Blues events
Powerful and energetic blues singer Dalannah Gail Bowen, and her band Straight Up, will be headliners at the next White Rock Blues Society show and dance this Saturday (March 19) at 8 p.m. at the Rhumba Room of the Pacific Inn, 1160 King George Blvd.
Back to the top of her form after a three-year hiatus, Bowen is riding the success of her most recent CD release, Mamma’s Got the Blues, which has been rewarded by positive critical feedback and international airplay.
Her “timeless and contemporary” approach, according to one of those reviews, is typified by her new edge to such standards as Born Under A Bad Sign and Early In The Morning, and fresh originals such as My Blues Keep Bringing Me Home.
Opening for Bowen will be popular Peninsula guitarist-vocalist Jason Buie.
Tickets ($15) are available from Tapestry Music, Surfside Music, the Pacific Inn or Surrey Arts Centre, https//tickets.surrey.ca
Next big event scheduled by the society is Harpdog Brown and the Bloodhounds, April 9 at the Rhumba Room during which the ace blues harpist and his band will revisit 21 years of music making.
For more information, visit www.whiterockblues.com
Three Visions
A new show of photography, Three Visions, presents the work of Dwayne Lamb, Jevon Safarik and Bob Warick, until April 1 at Semiahmoo Arts’ gallery, 90 – 1959 152 St (Windsor Square).
For more information, call 604-536-8333, or visit www.semiahmooarts.com
The Streels
The Maritime and Celtic sound of multi-talented Newfoundland musician Lorne Warr and his band, The Streels, will be highlighted in concert March 26 at 8 p.m. at White Rock Elks Hall, 1469 George St.
Tickets are $15 (non members) and $12.50 (members).
For more information, call 604-538-4016 or email whiterockelks431@shaw.ca
Ensemble Galilei
A stellar group of U.S. musicians will make their only Canadian appearance during a west coast tour 8 p.m., Friday, April 1, at First United Church, White Rock.
Ensemble Galilei brings together musicians from different worlds in an ongoing adventure that utilizes their renowned expertise and technique to create new dimensions of music.
The ensemble features Ryan McKasson on Scottish fiddle, Jackie Moran on bodhran and tenor banjo, and Sue Richards on celtic harp, all versed in Scottish and Irish traditions, plus violinist Ginger Hildebrand and viola da gamba player Carolyn Surrick – both with decades of experience in Renaissance and Baroque music. The result is quite different from groups in either of the traditions, said Geoff Giffin, who is using the concert to launch his new production company, Peninsula Productions, which aims to bring different, high-quality concerts to the White Rock and South Surrey scene.
“I first heard Ensemble Galilei play a few years ago when I was living in Maryland and promptly fell in love,” Giffin said.
“When I found out they were doing a west coast tour I knew they would be perfect for Peninsula Productions’ first concert.”
Tickets ($25) area available from Tapestry Music, First United Church, Surrey Arts Centre box office 604-501-5566, online at https://tickets.surrey.ca
U Lounge music
The U Lounge at Grandview Corners is offering live music every Thursday at 8 p.m. (no cover charge), presented by Magnetized Productions.
Next up in the venue’s new Lucky 7 Thursday series will be Tay MacRae and Guest (March 17), Ben Sigston (March 24), Jacob Dryden (March 31), David Blair (April 7), and David Anthony (April 14).
Ladies of the Camellias
What happens when the two pre-eminant divas of the stage in the 1890s – Sarah Berhardt and Eleanor Duse – are both to perform Lady of the Camellias, by Alexandre Dumas, in Paris, the same week and in the same theatre?
That’s the premise of Lillian Garrett-Groag’s farcical historical comedy Ladies of the Camellias, next presentation of the White Rock Players Club, in a production directed by Paul Kloegman (who helmed last season’s Humble Boy).
The club’s entry in this year’s TheatreBC Vancouver Zone festival, it will play April 6 to 23 at the Coast Capital Playhouse, 1532 Johnston Rd. with Wednesday to Saturday performances at 8 p.m., plus a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee on April 17.
The production brings together members of the Kloegman stock company – previously seen to advantage in 20th Century in White Rock and Up And Coming at Vancouver’s Metro Theatre – including Lori Tych (as Duse) and Jason Dedrick (as actor Gustave-Hyppolite Worms), both of whom most recently starred in the thriller Earth and Sky in February at the Coast Capital Playhouse.
