Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival‘s 2021 Season has online programming designed to engage both its existing Festival community and reach out to new audiences across Canada and beyond. The 2021 lineup is highlighted by a bold new venture for Western Canada’s biggest Shakespeare festival – the world premiere of a new play, Done/Undone, commissioned by Bard, produced as a feature film and available on demand on a state-of-the-art digital platform.
Photo courtesy Bard on the Beach
Bard on the Beach Festival’s 32nd Season
The Festival’s 32nd Season, dubbed Press Play!, features the Shakespeare-themed film and artist Talkbacks, along with Bard Explored – livestreamed conversations with SFU’s Paul Budra and four of the world’s most celebrated Shakespeare scholars; a BC-focused wine-tasting event hosted by Artistic Director Christopher Gaze and Vancouver International Wine Festival Executive Director Harry Hertscheg, and A Shakesperience – a new film for students to be released in September. There is also a series of exclusive digital events programmed for Bard’s Members.
Bard Explored –Simon Fraser University’s Paul Budra talks with some of the world’s leading literary scholars: Oxford University’s Emma Smith (This is Shakespeare, Pelican), actor and academic John “Ray” Proctor (Tulane University), Paul Yachnin (McGill University) and Farah Karim-Cooper (Shakespeare’s Globe). Livestreamed on Saturdays at 11:00am PT on August 7, September 11, September 25 and October 2.
Wine Wednesday – hosted by Artistic Director Christopher Gaze and Vancouver International Wine Festival Executive Director Harry Hertscheg. Join them online to sip and savour a variety of BC wines, with special guests from the wine industry October 6.
A Shakesperience – a new film, conceived and scripted by Bard Director of Education Mary Hartman and directed by Dean Paul Gibson. This lively, engaging introduction to Shakespeare will be available for free on-demand viewing beginning in September. More details released in August.
Photo caption:
Charlie Gallant & Harveen Sandhu, Done/Undone (2021). Photo & Image Design – Emily Cooper
Feature Film
The season’s feature film, Done/Undone, was originally commissioned by Bard as a stage play. When the impact of the pandemic forced the Festival to transition to a digital 2021 season, playwright Kate Besworth and Bard’s artistic team transformed the production to become a feature film, shot in multiple spaces at Burnaby’s Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Directed by Vancouver theatre artist Arthi Chandra, Done/Undone stars Charlie Gallant (Shakespeare in Love, 2019) and Harveen Sandhu (As You Like It, 2018). The two accomplished actors play a range of characters, including a pair of battling scholars, two cast-members in a Hamlet production, a theatre-going couple who are far apart on Shakespeare’s appeal –and the Bard himself (played by Sandhu).
The film’s viewing platform, OVERTURE+, offers high-quality playback across all devices, as well as closed captioning in multiple languages to expand the film’s reach to diverse new audiences.
Available on demand until September 30, 2021. Join members of the artistic team as they have conversations about the film’s themes and take attendees’ questions August 24 and September 21, 2021.
Follow Bard on the Beach on Facebook for their latest updates this season and beyond.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by the Fort Langley Jazz Festival Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
The lineup for the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival has been released and there are three ways to enjoy this experience September 2-5, 2021. Book your tickets for headliner shows, enjoy free outdoor performances, or stream online from home!
Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival
When: September 2-5, 2021
Where: Chief Sepass Theatre, at the Fort Langley Community Hall, online
Visual arts, summer theatre, outdoor festivals, murals, installations, films and more! This weekend you can choose your own adventure around Metro Vancouver whether you’re staying in (to stream Vancouver Queer Film Festival programming) or going out (to view new Vancouver Mural Festival pieces). Miss604 is a sponsor of Summer at Burnaby Village and you can find this and more fun things to do around Metro Vancouver listed below.
Vancouver’s own Carnaval del Sol, the biggest Latin American festival in the Pacific Northwest, returns this weekend for the 14th year. This is Latincouver’s signature annual event, sharing Latin culture and traditions with the Vancouver community. This four day fest will feature unique arts and handicraft vendors, food, beer, and family activities.
