The Weekender: Sing-Along Messiah, Wildlife and five other events on our to-do list

3. AFRIKA BAMBAATAA As if being an undisputed pioneer and ambassador of hip hop music and culture were not enough, Afrika Bambaataa is currently a visiting lecturer at Cornell University, which is home to the largest archive of hip hop culture artifacts, recordings and photographs in the U.S. Bam will be performing alongside the Soul Motivators, a nine-piece collection of musicians from Toronto’s retro soul and funk scene. December 21. $25. Revival Bar, 783 College St., 416-535-7888, revivalbar.com

4. WILDLIFE This Toronto-based indie band looks just as natural running carefree through a forest as it does cheerfully jamming onstage. Their 2010 debut, Strike Hard, Young Diamond, epitomized their self-described “Jurassic Park meets Star Wars” sound—every song is precisely tuned to inculcate the urge to get up and dance with abandon. Friday’s show promises to be the perfect antidote to the bummer that is the shortest day of the year. December 21. $15. The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042, thedrakehotel.ca

5. THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY At a running time of 484 minutes, this is one cinematic event that’s going to take a little pre-planning. A filmed version of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s legendary 1980 production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, this picture catapulted Roger Rees, who played Nickleby, into stardom for his Tony Award–winning performance. There are three intermissions running 15 minutes, 30 minutes and one hour, respectively, so you’ll want to make dinner reservations for the last one, and probably skip the appetizers. This is for the committed Dickens fan who’s sick of all the attention that other work gets at this time of year. December 23. $18.75. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., 416-599-8433, tiff.net

6. SAMA-E RAST For this world premiere, Toronto’s Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre brings Mugham, the ancient musical tradition of Azerbaijan, to the stage. Acclaimed singer Alim Qasimov and his ensemble have been collaborating with Zarif, a choreographer, for eight years, and on the solstice they’ll be telling the story of man’s spiritual ascent through poetry, dance and music. Also premiering is Azerbaijani filmmaker Elchin Musaoglu’s documentary Three Apples Fell from the Sky, about Zarif’s personal and professional journey. December 21. $41.25–$108.50. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St., 1-855-985-5000, ticketmaster.ca

7. THE WIZARD OF OZ Following the search for a Maria Von Trapp in How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of The Wizard of Oz joined the ranks of reality television franchises by finding an actress to play the coveted role of Dorothy through CBC’s Over the Rainbow (though thankfully there weren’t any tear-drenched rose ceremonies or snuffing out of torches). Deemed suitably qualified to step into the iconic ruby slippers is Danielle Wade of LaSalle, Ont., who will be clicking her heels along the yellow brick road en route to a big green projection of Canadian television star Cedric Smith. Joined by a trio of misfits and one yippy terrier, Wade will escort the audience on that well-worn journey from the Kansas dustbowl to the Emerald City as Dorothy searches for a way home. December 20-March 31. $59-$130. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., 416-872-1212, mirvish.com