The Improv Show
The Drama Class is presenting a new live theatre/comedy event this Friday at 8 p.m. at White Rock’s The Playhouse, 1532 Johnston Rd., which promises to be both hilarious and very much ‘in the moment.’
Called The Improv Show, it’s an adults-only evening geared to fans of improvisational comedy who’ve enjoyed live showcases around the Lower Mainland – or series such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Featuring the studio’s resident improv teachers – Julianne Christie Sabhaney and Dann Wilhelm – it also includes studio founder and artistic director Michele Partridge (co-host with Wilhelm at recent city events including Canada Day By The Bay and the White Rock Sea Festival), associate artistic director Catherine Lough Haggquist, Greg Tunner, Beth Cantor, Jake Hildebrand and Tomas Gamba, plus a lot of other keen improvisers from studio classes.
“It’s end of the summer fun,” said Partridge, who noted that The Improv Show originated with many requests from members of the public who wanted to watch the improvisers at work – without necessarily participating, or taking the class themselves.
While people can come and simply watch with no pressure to participate, Partridge said, there will be also be plenty of chances for would-be improvisers to get involved.
The first half of the show will be a mini ‘Improv Olympics’ driven by audience suggestions and games like ‘Scenes From A Hat,’ while the second half will give audience a chance to try their hand.
“Everybody’s different,” said Partridge. “Some people like to jump right in – other people love to watch.”
Tickets ($20 plus tax) are available at whiterockplayers.ca
Art at The Beach
MIX – a collective of established artists – presents their show Art at the Beach, noon to 5 p.m. daily at the Pop-Up Gallery at Crescent Beach (12160 Beecher St., lower level) until Monday, Sept. 2.
The show and sale of recent work focuses on the highly individual styles of artists Doriz Anderson, Veronica Davies, Louise Harding, Candace Latinga and Adriana Molina as they pursue freedom of expression in the realms of contemporary and abstract art.
West Beach Art Night
Golden Cactus Studio Gallery, at 14833 Marine Dr. and Art Couture Gallery, 14819 Marine Dr. will host the next in their West Beach Art Nights this Thursday (Aug. 29) from 5 to 9 p.m.
At Golden Cactus, guest artist Rick McDiarmid will discuss his abstract work – a new direction for him – while at Art Couture, Yuancheng Bi will be on hand to discuss his paintings and how he arrives at his principal forms.
Meanwhile, in an associated event, Whitby’s Coffee (14829 Marine Dr.), continues to show the unconventional paintings of Irena Shklover and Serge Dube.
The regular Thursday night event, co-presented by the White Rock BIA, features gallery artists, plus surprise visits and chats with guest artists, and wine sampling from local wineries. For more, visit goldencactusstudio.com or call 604-839-3049.
Outside The Box
The first Biennale version of the Outside The Box festival – celebrating the potential of art that utilizes fibres of all kinds as both material and inspiration – invites White Rock and South Surrey residents to “stretch your imagination” Sept. 1-30 at venues, including White Rock Library (15342 Buena Vista Ave.), The Arnold Mikelson Mind and Matter Gallery (13743 16 Ave.) and White Rock Museum and Archives (14970 Marine Dr.).
The event, which will now take place every two years, includes art exhibitions, demonstrations and displays highlighting “fun in fibre” with paint, thread and much more, with the motto “anything fibre goes.”
Among attractions are guest artists and demonstrations at White Rock Library starting Sept. 3 – including the Semiahmoo Magic series of paintings created by Outside The Box artistic director Alicia M.B. Ballard – as well as a watercolour portrait demo featuring Bryce Willushaw on Sept. 6 at 1:30 p.m.
It will also be Outside The Box month throughout September at the Mind and Matter Gallery, in which owner Mary Mikelson will highlight various gallery artists who work with fibre materials; while White Rock Museum and Archives contributes to the theme with its current exhibit Castles In Your Mind – The Sandcastle Phenomenon (until Oct. 7).
Blue Frog Studios
Heading into fall, there’s a busy schedule planned for music fans at White Rock’s Blue Frog Studios, the city’s intimate venue for up-close concerts by national and international touring acts, as well as local and B.C.-based artists.
There are still tickets available for the second (8:45 p.m.) Sept. 6 show of American Woman: The Music of the Guess Who featuring Colin Wiebe, and tickets available for the second show on both Sept. 13 and 14 for The Buddy Holly Show starring Zachary Stevenson.
Also still available are tickets for the second shows for the Sept. 20 and 21 shows in the return of phenomenal California-based combination of two Blues Hall of Fame inductees – ace guitarist Kal David and powerhouse singer Lauri Buono; while on Sept. 26, talented reedman/flautist Tom Keenlyside will return with the Latin rhythms of Musica Brasiliera.
For more, visit bluefrogstudios.ca or call 604-542-3055.
