Art studio tour
The White Rock Art Studio tour will return to the Peninsula with its latest edition, Something To Crow About, Saturday, Oct. 20 and Sunday, Oct. 21.
For the 19th year of the free-of-charge, free-form tour, the studio of 10 professional artists will be open to visitors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Participants can plan their own tour route following a map including all the studios – and while the event is an opportunity to meet the artists and see where and how their art is created, it’s worth remembering that all works displayed during the tour are for sale.
With paintings, drawings, pottery, sculpture and more on show, the artists say there will be something to appeal to every art lover. This years artists are Nicoletta Baumeister, Simon Cantin, Carolynn Doan, Connie Glover, Don Hutchinson, Judy Jordison, Kathy MacDonald, Arlene McGowan, Jess Rice and Ann Worth.
For more information and a map, visit www.whiterockstudiotour.com, call 604-531-9427 or email kathmac@telus.net
Renato Muccillo
Painter Renato Muccillo, renowned for lush rural landscapes which combine a misty, enigmatic natural beauty with subtle clues of encroaching ‘civilization’, will be showcased in a major solo exhibition of new work Oct. 19-28 at White Rock Gallery, 1247 Johnston Rd.
Some 40 new paintings are expected at the exhibition, ranging from 5” by 5” miniatures to 48” by 72” canvases. Two opening events, Friday, Oct. 19 (7-10 p.m.) and Saturday, Oct. 20, 12-4 p.m. will both be attended by the artist.
A real howl
Tickets are still available to the upcoming Halloween Howl, a fundraiser for an all-abilities park on the White Rock waterfront.
Organized by the White Rock Firefighters Charity Association, Halloween Howl is set for Oct. 27 at the Star of the Sea Hall, with Vancouver singer – and former White Rock resident – Daniel Wesley headlining, joined by special guests Six Gun Romeo.
The 19+ event will be supported by the Safe Ride Home Program, which, by donation, will be offering those who’ve had one too many a safe alternative to getting behind the wheel.
All money raised will be dedicated to the construction of a wheelchair-accessible waterfront park in White Rock. Exactly where it will be located is under discussion. For Halloween Howl ticket information, visit www.wrff.ca
International Artist Day
The celebration of International Artist Day, founded a few years ago by White Rock painter Chris MacClure, has taken on a life of its own internationally, in celebrations as far afield as Spain and India.
White Rock, where MacClure returned recently to establish the Golden Cactus Studio with his wife Marilyn, is poised to become a focal point of the celebrations world-wide with a full-scale multi-diciplinary festival in the works for 2013.
In the interim, MacClure is inviting the public and fellow artists to participate in “A Small Introduction,” Oct. 25 (3-8 p.m.), Oct. 26 (11 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Oct. 27 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.) at the gallery, 15177 Russell Ave.
All art will be for sale, and artists wishing to be involved are invited to bring two pieces no larger than 12” by 16” to the gallery between 5 and 8 p.m., Oct. 24, and between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Oct. 25.
Play on
Submissions for Write On, a one-act play writing competition put on by the Youth Arts Council of Surrey, will be accepted until Oct. 31 at 3 p.m. Winning plays will be performed and awarded cash prizes. For more information, email info@youtharts.ca
Loving the land
Artists Faith Love-Robertson and Leah McCullough are sharing a show titled “Living in My Landscape” until Oct. 30 at the Newton Cultural Centre, 13530 72 Ave. Love-Robertson will do a free demonstration/workshop in watercolor on the afternoon of Oct. 25.
Daring concert
Gina Williams’ The Dare Concert will take place Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at The Bell Centre for Performing Arts, 6250 144 St. Williams marks her return to an abandoned career as a classical pianist.
The concert features Sam Ryan, The Vancouver Orchestra Club and other bands and choirs, as well as the premier of the Titanic Symphony/Piano Concerto.
Partial proceeds to the Metro Vancouver Dream Centre Society, the BC Cancer Society, and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Canada.
Tickets are $27 or $22 each for a group of 10. To reserve tickets to the event, call the box office at 604-507-6355, visit www.bellperformingartscentre.com or email thedare2012@gmail.com
New venue
White Rock Chamber Music is on the move, leaving the Pacific Carlton Retirement Residence for a new home at Crescent Gardens Retirement Community (1222 King George Blvd.).
