Femme Fusion
A mother-daughter show by painter-photographer and multi-media artist Katherine Siemens and painter-photographer Savannah Hatch, Femme Fusion (June 17-July 18) opens this week at Laura’s Coffee on the Corner (formerly Coffee With Attitude), 10-15208 Pacific Ave. (at Five Corners at the foot of Johnston Road).
Opening reception will be Friday (June 17 at 7 p.m.) at Laura’s, with the artists in attendance.
A re-examination of female archetypes from different cultures, the show will feature the pair’s most recent acrylics, watercolours, mixed-media pieces and photography.
Siemens (whose work was featured most recently in Exotique at White Rock Museum and Archives) has previously collaborated in shows with her daughter.
Still on display (until Friday) at Laura’s, which has recently become a venue for local visual artists, are photography and acrylic paintings by Robynn Alexandria Nord.
The self-taught artist has been painting in oil and acrylics for the last five years, but has lately become interested in photography as a mode of expression.
Nord counts nature, people, travel, poetry and music as her principal inspirations; her current work on display features her moody and powerful interpretations of urban and semi-urban landscapes.
For more information, call 604-538-6600.
The Cat’s Meow
The Cat’s Meow, by Steven Peros, continues until June 25 at the Coast Capital Playhouse, in a White Rock Players production directed by Shelagh Shermann.
Strong performances by Paul Kloegman (Hearst), Jason Dedrick (as pioneering movie producer and director Thomas H. Ince), Deborah Spitz (as novelist Elinor Glyn) and Jane Mantle (as newspaper columnist Louella Parsons) bring verve to this jazz-age tale, based on a real-life Hollywood scandal.
Peros’ script, the basis for the 2004 movie adaptation, is receiving its Canadian premiere in this production, which sustains its mood well, while playing fast and loose with details of its time period.
A fascinating cross section of silent movie era characters’ lives intersecting during one notorious weekend on board newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst’s yacht in 1924 – including Hearst’s mistress, movie actress Marion Davies, and Charlie Chaplin.
A mysterious death, galloping rumours, and a botched investigation that to many screamed ‘cover up’ – all have made the cruise of the Oneida an enduring legend of the movie capital.
The show also features Marissa Whiteway (Davies), Michael Jenkins (Chaplin), Alexandra Wilson (actress Margaret Livingston), Fred Partridge (agent George Thomas), Dave Carroll (Dr. Daniel Goodman), Margaret Shearman (Mrs. Goodman), Jesse Friesen (secretary Joseph Willicombe) and Amelia Ross and Krystle Hadlow as flappers Celia Moore and Didi Dawson.
The show continues with Wednesday to Saturday performances at 8 p.m. (there will also be a Sunday matinee June 19, 2:30 p.m.).
For tickets, visit www.whiterockplayers.ca or call 604-536-7535.
Theatre reading
Ellie King’s Royal Canadian Theatre Society is inviting the public to a sneak-peek read-through of its upcoming production A Bedfull of Foreigners, a rollicking farce by Dave Freeman, Friday (June 17) at 6 p.m. at Cerealicious, Morgan Crossing (24 Avenue at Croydon Drive).
The full production will take the stage Aug. 4 to 28 at Coast Capital Playhouse.
Artsolutely Fabulous
Artsolutely Fabulous is back after a two-year hiatus.
The gala evening will be held June 17, 6:30 p.m. at Blue Frog Studios, 1328 Johnston Rd., White Rock.
It’s a chance for artists to show off their best works – and an opportunity for the public to own an outstanding piece of original art.
Tickets for the evening gala are $475 per couple, and include appetizers, beverages, live music and a one-of-a-kind work of art valued at a minimum of $600 (although many are valued considerably higher). Ticket holders choose a random number upon arrival and guests have their choice of artwork based on their order in the number queue.
Thirty-five artists are featured and only 35 tickets are available, meaning every couple leaves with a piece of art.
Featured artists include Richard Tetrault, Jim Adams, John Butt, Nicole Carrie, Larry Tillyer, Irma Bijdemast, Sam Lam and many more.
The event is a fundraiser for Semiahmoo Arts to assist bringing a continuous flow of diverse arts and cultural programs to the Semiahmoo Peninsula.
Reservations can be made by emailing niamh@semiahmooarts.com.
For more information, please visit www.semiahmooarts.com/visual/artsolutely-fabulous-fundraiser
XBa Live
XBa VII – Organica is the South Surrey-based dance company’s annual year-end extravaganza featuring both live dance and video components, coming June 17, 7 p.m., to the Bell Centre for the Performing Arts, 6250 144 St.