Nancy Ebert plays Bernhardt, who has – for reasons best known to herself – extended the invitation to Duse to perform her touring version of the Lady of the Camellias, temporarily without venue, at the divine Sarah’s own theatre, even though she is herself portraying the role there.
Like Worms, actor Flavio Ando (Ryan Johnston) is also caught up in the ensuing battle of the divas, which is complicated – but not interrupted – by the arrival of a Russian anarchist, Ivan (Stephen Benjamin Fowler).
The latter decides to take the two hostage and blow up the theatre if demands for freeing his imprisoned comrades are not met.
Adding to the quickly spiralling chaos is sword-swinging Comedie Francaise actor Coquelin (Brent Cross), who has become obsessed with his role as the heroic Cyrano de Bergerac; an elderly man Benoit (Ken Fynn) and an ingenue (Alexandra Wilson).
Tickets go on sale March 22 at the theatre box office (604-536-7535) or visit www.whiterockplayers.ca
Tim Williams
Legendary blues singer-songwriter-guitarist Tim Williams – presented locally last year by the White Rock Blues Society – will be back in White Rock for one night only, April 6 at 8 p.m. at the Sandpiper Pub.
The intimate, up-close and personal, show will feature Williams’ colourful songs and stories of the road, including playing with the likes of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and ZZ Top.
For more information, call 604-531-7746 or 604-542-6515.
Local authors
White Rock author Marya Sopova’s novel for children (ages 9-13 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
South Surrey author Sam Wharton’s latest Jonathan Hare novel, Ignorant Armies (Melrose Books, UK), is currently available at Angel Christian Supplies (104 – 2429 152 St.) and Black Bond Books, Semiahmoo Centre.
Drawing on Wharton’s own experiences in the military and policies of recruitment for intelligence work, Ignorant Armies is the second installment in his saga of Hare, a young innocent abroad in a sea of political, social and personal intrigue in post-World War Two Britain.
Argentine tango
It first appeared in the dance halls and brothels of Buenos Aires around 1880 – and it wasn’t even considered socially acceptable in Argentina until after it became a craze in Europe just before the First World War.
But authentic Argentine tango – a distinctly different dance from the ballroom tango – has lost none of its passionate mystery and beauty.
It’s also hotter than ever – thanks to exposure on such top-rated television shows as Dancing With The Stars.
Now Portal a Tango Dance Entertainment offers White Rock residents the chance to learn to dance Argentine tango with an ongoing series of beginner and intermediate lessons at Ocean Park Hall, 1577 128 St.
Owned and operated by husband and wife team Bobbi and Patricia Lusic, Portal a Tango “works to promote Argentine tango as a healthy means for individual expression, improving quality of life and experiencing joy through music and dance.”
For more information, call 778-773-9904 or visit www.portalatango.com
Trad jazz
White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s popular schedule of Sunday sessions continues on Sunday, March 20, 3-6 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240 (2643 128 St.) with the New Orleans Ale Stars.
Next up on the WRTJS roster is the Clam Digger Jazz Band (March 27).
For more information, visit www.whiterocktradjazz.com
Actors wanted
Royal Canadian Theatre Company director Ellie King will hold auditions for roles in the upcoming summer stock farce A Bed Full of Foreigners, by Dave Freeman, later this month and in April at Newton Cultural Centre.
The play, scheduled for July 18 to Aug. 28 and Sept. 18 to 24, is a paying, non-union production, which requires daytime rehearsals.
Needed are a male in his 30s (German accent), a male in his 50s or 60s (generic Slavic accent) and a female in her 30s (British accent).
Accents must be professional standard and auditions (March 26, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; call backs April 2, 6-9 p.m.) are by appointment only.
For more information about the upcoming auditions or the production, contact King at ellie@rctheatreco.com
Rock Band
The Rock Band Program is registering students for spring.
The program offers youth aged eight to 17 a chance to play in a rock band and perform live in concert.
Adults wanting to rock out are also invited to register for a new program called My Generation – Adult Rock Band at the Todd Brewer School of Music.
The program is open to adults of all musical skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
For more information on both of these programs, call 604-538-2295.
