It’s already the last weekend in February! Between Family Day and Spring Break, you can still find some really fun things to do around Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley – snow or not.
Come From Away is a Broadway musical about the true story of the small town that welcomed the world. “We talk about it being the 9/12 musical, not the 9/11 musical, because it’s really about the generosity and kindness of human spirit that can come out of such a tragic event.” I recently had the opportunity to chat with Becky Gulsvig, who plays Beverley Bass (and others) in the Broadway Across Canada production of Come from Away, which is making Vancouver debut at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for a limited engagement March 5-10, 2019.
First North American Tour Company of COME FROM AWAY. Photos by Matthew Murphy, 2018
Come From Away Takes the Stage in Vancouver
Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
One of those stranded individuals was Beverley Bass who was piloting a 777 from Paris to Dallas when it was diverted to Gander on 9/11 when US airspace closed.
Surrey Civic Theatres presents the enchanting puppet show for adults, Metamorphosis, at Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall on March 13th. An imaginative and poignant series of vignettes that range from the trivial to the metaphysical, the multi-faceted work created and performed by Iceland’s famed master puppeteer Bernd Ogrodnik is a poetic — and often hilarious — exploration of the nature of our existence, inviting audience members to change how they perceive the objects of their everyday lives.
Bernd Ogrodnik in Metamorphosis. Vignette titled Mother and Daughter. Photo by Minna Hatinen.
Surrey Civic Theatres Presents Metamorphosis
Where: Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall (13450 104 Ave, Surrey) When: March 13, 2019 at 7:30pm Tickets: From $25, available online now or by calling (604) 501-5566. Audience advisory: One of the vignettes contains some mature content. This performance is intended for audience members ages 16+.
Originally commissioned in 2006 by the National Theatre of Iceland for adult audiences, the 90-minute presentation of Metamorphosis has toured the world extensively and comes to Canada for the first time in 2019. Featuring original stories ranging in length from just a few minutes to nearly 20 minutes, the mixed program triggers complex emotions, stirring the hearts and souls of audiences and encouraging new perspectives. Mostly presented in mesmerizing silence, three stories—“A Boy and a Horse,” “The Last Dance,” and “Mother Earth” — are set to an eclectic mix of musical accompaniment featuring Gabriel Faure’s “In Paradisum” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” as well as instrumental melodies composed and performed live by Ogrodnik.
Win a Surrey Arts & Dining Date Night
Enjoy a date night in Surrey complete with dinner (or drinks) and a show! I’m giving away a $50 dining certificate for Dominion Bar+ Kitchen as well as a pair of tickets to see Metamorphosis at Surrey City Hall’s Centre Stage – just across the plaza.
Dominion Bar + Kitchen (Dominion) is revolutionizing Surrey’s restaurant culture with a new social hub. Dominion is located in the lobby of Civic Hotel, Autograph Collection, the first world-class hotel built in the area in over two decades. With views that overlook Surrey Civic Plaza, a vibrant public square with immediate transit access and pedestrian walkways, Dominion Bar + Kitchen is expected to be the culinary destination for residents of and visitors to Surrey. Follow @DominionSurrey on social media #DominionSurrey.
Follow Surrey Civic Theatres on Facebook and Twitter; and Dominion Bar + Kitchen on Facebook and Twitter for more info and date night inspiration. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, February 28, 2019.
As the song goes, from JUNO award winning band Said the Whale, “Camilo – I need to see where you made that card go!” Camilo the Magician (indeed the inspiration behind the song) is back with a new touring show called Magik.
Camilo – by Andrew Gerard Photography
Camilo Returns with Magik
When: Shows at 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday March 15 & 16, 2019;
Friday and Saturday March 29 & 30, 2019
Where: Norman Rothstein Theatre (950 W. 41st Ave, Vancouver)
Tickets: Starting at $25, available online now
Magik takes audiences into a new, more adventurous territory. More than a year in the making, the new show is a thrilling combination of illusion, mind-reading, close-up magic and of course Camilo’s signature comedy.
