Entertainment writer Ed Balint suggests fun things to do in November and December in the Canton area.
1. ‘Romeo and Juliet’
Canton Symphony Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s classic “Romeo and Juliet” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Umstattd Hall.
Tito Muñoz will be guest conductor for the MasterWorks concert, and cellist Mark Kosower of Cleveland Orchestra will perform the Ohio premiere of Daniel Perttu’s “The Guises of Love,” commissioned by Gerhardt Zimmermann, the late maestro of Canton Symphony Orchestra.
Muñoz served as music director of the Opéra National de Lorraine in France, and held assistant conductor positions with Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Aspen Music Festival. He also served as music director of The Phoenix Symphony and currently is interim principal conductor for Cleveland Institute of Music.
The Canton Symphony program culminates with Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo & Juliet Fantasy-Overture.”
Tickets, $12 to $52, can be purchased at cantonsymphony.org. The box office can be reached at 330-452-2094.
2. Scott Paris & Friends concert
Canton-area singer-songwriter Scott Paris and his musician friends will perform Nov. 22 at The Auricle Venue + Bar in downtown Canton.
A full-time musician for roughly two decades, the Perry Township resident toured nationally with Broken Transmitter before the group disbanded. He also served as bassist for popular Stark County-based Hey Monea.
The night of music is a retrospective of Paris’ diverse catalog of projects and will feature members of Hey Monea, Broken Transmitter, Imaginary Cookies, Phase, French Donkey, Assorted Vagabonds and Tender Hearted Rascals.
Doors open one hour before the 8 p.m. show. General admission tickets cost $10 in advance, and can be purchased at this shortened link, shorturl.at/BTfKt. Tickets will cost $15 day of show.
3. Small Business Flea at Fourth Street Collective
Fourth Street Collective plans the 2nd annual Small Business Flea from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 29 in conjunction with Small Business Saturday.
Fourth Street Collective is at 328 Walnut Ave. SE in downtown Canton, and includes Deli Ohio, Woodshop taproom and Mike’s Pizza.
The small business event will include local growers, makers, artists and businesses. Admission is free.
The event will be indoors at Woodshop, which will be serving craft beer. Mike’s Pizza will be serving New York Style pizza, small plates and salads.
“We started the … extravaganza to put a spotlight on some of our favorite small businesses in the area and host a pleasurable shopping experience on Small Business Saturday,” said Ryan Miller, owner of Deli Ohio and a partner in Mike’s Pizza. “Last year, we felt that this could bring exposure to some of our favorite artists and small businesses in the area while also making it easy for our customers to have a one-stop shop.”
4. ‘Elf Jr.’ in North Canton
North Canton Playhouse will stage “Elf Jr.” from Dec. 5-7 and Dec. 12-14.
“Elf Jr.” is a humorous and heartwarming musical based on the popular holiday film. The story follows Buddy, a young orphan who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is raised at the North Pole as an elf.
Tickets cost $20 and northcantonplayhouse.com. Show times are 2:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 7, 13 and 14. Other performances are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13.
5. Elvis ‘Blue Christmas’ tribute
Elvis impersonator Mark Albert will perform a “Blue Christmas” concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at Canton Palace Theatre.
Christmas songs will include “Silent Night,” “Santa Claus is Back in Town,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and “Blue Christmas.”
Tickets, $35 to $42, can be purchased at cantonpalacetheatre.org.
6. Rend Collective Folk! Tour
Rend Collective’s Folk! Tour will stop Nov. 22 at Canton Palace Theatre.
The tour is a “celebration of joy, community, faith and authentic connection,” the venue announced. The Northern Irish folk band invites audiences “to join in heartfelt worship and joyous music.”
Tickets for the 7 p.m. show cost $25 to $83 and can be purchased through cantonpalacetheatre.org and ticketweb.com.
