A screenshot from the classic holiday film It’s a Wonderful Life.The Associated Press
It's a Wonderful Life
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings. And every time a ticket is purchased for this fundraising screening of the Frank Capra classic, someone at St. Francis Table in Parkdale gets a little less hungry. Did you know that the film lost money in its original run because of its downbeat tone, but became a holiday-TV hit decades later? Things can turn around. Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $5. Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave, 416-531-9950.
The Little Mermaid: Ontario's O-Fish-Al Family Musical!
The mermaid is little, but there's nothing small scale about Ross Petty's annual holiday pantomime and pun fest. Globe theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck found this year's fractured fairy tale to be "gleefully anarchic" and anchored by strong comic performances. The story involves a heroine who lives at the bottom of Toronto harbour, where she hangs out with her mermaiden aunt and a trio of fish-tailed friends. Catch of the day, sound like. To Jan. 4. $27 to $85. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St., 1-855-599-9090 or rosspetty.com.
Allan Gardens Christmas Flower Show
People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. They should instead open their 16,000-square-foot conservatory to the public daily, with candlelit tours happening today and tomorrow. The Victorian-style botanical bonanza is highly decorated and features, among thousands of other flowering plants, 40 different varieties of poinsettias. To Jan. 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (to 7 p.m., Dec. 21 and 22). Free. Allan Gardens Conservatory, 19 Horticultural Ave., 416-392-7288.
Venus in Fur
The Tony-nominated two-hander about a playwright and a sexy actress he's auditioning had a hit run at the Bluma Appel Theatre earlier this year. For this remount, Venus in Fur plays in the cozy Berkeley Street Theatre and features a reworked set design for the intimate space. Given that the chemistry between actors Rick Miller and Carly Street is altogether combustible, things are bound to get hot. To Dec. 29. $29 to $59. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St., 416-368-3110 or canadianstage.com.
Christmas Craft Beer Carnival
Deck the halls with boughs of barley? Absolutely. Hosted by the quaff-happy people at the Tallboys Craft Beer House, the event is a chance to sample seasonal recipes from left-field breweries such as Beau's, Nickel Brook, Flying Monkey, Mill Street and, sure, why not, Left Field Brewery. Tacos will be involved as well. Dec. 21, noon to 8 p.m. Free admission (food, drinks and sampling cup extra). Centre for Social Innovation, 730 Bathurst St., tallboyscraft.com.
A Chorus Christmas: Fanciful Fantasies
It's amazing that the Toronto Children's Chorus was formed 35 years ago and yet the choristers still look like kids. The young singers, known for an unnatural warmth and richness for vocalists of their age, are joined by an alumni choir in a program drawn from a seasonal repertoire. Dec. 21, 2 p.m. $34.50 to $44.50. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St., 416-872-4255 or roythomson.com.
Brad Wheeler