“These are not the usual magic show illusions,” says Camilo. “This time, audiences won’t be expecting where and when the Magik is going to happen.”
John and I had a date night at one of Camilo’s shows a few years ago and on top of being dazzled by his slight of hand illusions, the show was filled with humour. You’ll be amazed by the mystery of the production, and you’ll also leave smiling from the sense of wonder. It’s a truly great night of entertainment.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to see Camilo’s MAGIK on Friday, March 15th at 8:00pm. Here’s how you can enter to win:
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2019. Find Camilo The Magician on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info.
On Pink Shirt Day YWCA Metro Vancouver youth leaders and a panel of experts will be hosting a free event at Hootsuite: Building Healthy Online Communities in the Age of Cancel Culture. With online interactions become increasingly polarized, the event will examine what it looks like to engage meaningfully online while navigating current social and political landscapes.
YWCA Panel on Pink Shirt Day
Where: Hootsuite (5 E 8th Avenue, Vancouver) When: February 27, 2019 – 5:30pm to 7:30pm Admission: Free! Register online here »
With digital conversations becoming increasingly polarized with every subject (i.e. the Gillette ad) and with cancel culture, trolling and outright harassment taking centre stage with regards to online interactions, our YWCA Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) find it important to examine this behaviour, especially since research shows that dehumanization and anonymity behind screens contributes to a lot of the radical behaviour we’ve been seeing.
Panelists include:
Fatima Rua Youth Advisory Council Member | YWCA Metro Vancouver
Johanna Sam MSc, PhD(c) |The University of British Columbia
Eva Taylor Senior Manager, Social Marketing | Hootsuite
Laura Track Human Rights Lawyer and Director of Education | Community Legal Assistance Society
Miley Leong Youth Engagement Coordinator | YWCA Metro Vancouver
Join the YWCA for this free event as they explore how to collectively foster healthier online communities.
The RunGo Dash for Dogs is a guided 10km, 5km or 2km run or walk through Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC. with 100% proceeds going to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs.
This fun and non-competitive race takes you through the beautiful trails in Stanley Park. After the run there will be a social event with pancakes, prizes, and good tunes! This is a race for people to support dogs, you don’t need a dog to run.
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs
RunGo Dash for Dogs
Start Location: Brockton Pavilion (1151 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver) Date: Sunday, February 24, 2019 Start Times: 10km: 9:45am, 5km 10:00am, 2k 10:15am
Early Packet Pickup is Friday, February 22, 12:00pm to 7:00pm at Denman Running Room (679 Denman St, Vancouver). On run day, registration opens at 9:00am at Brockton Pavilion in Stanley Park. There will be limited run day registration (+$5) so register in advance to secure your spot.
When you fundraise over $100, you get a Puppy Pal Sponsorship that includes:
A welcome letter about your sponsored pup
A framed photo of your lovable bundle
5 blank puppy greeting cards
An ‘official puppy sponsor’ certificate
Guide dogs and good dogs are welcome, dogs must be on leash and under control at all times for the safety of the working guide dogs.
The event is hosted by the RunGo app, a running app with turn-by-turn instructions for popular running routes in cities like Vancouver, London, New York, and Seattle. Download the RunGo app for Android or Apple devices.
BC & Alberta Guide Dogs makes a profound difference to blind/ visually impaired people by partnering them with a certified guide dog at no cost. These guide dogs provide tangible and immediate help; making a significant difference in their partner’s safety, independence, sense of well being and belonging.
Owned and operated by Rebecca Bollwitt, Miss604.com (since 2004) provides daily information about life in Metro Vancouver, events, community happenings and local history. It also features music, film, and television interviews along with travel features for day-trips and weekend getaways.
Online since 1997, Rebecca also started podcasting RadioZoom in 2005, co-founded sixty4media, a WordPress website development firm, in 2008, and co-authored the book, Blogging to Drive Business in 2010.
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