7. Free viewing of ‘The Grinch’
Jose Medina & Associates will sponsor a free showing of “The Grinch” on Nov. 23 at Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market Ave. N.
The family-friendly event will include photos with Santa, popcorn, cookies and hot chocolate, plus giveaways, including Urban Air Adventure Park gift cards.
The movie starts at 2 p.m.
8. Stark County Artists Exhibition
Massillon Museum recently opened the Stark County Artists Exhibition, which is on display through Jan. 11.
Receiving best in show was Steve Ehret. Clare Murray Adams placed second. Emily Orsich placed third.
Massillon Museum’s main gallery includes 57 works of art selected from 203 submissions by 85 artists, 37 of whom are represented in the show. The Stark County Artists Exhibition is annually open to current and former Stark County residents and to those working in Stark County, age 18 and older. Artwork in any medium is considered.
Artwork is also exhibited by Michael Barath, Lou Camerato, Mo Clay, Lucy L. Crock, Laura Donnelly, Patrick M. Dougherty, Drew Dudek, Jeffrey Joseph Foltz, Kat Francis, Larry Gianfagna, Rose Gray, Jane Heater, Christine Janson, Susan Kurtz, Amy Lindenberger, Judith Malinowski, Miranda Marsh, David Brian Martin II, Deborah Van Horn McGhee, Deborah McGowan, Wanda Montgomery, Jessica Morton, Michelle Mulligan, Lee Ann Novotny, Mark V. Pitocco, Brian Robinson, Lee Rossiter, Sari Sponhour, and Stephen Tornero.
Visitors to the exhibition will vote for the People’s Choice Award.
Massillon Museum is at 121 Lincoln Way E in downtown Massillon. Admission is free. The museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
9. ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Ohio Star Theater
Ohio Star Theater at Dutch Valley in Sugarcreek will present “A Christmas Carol” Nov. 29 through Dec. 16.
Performances will be a Broadway-style adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic tale of holiday redemption.
“It’s genuinely so moving,” said Larissa Carrick, Ohio Star Theater operations manager. “People leave the theater seemingly much more uplifted. You can really tell that the show helps to bolster the Christmas spirit.”
Show dates are Nov. 29; Dec. 2-6; Dec. 9-13; and Dec. 15-16. For show times and ticket information, go to Ohio Star Theater | Sugarcreek, OH. Tickets cost $43 to $62. Ohio Star Theater is at 1387 Old Route 39.
10. Comedian Ben Frank at Krackpots
Ben Frank will perform Nov. 21-22 at Krackpots Comedy Club in downtown Massillon.
Showtimes are 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Krackpots, 14 Lincolnway W.
Frank is a New York-based comedian, who began in his career in China and regularly performs in both English and Mandarin, according to his online bio. Performing in more than 10 countries, Frank has been featured on SiriusXM and has won numerous competitions, including the World Series of Comedy in New Orleans and the Laugh After Dark Clean Comedy Award.
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.krackpotscomedy.com.
11. ‘Whoville Holiday Adventure’ at Belden Village Mall
“Whoville Holiday Adventure” will be 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 22 at Belden Village Mall in Jackson Township.
Activities and entertainment will be at Center Court, sponsored by KIA of Bedford. Fun includes complimentary face painting and balloon twisting, as well as other activities with the YMCA of Stark County, plus treats and swag for the first 150 kids.
Children also can meet and greet “The Grinch.” Register for free here.
12. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
Stardust Dinner Theater will present “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Nov. 22 at Tozzi’s on 12th in Canton.
The play centers on George Bailey, a man who has given up his personal dreams to help others in his community and whose thoughts of suicide on Christmas Eve bring about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody.
Tickets, $45 to $55, can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com. Tickets include the show and dinner. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tozzi’s restaurant is at 4210 12th St. NW.
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Things to do: ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Small Business Flea, free ‘Grinch’ screening, Elvis act
Reporting by Ed Balint, Canton Repository / The Repository
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