Concerts are scheduled on the second Saturday of each month, from November until May, and each runs from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Admission is a suggested $5 donation to the Peninsula Arts Foundation.
The next event is slated for Nov. 10.
Who Walks In The Dark
Just in time for Halloween, White Rock Players Club offers a thriller involving a re-animated Egyptian mummy and a jewel with an ancient curse.
Who Walks In The Dark runs until Oct. 27 at Coast Capital Playhouse.
It’s an adaptation by late playwright Tim Kelly of the 1903 novel The Jewel of Seven Stars, written by Dracula author Bram Stoker.
Helming the occult period piece is renowned actor/director Paul Kloegman (Humble Boy, Ladies of the Camellias).
Expect chills and special effects in the scary tale, set in 1898 at Karnak House, London, home of Sir Abel Trelawney (Ken Fynn), a distinguished archeologist who has unwittingly broken into the Egyptian tomb of an evil sorceress.
Shows run Wednesday to Saturday at 8 p.m. at the theatre (1532 Johnston Rd.), with a 2:30 p.m. matinee Oct. 21.
For tickets to the show($18), and for more information, call 604-536-7535, or visit www.whiterockplayers.ca
Champagne Republic
Watch out for emerging club and show favourites Champagne Republic.
The emotional and soulful vocals of Emily Chambers, the funky keyboards of Phil Laessoe, the tasty guitar licks of Marty Majerski, the deep, gutsy lines of bassist Eric Lipshultz and the agile drum accents of Kevin Madden combine to create a smooth R&B, pop, soul and funk blend.
Among performers at this year’s Spirit of the Sea Festival, the rising band has a strong local connection – Majerski is a local realtor and Lipschultz is a graduate of Semiahmoo Secondary.
The band can be caught this month at Vancouver’s The Fairview Pub (Oct. 20) and West Vancouver’s Village Tap House (Oct. 27). For more, visit Champagne Republic’s pages on www.reverbnation.com, www.facebook.com or www.myspace.com
Little Shop
Those who missed Little Shop of Horrors during its Coast Capital Playhouse run this summer – or those who want a second helping – still have a chance to catch the locally-grown favourite, featuring White Rock’s Kerry O’Donovan, at Vancouver’s Jericho Arts Centre until Oct. 27.
Directed by White Rock Players Club board member Ryan Mooney (Nunsense, Lend Me A Tenor) and presented by his Fighting Chance Productions, the popular Alan Menken-Howard Ashman musical concerns a flower shop just off skid-row – and Audrey II, the rapidly-growing, bloodthirsty plant from outer space nurtured by assistant florist Seymour Krelbourn.
Orpheus returns
The Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir – founded in the traditions of Welsh male-voice choirs – will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special concert, Saturday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m., at White Rock Baptist Church, 1657 140 St.
The choir’s rich blend of voices and varied repertoire has won new friends whenever it has appeared on the Peninsula, and the concert promises to be a must-see for lovers of choral music.
Tickets ($20, $18 seniors and students) are available from 604-515-5686 or www.vancouverorpheus.org
Singers wanted
Pacific Showtime Men’s Chorus, based in Ocean Park, and directed by ‘Mr. O Canada’ Mark Donnelly, has resumed rehearsals 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.
Male singers are invited to attend rehearsals to check out the group and, hopefully, join in.
Phantom Panto
Tickets will go on sale soon for Fraser Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s latest pantomime, The Phantom of the Panto (Nov. 28-Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. performances at Surrey Arts Centre).
Following on the success of last year’s Beauty and the Beast, the new show is an original written by regular FVGSS performer Clive ‘Hitman’ Ramroop, taking a page (or two) from the famed Andrew Lloyd You-know-who musical and reworking it in broad ‘panto’ style.
Featured in the spoof (helmed by the winning team of producer Reginald Pillay, artistic director Mike Balser, musical director Timothy Tucker and choreographer Carol Seitz) will be Tom Cleevely (The Phantom), Chelsea Tucker (Christine), Jackie Block (Meg Nolia), James Walker (Andre Jyne), Samatha Andrews (Firmin Full), Jeff Christiansen (as the dame, Carlotta Ferrari) and Joni Hayden-Summerton (as principal boy Raoul).
For tickets, call 604-501-5566 or visit http://tickets.surrey.ca/
