A Beautiful View
Colleen Wheeler and Diane Brown star in the Western Canadian premiere of this Daniel MacIvor comedy. The play is a portrait of a friendship, spanning 20 years, that stretches the sexual identity of both women. MacIvor also directs. Shadbolt Centre, Burnaby, until Dec. 19 ( http://www.rubyslippers.ca).
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Jeffrey Lane's Broadway adaptation of the 1988 Steve Martin film makes musical the story of two con men trying to out-con one another in a French town. The ditties are forgettable, but this production stars a very worthy pair, Andrew Wheeler and Josh Epstein, as the titular scoundrels, and includes a bravura performance by Elena Juatco as the ingénue, Christine Colgate. Vancouver Playhouse, until Dec. 27 ( http://www.vancouverplayhouse.com).
It's a Wonderful Life
The Arts Club's annual holiday production is buoyed by Bob Frazer playing George Bailey, the depression-era banker whose miserable life is reviewed by a doting guardian angel (a scene-stealing Bernard Cuffling) on Christmas Eve. Dean Paul Gibson's direction - which playfully injects the action with references to Frank Capra's 1946 film - is safe but undeniably charming. Granville Island Stage, until Jan. 2 (artsclub.com).
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Young people always cotton on to moralizing allegory. Today it's Twilight, but once it was C.S. Lewis's Narnia fantasy. With the electric Kyle Rideout as a grown-up Peter, who rediscovers with his sister an alternate, yet relevant, world. Pacific Theatre, until Jan. 2 (pacifictheatre.org).
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
When, a couple of years back, director Stephen Drover won a Jessie Award for his deft handling of Skydive, it was a credit to his management of physical action. Who better to bring lightness of touch to a real swashbuckler? For the children's theatre company Carousel, the classic legend of Robin Hood is adapted by Jeff Pitcher and stuffed with highly visual action sequences. With perennial favourite Allan Zinyk as Friar Tuck. For ages four and up. Waterfront Theatre, until Jan. 2 (carouseltheatre.ca).
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Lauren Bowler surprised us in 2007 with a portrayal of Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady that had us temporarily forgetting Audrey Hepburn's work in the film version. Currently she owns another musical lead - Millie Dillmount, a naive small-town girl who takes on Manhattan and sheds her bumpkin roots in order to marry herself some money. There are flappers aplenty in this vintage comedy. Gateway Theatre, Richmond, until Jan. 3 (gatewaytheatre.com).
White Christmas
For years a horde of tween princesses descended on the Stanley each winter for the Arts Club's lavish and sugary re-enactment of Disney's Beauty and the Beast; this year, the blue-rinse set has descended instead, to take in a similarly faithful version of Irving Berlin's antique holiday masterpiece. Sara-Jeanne Hosie is magnetic as half the song-and-dance Haynes sisters, who, teamed with a male duo, cruise through their blithely disjointed ditties on their way to love (and pretty snow effects). Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, to Dec. 27 (artsclub.com).