Club 240
Crescent Legion’s Club 240 (2643 128 St.) is the location for regular Live at Club 240 Friday-night dances, with a variety of bands presented by the Total Music Group (formerly Semiahmoo Music Consortium), along with other special Saturday events throughout the year and a regular Wednesday bluegrass jam.
Regular Friday dances resume Sept. 6 with local legends The Blue Voodoo (Rick Dalgarno and Ted Tosoff on guitars and vocals, with Dan Ross on bass and John McCreath on drums).
Tickets ($20) are on sale now at www.brownpapertickets.com and at the legion box office (604-535-1043), which is open daily from 4-9 p.m.
Club 240
Crescent Legion’s Club 240 (2643 128 St.) is the location for regular Live at Club 240 Friday-night dances, with a variety of bands presented by the Total Music Group (formerly Semiahmoo Music Consortium), along with other special Saturday events throughout the year and a regular Wednesday bluegrass jam.
Regular Friday dances resume Sept. 6 with local legends The Blue Voodoo (Rick Dalgarno and Ted Tosoff on guitars and vocals, with Dan Ross on bass and John McCreath on drums).
Tickets ($20) are on sale now at www.brownpapertickets.com and at the legion box office (604-535-1043), daily from 4-9 p.m.
White Rock Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 8 (White Rock) offers regular entertainment with live bands Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7 p.m., running to 11:30 p.m. both nights, with a $5 cover charge for non-members coming into effect at 6 p.m.
Featured band Aug. 30 and 31 is Reckless; the club’s Labour Day barbecue (Sept. 2) will feature entertainment by Dan Hare at 3 p.m.
Coming up on the Friday and Saturday entertainment roster is Nasty Habits (Sept. 6-7); Beach Patrol (Sept. 13-14); Two of a Kind (Sept. 20-21) and Vinyl (Sept. 27-28).
On Sundays, music and dance events (with no cover charge) take place from 3-7 p.m., featuring Rhythm Street (Sept. 8); Common Ground (Sept. 15); Brandall (Sept. 22) and Brian Zalo (Sept. 29).
The legion is located at 2290 152 St. For more information, call 604-531-2422 during business hours, or the bar, at 604-531-4308.
Audrey Bakewell art
‘Sunsets’ is the theme of artist Audrey Bakewell‘s upcoming show, for the month of September, at The Gallery, Central Plaza (15134 North Bluff Rd.).
Featuring Bakewell’s vivid and colourful watercolours – which will also be showcased in the Peninsula Studio Tour at the end of September – the exhibit can be seen during regular opening hours ( 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays.
Ronald Glowe paintings
Accomplished artist Ronald Glowe‘s latest show and sale of paintings is running Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (until Sept. 15) at Seventh Heaven Art and Beauty Salon, 12185 Beecher St. in Crescent Beach.
The now-retired Glowe, who enjoys celebrating “the beauty of our countryside and the creatures that inhabit it,” has had a four-decade fine arts career starting during the years he was graphic artist and art director with CTV in Winnipeg.
He has displayed his work at the Canadian National Exhibition of Nature Art, the Museum of Man and Nature in Winnipeg, Man. and the Mid-West Nature Exhibit in Kansas, as well as selling through private galleries in B.C. and Manitoba.
He was also given a Bronze and Silver Teal Award by Ducks Unlimited for fundraising more than $25,000 for conservation activities through selling prints of his nature watercolours. His work is currently on offer at artist-direct pricing; for more information on the show and the Seventh Heaven Creative Collective, which continues to support local artists, call 778-292-0687.
Photo exhibition
Semiahmoo Arts Society presents Encore! – an exhibit of photographic works by Double Exposure 2019 contest winners – running until Sept. 12 at the Turnbull Gallery in the South Surrey Recreation & Art Centre (14600 20 Ave.).
The show includes photography by Michael Bjorge, Aiden Lowe, Francisco Molina and Barbara Cooper, whose most recent inspiration is drawn from Art Nouveau-style architecture she encountered in travels to Riga, Latvia and Helsinki, Finland.
The gallery is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. most days. However, since the space is also used for classes, if planning a visit, call Semiahmoo Arts in advance, at 604-536-8333.
Open Mic Night
The Drama Class’ Open Mic Night takes place the last Sunday of every month at 7 p.m. at White Rock Community Centre, 15154 Russell Ave.
Hosted by Dann Wilhelm and Drama Class founder Michele Partridge, it’s an opportunity for all actors, dancers, musicians, singers, comedians and storytellers to shine in short open mic sets at the discretion of the organizers – and performers and ‘lip-synch battlers’ are still need for the upcoming night.
Audience admission is $5 (free for performers) and the evening is presented as having a “PG – 13 Entertainment” rating governing content and language.
Potential performers should email dannwilhelm@gmail.com, or arrive at 6:30 p.m. at the venue for a sound check
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