2017: Going on until December 21!
A tiny house of worship dating from 1847 is caught in a stranglehold by the buildings that have sprung up since then. For over 75 years, It has been telling the story of Christmas to Torontonians, with the assistance of its great organ, accompanied by a professional choir and amateur actors of all ages miming the narrator's words.
The Christmas Story performances held at the Holy Trinity Church are certainly the most concrete way to explain to children th story of the nativity scenes often displayed under the Christmas trees. When we visited, children held their breath when all the lights went out, emphasizing the large stained-glass windows at the back of the altar, before a spolight shone on the two narrators. For the reminder of the performance, the actors performed within islands of light standing out against the darkness: the Annunciation angel with magestic wings, the little shepherds, the Three Wise Men dressed in rich fabrics...
I was charmed by many of the child actors: a pageboy with the giggles, a little angel forgetting to leave the stage, baby Jesus happily babbling as the myrrh is shown to him and quivering with joy during the offering of the third Wise Man. The year I was there, Jesus was played by... two eight-month-old twins, sharing the role according to their mood of the moment. Awww! (See photos from the 2013 performance.) Note that you can reserve a spot on their website and they specify when it's sold out, to avoid disappointment.