Carnaval del Sol 2021
When: August 12-15, 2021
Where: Concord Pacific Place, Performance Works, Vancouver Playhouse
Tickets: General Admission 4-Day Passes $65.36; Individual day passes start at $19.95 with senior and child pricing available as well.
Lineup of Events
The beer garden will be open each day, with a DJ spinning tunes, plus catch these live performances:
Thursday, August 12th is Latinx Pride Day with performances from Grupo America (dance); Xhalida (R&B/Soul); Vancouver Samba School; Krystle Dos Santos (R&B/Pop/Soul); 20:00 – 20:30 > Caliente Nights Vancouver (Drag Show); and MNGWA (Cumbia/Latin Alternative)
Friday, August 13th will feature a salsa class, then performances from Frankie Hidalgo; Vijay Brass; Rudegang Entertainment: Indigenous Hip Hop; Farnaz Ohadi; Breaking Boundaries; Shotsambado; and Wasakaka All Stars.
Saturday, August 14th join a Zumba class and catch performances from Kutapira; Marlin & Fito; Cathy Lopez; Samba Fusion; Empanadas Ilegales; Tugstar & Mad Riddim; and Sambacouver.
The program on Sunday, August 15th will conclude with programming from Robin Layne & The Rhythm Makers; Los Duendes; Nahualli Folklore; Rumba 7; Patrick Ernst; and Rumba Calzada.
The celebration will continue with the Latin American Hybrid Experience from August 20-29, 2021 with workshops, stand up comedy, tango & wine night and more. For more information about the lineup and event updates, follow Carnaval del Sol on Facebook.
The Eastside Arts Society (“EAS”) presents the new CREATE! Arts Festival, an art-making event (and more) taking place at Woodland Park and several Eastside studios on the weekend of August 21 and 22, 2021.
CREATE! Arts Festival
When: Saturday, August 21 & Sunday, August 22, 2021
The festival will feature a free community art installation on August 21, facilitated by artist Amy Walker, with a limited rotating capacity in alignment with COVID protocols. Participants will be asked to create a piece of art based on their vision for the local community, with each creation added to the installation over the course of the day.
40 art-making workshops will be taught by 11 artists, including Grace Lee (eikcam ceramics), Christine Moulson, Mat Holmstrom, Beata Kacy, Denise Wilson (Bronsino Leather), Krista Johnson, Haisla Collins, Naomi Yamamoto, Chantal Cardinal, Lori Goldberg, and Amberlie Perkin (Kids Workshop). Workshops for adults are recommended for those aged 16+ and kids workshops are recommended for those aged 6+. All workshops on Saturday, August 21 will be hosted outdoors at Woodland Park (705 Woodland Dr, Vancouver).
Several Eastside studios, including at Terminal City Glass Co-op (1191 Parker St), with Bruce Inglis & Edge City Woodworking at The Mergatroid Building (975 Vernon Dr), and Georgina Lohan Studio (1161 Parker St), will host workshops on Sunday, August 22.
Art, Bike & Beer Crawl Fundraiser
The Eastside Arts Society is also pairing two of the best things about Vancouver’s Eastside, Art + Beer in a fun summer online auction. This year, participants can purchase beer totes, kombucha totes and/or bid on art growlers created by 23 Culture Crawl artists.
The Art, Bike, Beer Crawl online auction started July 24th and will end Saturday, August 21st, 2021 at midnight. There are a handful of fun (and tasty) “Buy it Now” items you can purchase at the auction as well, including a ‘Bucha or Beer package in custom Culture Crawl totes.
The Annual Art, Bike, Beer Crawl fundraiser helps support the Eastside Arts Society’s initiatives by promoting local arts and culture through community engagement.
Enter to Win
To promote the CREATE! Arts Festival and the Art, Bike & Beer Crawl Fundraiser, I have a really fun prize pack to give away (valued at $325) that includes:
2 special edition Beer + Kombucha totes
including lots of other tasty goodies and a DIY public art tour map
2 tickets to a workshop at the CREATE! Arts Festival
