alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
Irena Shklover
South Surrey artist Irena Shklover is exhibiting new paintings in her colourful ever-evolving ‘whimsicalist’ style at White Rock Library through the month of March.
Her current canvases, such as Moonshine and Ice Dance, demonstrate a fusion of some her more abstract approaches with figures that, while more nebulous, are still in line with previous fanciful creations.
The library is located at 15342 Buena Vista Ave. (beside White Rock City Hall) and opening hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday (the library will be closed on Good Friday, March 25, Easter Sunday, March 27 and Easter Monday, March 28).
Blue Frog Studios
Coming up this week at the busy venue (check www.bluefrogstudios.ca for full details of the concert line-up) is a celebration of St. Paddy’s in suitably Irish style on March 18 and 19 with the popular Pat Chessell Band, featuring Chessell’s own “passionate, smoky vocals” on Celtic and roots classics and originals along with the fiery fiddle playing of Andrea Taylor, plus longtime Chessell collaborator Nathan Powell on Bouzouki, Rick Chapman on drums and Tim Renaud on bass.
The venue is located at 1328 Johnston Rd.; tickets are available at 604-542-3055 or through the website.
Actor auditions
White Rock Players Club is auditioning volunteer non-Equity actors Sunday (March 20, 1-5 p.m.) and Tuesday (March 22, 7-10 p.m.) for an ambitious project – a presentation of both versions (male and female) of Neil Simon’s famous comedy The Odd Couple.
The tandem shows will come to the stage of Coast Capital Playhouse in alternating performances June 7 to July 2.
Accomplished Players Club veteran Susanne de Pencier will direct the female version of the familiar tale of two roommates (one fastidious, the other more or less a slob), while experienced farceur Pat McDermott (currently playing in RCTC’s Love, Sex and the IRS) will helm the male version.
Needed are eight men and eight women between the ages of 20 and 50 (including two women who can do English accents, and two men who can do Hispanic accents).
The auditions will be held at the theatre, 1532 Johnston Rd.
To book an audition, email auditions@whiterockplayers.ca including a headshot and resume (if you have one – neither is essential and photos will be taken at the auditions).
White Rock Trad Jazz
The Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240 will be jumping to the sound of jazz this Sunday (March 20) as White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s regular 2 to 5 p.m. session of live Dixieland/Swing returns to the hall (2643 128 St.).
The band this week is guitarist/banjo-player Arnt Arntzen’s Pluckin’ Good Time Band.
Admission (19 and up) is $10 for WRTJS and Legion members, $12 for everybody else).
For more information on upcoming bands visit www.whiterocktradjazz.com or call 604-560-9215.
Boeing Boeing
White Rock Players Club is back in the ‘Swinging ’60s’ with Marc Camoletti’s farce Boeing Boeing, running until March 19 at the Coast Capital Playhouse.
Directed by Ryan Mooney and produced by Josh Fuller, the show features Alexander Morris as Bernard, a wily expatriate in Paris who’s juggling three fiances – flight ‘stewardesses’ Gloria (Stefanie Colliar), Gabriella (Kirsten Shale) and Gretchen (Tegan Verheul) – and courting disaster thanks to a new jet that radically shortens flight times.
Robyn Bradley is featured as Bernard’s maid Berthe and Robert Feher as his obliging friend Robert.
Coast Capital Playhouse is located at 1532 Johnston Rd. Curtain is at 8 p.m. and a Talk Back Thursday March 17, will give audience members an opportunity to speak with cast and director after the performance.
Tickets are available by calling 604-536-7535, emailing boxoffice@whiterockplayers.ca or visiting www.whiterockplayers.ca
Wheat in the Barley
White Rock-based Celtic-folk-fusion band Wheat in the Barley, recently honoured by city council, will
celebrate its 20th anniversary with a concert at Coast Capital Playhouse, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2.
The venue is located at 1532 Johnston Rd.
Tickets are available by calling 604-536-7535, emailing boxoffice@whiterockplayers.ca or visiting www.whiterockplayers.ca
Morrison Music Nights
Morrison Cafe in Ocean Park will host a regular monthly dinner/concert series, starting in April.
Billed as Morrison Music Nights, the series will begin Saturday, April 9 with music by well-known performers Jason Mitchell and Randy Schultz, coupled with a three-course ‘fine dining experience’ in the licensed venue.
Dinner is served from 5 p.m., followed by the concert, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets ($35) are available at the cafe, at 12855-16th Ave.
For more information, call 604-531-3636 or 604- 721-0872.
Sunshine at night
There’s something special about open mic evenings – not only are you likely to hear a variety of music that most venue programmers can’t present, but you might just catch an early performance by a rising star, or a surprise appearance by an established performer trying some new material.
Semiahmoo Peninsula open mic king Dennis Peterson – a man with a good eye for White Rock and South Surrey’s growing pool of experienced and developing talents – is offering a regular show, 6-9 p.m. most Saturdays at The Good Day Sunshine Cafe, #100-2950 King George Hwy.
With dinner, drinks and dessert also on the menu, it’s a good venue to settle in for an evening of unexpected musical treats.
Encore concerts
The series of well-received Sunday afternoon classical performances presented by Encore Peninsula Concerts and co-sponsored by the City of White Rock continues next month at White Rock’s First United Church, 15385 Semiahmoo Ave. Next in the stellar group of world-class classical touring musicians lined up by artistic director Eugene Skovorodnikov – himself an internationally-recognized concert pianist – will be Polish/Belgian pianist Joanna Trzeciak presenting Beethoven and Chopin pieces at 3 p.m., April 17.
Rounding out the series, May 15, will be an extra treat – an orchestral performance by the strings of the West Coast Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Albanian maestro Bujar Llapaj) with Skovorodnikov at the piano, and Canadian-American trumpeter Dan Kocurek.
Featured pieces at this concert will be Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, surely one of the best-known of all classical compositions, and Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings.
Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.surrey.ca or at White Rock Community Centre, 15154 Russell Ave.
Young actors sought
There’s still a chance for young actors to audition for a highly-regarded theatre company’s 18th season.
Susan Pendleton’s Young People’s Theatre Company of Surrey (SYTCO) has opened up a few spots for boys and girls in grades 7-10.
Contact sytco@shaw.ca for audition information.
Orchestral recruits
The White Rock Community Orchestra has openings for double bass players and string players – especially violinists and violists. New woodwind and brass players are also welcome. For details, call Don Miller at 604-807-0560 or email papadon1812@hotmail.com, or visit http://whiterockcommunityorchestra.org
Symphonists sought
Now celebrating its 30th concert season, the Fraser Valley Symphony is seeking new members in the violin, viola and percussion sections, but also welcomes inquiries from other interested professional-calibre musicians.
Performing alongside world class instrumental and vocal soloists, the orchestra provides an opportunity for auditioned musicians to present a variety of music to audiences throughout the region.
Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings, in Abbotsford.
Contact info@fraservalleysymphony.org or call 604-859-3877.
Singers wanted
Pacific Showtime Men’s Chorus, based in Ocean Park, rehearses Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 12953 20 Ave.
The small community chorus of experienced singers is currently seeking new members for all vocal ranges: lead, tenor, baritone and bass.
Offering a big sound in a variety of musical styles, Pacific Showtime has been featured at a many different Lower Mainland events, including show productions, concerts and private functions.
The repertoire is designed to include songs and a singing style that appeal to a wide variety of music preferences, with emphasis on entertainment value, and chance to develop singing skills while having fun and enjoying camaraderie.
Male singers are invited to attend rehearsals to check out the group and, hopefully, join in.
For more information, call 604-536-5292 or email leighand@shaw.ca
