Unauthorized parody of Hallmark(ish) holiday movies hits Toronto stage
Published October 8, 2025 at 2:42 pm
Is it too early to think about Christmas? A new Toronto theatre production thinks not.
Toronto will be the first city to experience the world premiere of The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical, an immersive Broadway-style show that blends holiday movie tropes with high-octane pop show tunes, according to show producers.
Directed by Tim Drucker (Friends Parody Musical, Trixie & Katya LIVE) and choreographed by Brooke Engen (Hairspray, Beetlejuice, Rock of Ages), The Unauthorized Hallmark(ish) Parody Musical is on from Nov. 20, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026, at The Royal Theatre.
Pulling together some of the biggest Christmas movie cliches, the musical tells the story of Holly, an overworked city executive forced to return to her quirky hometown to help her mother run the family business.
Holly reunites with Mark, an old flame (who is now the local Sheriff!), and discovers the town’s long-running cookie contest cheating conspiracy involves a moose on the loose.
“She’s the stereotypically ambitious, city-dwelling lead of our Christmas love story. High-achieving, ultra-successful, holiday-obsessed, and unlucky in love,” the show posted on Instagram.
As Holly juggles romance, small-town drama, and a looming corporate merger, she learns that love and community might matter more than work. Packed with immersive holiday moments and original pop songs such as Tariffs for Christmas and It Feels Like Christmas Because it is Christmas, the show offers a playful twist on the classic holiday movies you already know and love.
“I have no shame to say that when November 1st rolls around, I am always ready to let holiday movies play on loop until I cannot tell where one ends and the next begins,” said Drucker. “To say I am a fan is an understatement, and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. These films are beyond ripe for the parody musical treatment. Hot lumberjacks obsessed with Christmas and plots flimsier than your friend’s new body on Ozempic; the options are endless. I cannot wait to bring holiday silliness to Toronto.”
Tickets start at $39 and the show runs around 90 minutes long.
The Royal Theatre is at 608 College St., in the heart of Little Italy.
Tickets and more information are available at Hallmarkish.com.
View this post on Instagram
Lead photo: @hallmarkish