1. Good grief! Coastal Jazz presents Tales of a Charlie Brown Christmas with the Jerry Granelli Trio and the Coastal Sound Children’s Choir Nov. 29 with two performances at the Vogue Theatre. Granelli is the only surviving member of the Vince Guaraldi Trio, which recorded the jazzy soundtrack to the famed holiday TV special featuring the Peanuts gang way back in 1965. For tickets and details, go to coastaljazz.ticketfly.com or call 1-888-732-1682.
2. Those whacky, hyper-creative kids at Theatre Replacement are back with their third annual East Van Panto at the York Theatre, Dec. 2 to Jan. 3. This time out, they wander off the beaten path of East Vancouver with Hansel and Gretel, complete with a gingerbread house, a butt-kicking brother and sister team, a cute little cannibal witch, plus Veda Hille, Allan Zinyk, Dawn Petten and Charlie Demers. Tickets and details at thecultch.com.
3. Take a trip to Europe without the jet lag as the Cinematheque hosts the 18th annual European Union Film Festival, Nov. 27 to Dec. 9. Showcasing acclaimed new and recent films from across greater Europe, including Liza and the Fox Fairy from Hungary, this year’s festival features entries from all 28 of the EU member states including, wait for it, Malta. Details at thecinematheque.ca.
4. Puppet master Ronnie Burkett brings his acclaimed string-pulling production The Daisy Theatre back to the Cultch Dec. 1 to 20. Burkett manipulates more than 40 marionettes with no two performances alike. For tickets and details, go the thecultch.com.
