Grab Your Cowboy Hat and Boots for Some Good Ole Foot Stompin’ Fun!

Reviewed by Marilu Murphy

Having lived in the country and on a farm, I  felt right at home when I walked into the theatre.  The stage is reminiscent of a country barn decorated for Christmas. In the corner, there is a green Christmas tree that’s decorated in the way that I remember as a child. It’s strung with  coloured lights and wrapped with gold tinsel garland, gifts are wrapped and under the tree. The instruments are set up on the stage. There is a framed loft and underneath is the drum kit. At the front of the framed loft, “Don’t feed the animal”, is scratched into the top board. I wondered what that could mean.

VPP Holiday Jamboree is now on stage at the Victoria Playhouse, in Petrolia. It’s festive, foot stompin’ and a heap of fun.

Producer, David Hogan dressed in a large star print black suit and a Santa hat greeted the audience and gets the Christmas ball rolling.

Leah played by Leah Grandmont skips onto the stage dressed in her pyjamas. She brings with her a cup and a plate with cookies and places it under the tree. She has a problem however, she doesn’t really believe in Santa because she’s never seen him. She sings “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” but the words have been changed to include Christmas, Santa, the Cold North and the Victoria Playhouse. When she finishes singing, the two monitors on either side of the stage switch on and show the Victoria Playhouse spinning out of control with a booming and whirlwind audio. By this time audience knows where we are headed. It’s confirmed when Callandra, the “Good Witch of The North” played by Callandra Dendias swirls onto the stage, dressed in a pink gown, pink cowboy hat and sparkly cowboy boots surrounding herself in bubbles. She introduces herself to Leah and they are on a quest to find Santa, of course there is a  search but it won’t begin without the scarecrow and the tin man.  Justin Bachus plays not the scarecrow, but the “Scaredy Crow” and Matt Ballagh is the “Tin Matt”. You might be asking where’s the lion. Well, let’s go back to the hay mow, now the words “Don’t Feed the Animal” makes sense because Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Lion) is under the hay mow and he’s playing the drums. The other musicians are elves.

To see Leah playing her fiddle while she dances and sings at the same time is nothing short of amazing. Her rendition of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” was outstanding.  Very talented “Tin Matt” Ballagh plays guitar, tap dances and sings. “Scaredy Crow” Justin Bacchus sings some of the classics with a wonderfully rich and vibrant voice.  Calandra Dendias, the “Good Witch of the North Pole” had us awestruck with her yodelling abilities. The songs that they sing are mostly modern country Christmas classics and those that aren’t country, they will suit those songs up with a country spin. The audience is quite involved with the actors on stage joining in, clapping and singing some of the songs like “Those Were the Days” with the words jacked up to suit the Jamboree production.

This was opening night and of course not all bugs are worked out. Unfortunately Callandra’s mic gave out while she was singing. That of course didn’t ruin the show because they took it in stride and it was with great professionalism that the mic was replaced and had her singing clearly again quickly.

Yes, Santa is the Wizard but there’s another character in this Wizard of Oz/Find Santa Expedition. I’m not going to tell you though because you will need to see for yourself but you had better hurry because there’s only 4 shows in total. I loved every minute of this production of the 2025 Holiday Jamboree. It was so much fun;  the acting and singing is amazing, the costumes are very cute and the whole production is very  professional.  I highly recommend seeing the Holiday Jamboree before it’s too late.

VPP 2025 Holiday Jamboree is playing at the Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia from December 19 to December 21. Each day has a 2 pm show, there is a showing at 7:30 pm as well as a 2pm show on Saturday, December 20th. You can order tickets online at the vpp.ca or call the box office at 1-800-717-7694 or 519-882-1221.

Photo: Cast of VPP Holiday Jamboree: Callandra Dendias, Matt Ballagh, Leah Grandmont, and  Justine Bacchus. Photo by Diane O’Dell.

VPP 2025 Holiday Jamboree
Performed by Leah Grandmont, Justin Bacchus, Matt Ballagh, Callandra Dendias.
Musicians are Evan Chambers on drums (Rudolph), Charlie Kramers on bass guitar and stand up bass, Griffin Noriega on guitar and Nathan Nykor on keyboard.
Victoria Playhouse
411 Greenfield St.,
Petrolia Ontario N0N1R0
December 19 to December 21, 2025
Reviewed by Marilu Murphy