For tickets ($30, $20 seniors, $15 students) call 604-507-6355, book online at www.bellperformingartscentre.com or visit www.xba.ca
Ocean Park Day
The 12th annual Ocean Park Day festival runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 18 at the corner of 16 Avenue and 128 Street, featuring stage entertainers Jason Mitchell, Tommy Alto (Ocean Park Idol winner 2010), The Oh Wells, The Rio Samaya Band (formerly Pancho and Sal), and Shelby Noble, plus The Much Mo Motown Revue, the 2011 Ocean Park Idol winner and MC Matt Grant.
For more information, visit www.oceanparkba.com
Live music
The Sandpiper Pub’s Wednesday Night Live lineup includes rock and Irish tunes by dynamic vocalist Pat Chessell and his group, described as “the quintessential pub band” (June 15); Too Cool Tina with Dave Young and Urban Affair (June 22); The Purple Gang with Johnny Faith and Ian Paxton (June 29) at 8:30 p.m.
White Rock Elks Lounge, 1469 George St., presents Pride of Erin (June 15, 3:30 to 5 p.m.); Thomas MacKay (June 22 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.) and Athenry (June 29, 4 to 7 p.m. Free; everyone welcome. Info, www.whiterockelks.ca
Cash tribute
Gary Kehoe presents a modern tribute to the Johnny Cash Show with special guests Phil Q. Davey as Cat Stevens and Derek Siteman as Marty Robbins and Jim Reeves, June 18 at 8 p.m. at White Rock Elks Club, 1469 George St.
For tickets ($23; Elks members, $20) call 604-538-4016 or visit www.whiterockelks.ca
World in Motion
The South Surrey and White Rock Art Society’s gallery exhibition Our World in Motion will run until June 24 at Semiahmoo Arts gallery, 90-1959 152 St.
For more information, visit www.artsociety.ca
Concerts meeting
White Rock Concerts’ annual general meeting will be held June 21, 7:30 p.m. at 15550 26 Ave., in the clubhouse.
All current series subscribers may attend.
Pelican Rouge
The Pelican Rouge coffee house (15142 North Bluff Rd. at Central Plaza) provides a venue for local visual artists and also hosts two literary events sponsored by Semiahmoo Arts, Readings By The Salish Sea and the Zero to 360 open mic for authors.
Next Readings By The Salish Sea event is Gurjinder Basran reading from her novel Everything Was Goodbye, Wednesday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m.
The book tells the story of Meena, a first-generation Punjabi-Canadian, who struggles with family expectations and feels alienated and alone in both the Canadian and Punjabi Worlds.
Winner of the Search for the Great BC Novel Contest in 2010, Everything Is Goodbye has also been nominated for the prestigious Ethel Wilson fiction prize.
Zero to 360, named for the six minute maximum in which writers get to present their work, takes place at 7:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month, with sign up for authors at 7 p.m.
For more information, call 604-541-8778.
Book launch
Author Pummy Kaur will launch her newest book, A Season of Non-Violence – 64 ways for 64 Days, June 22 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Organic Connections Cafe, 15622 Marine Dr.
Adriane Carr, deputy leader of the federal Green party, is to introduce the book.
Enjoy complimentary organic snacks and fair-trade tea and coffee.
Books will be available for $20 each, cash or cheque. Copies of Kaur’s other book, What Would Gandhi Do, will also be available for $20.
RSVP to whatwould_gandhido@yahoo.ca
Alfie Zappacosta
Blue Frog Studios and Performance Centre will be welcoming back two-time Juno-award-winner Alfie Zappacosta – this time, with his full all-star band – to record and shoot his new live DVD June 24 and 25 at 1328 Johnston Rd.
Long considered by some as one of the best vocal talents in Canada, Zappacosta had a number of chart-topping singles, including Nothing Can Stand in Our Way; Passion; When I Fall in Love Again; and We Should be Lovers.
Zappacosta also won an American Music Award for Overload on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.
For information and tickets – and to view Zappacosta’s last show at Blue Frog – visit bluefrogstudios.ca or call 604-542-3055.
Rock Band
The Rock Band Program is currently registering students for summer.
The program offers youth aged eight to 17 a chance to play in a rock band and perform live in concert.
For more information on classes and programs, call the Todd Brewer School of Music at 604-538-2295.
Local authors
White Rock author Marya Sopova’s novel for children (ages nine and higher), The MouseTronaut, is now available at Kids Books or at the Semiahmoo Arts gallery in Windsor Square.
The novel, and its accompanying volume, the Rocket of Fun workbook, traces the international – and outer space – adventures of an intrepid mouse trained as part of Russia’s space program.
For more information, call 604-536-6749.
Crescent Beach author Ben Nuttall-Smith’s historical novel Blood, Feathers and Holy Men, an adventure spanning both old world and new world cultures in the 10th century AD, is currently available through local bookstores.
For more information on the book, published by busy South Surrey imprint Libros Libertad, visit www.bennuttall-smith.ca
