be streamed to a TV, and more.

For more details on upcoming virtual events, visit .