Actors rehearse "Mrs Santa Claus", a part of "The Ultimate Christmas Show." (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

ODYSSEY PRODUCTIONS

Will you be running to ‘The Ultimate Christmas Show’ this week?

Nov 15, 2022 | 12:17 PM

Get ready theatre lovers because The Ultimate Christmas Show is about to descend on Prince Albert.

The unique take on a holiday production is presented this year by Odyssey Productions, the same theatre group that brought you such shows as A Very Die Hard Christmas and Holmes/Watson.

The show follows three actors who have suddenly been thrust into performing a Christmas show after the other actors failed to appear because of a snowstorm.

What makes this show unique is all three actors play themselves.

“It’s a lot of our own energy up there,” said Theresa Smith who plays Theresa Smith in the production. “We have the bright idea of putting on the acts by ourselves. There is singing and storytelling and plays within the play. It’s kind of chaotic but in a fun way.”

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Each character has its own take on what the Christmas show should look like. For example, Michael Lavigne is all about tradition and the religious meanings behind Christmas. He tries to push that onto the actors and the audience.

“He gets shown that what he might think is traditional may not be what he was originally expecting to be traditional Christmas in his mind,” Lavigne said.

Lavinge first got involved with Odyssey Productions by helping on with the stage and set and eventually took a step toward acting, with Holmes/Watson being his first play.

Another actor who has been with the company for some time is Michelle McColm, who plays Michelle in the show. She has spent time with Odyssey as well as Spark Theatre and the Broadway North Production company.

COVID restrictions put a damper on her theatre career the past couple of years but she said she’s excited to be back on stage for this show.

“I love to sing and dance and be on stage and this play incorporates all three of them,” she said. “I’m super excited. I’m nervous about my ukulele playing skills because I’ve never played a ukulele before, but I’ve learned how to play Jingle Bells on it.”

So what can you expect when you come to this production? Well as Lavigne points out, it’s a little of everything and then some.

“If you want to come and see something that is similar to nothing you have seen before, come and see this. We have a bunch of audience participation for this,” he said.

The Ultimate Christmas Show runs from Nov. 16 to 19 at the Prince Albert Wildlife Federation. You can find more details and purchase your tickets online.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock