What do Township 7 Winery, the EcoDairy in Abbotsford, and Douglas Park in Langley have in common? They’re all locations for this summer’s Bard in the Valley – an outdoor, theatrical production! The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare Abridged by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield will take to the stage in all three locations for eight shows this summer.
Bard in the Valley 2021
Douglas Park (20550 Douglas Crescent, Langley City)
When: June 30 to July 3 at 7:00pm, July 4 at 2:00pm
Tickets: VIP under the tent & reserved seat for $25, regular tickets by donation (pre-register)
When: July 8-10 & July 15-17 at 7:00pm; July 11 & 18 at 2:00pm
Tickets: $35
EcoDairy (1356 Sumas Way, Abbotsford) July 23 & 24, 2021
When: July 23 & 24 at 7:00pm
Tickets: $35
Tip: Buckets will be available to pick blueberries in the fields. Nature’s Pickin’s will have a selection of snacks available.
For all locations, the venues open one hour in advance to arrive then to secure a great spot (unless you’ve booked VIP tickets already at Douglas Park). Seating/tickets are very limited.
The vision of Bard in the Valley is dedicated to the concept of offering quality productions that are both affordable and accessible to a wide audience, and to nurturing and promoting an enthusiasm for the works of Shakespeare. Since the group’s inception in 2009, BIV has presented a Shakespearean production every summer. More than 23,000 people have come to see performances. In addition, every year, Bard in the Valley offers youth theatre workshops for children between the ages of 11 and 15.
The Polygon Gallery presents Interior Infinite, a celebration of radical togetherness and unique self-expression, bringing together an international group of artists whose works span photography, video, performance, and sculpture. Predominantly featuring portraiture, with an emphasis on self-portraiture, Interior Infinite focuses on costume and masquerade as strategies for revealing, rather than concealing, identities.
Admission: By donation, & no appointments are required to view Interior Infinite.
Across these works, disguise functions as an unmasking, as artists construct their own images through adornment in order to visually represent embodied experience, memory, and understanding.
Artists: Lacie Burning, Nick Cave, Dana Claxton, Martine Gutierrez, Kris Lemsalu, Meryl McMaster, Zanele Muholi, Aïda Muluneh, Zak Ové, Skeena Reece, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Sin Wai Kin, Carrie Mae Weems, Zadie Xa.
Marking the first feature exhibition curated by The Polygon’s Assistant Curator Justin Ramsey, the group show explores carnivalesque expression as an act of resistance against the status quo.
“Whether through social media feeds or identity politics, we are constantly told that the ‘self’ is a true, immutable thing — this is a vast oversimplification,” says Ramsey. “Every single person is a work in progress, with the potential and the courage to change and be changed. Interior Infinite speaks to the capacity for an individual to break free of normative limitations that are defined by a white supremacist, male chauvinistic, heteronormative lens. The exhibition draws attention to the fact that these so-called norms are far from the lived experiences of many people, and that ‘the way things are’ can change with social imagination. We have collectively imagined our present injustices into being; we can just as easily imagine a better, fairer, more inclusive way forward.”
Interior Infinitetakes its title from Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin’s Rabelais and His World, which analyzed the power of folk traditions such as Carnival and the grotesque as methods of subversion through humour and chaos. These expressions tap into the full depth and dynamism of an individual, and serve as acts of resistance to erasure and refusal to be contained. Ramsey weaves together folk traditions with contemporary notions of play, costume, and performance to reveal the dynamic, subversive, and endless ways individuals express race, gender, and identity.
The Polygon has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. All exhibitions are planned in accordance with the Provincial Health Officer’s most recent order, including capacity restrictions, social distancing, mandatory mask wearing, and sanitization of high-frequency touch points.
Summer is on the way and this month we welcome virtual festivals, outdoor activities, and the hope that more events will be added to our calendars in the near future. June is National Indigenous History Month, recognizing the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in what is now known as Canada. Look for events and workshops on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21 and beyond) and find more June events in Metro Vancouver below:
Some Assembly Theatre Company and Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group (“RHYTAG”) present the world premiere of their new digital play, BREAKWATER. This is a multi-media theatre production that began pre-pandemic in response to conversations with youth who spoke about their mental health struggles.
Some Assembly Theatre Company Presents Breakwater
When the pandemic hit, the project faced uncertainty as to whether or not it could move forward. One area of certainty remained – this pandemic is causing an increase in mental health struggles among youth. With Some Assembly’s determination and the support of the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health, Roundhouse Community Centre and other funders, this important theatre collaboration between diverse youth and professional artists was able to pivot and move forward.
BREAKWATERfollows six youth who face the effects of isolation and mental health struggles from a symbolic world-wide flood. Written by youth with professional playwright Valerie Methot, along with the support of industry professionals from script consultants to counsellors, BREAKWATERpromotes self-care and compassion as well as strong, caring communities.
When: June 30 at 4:00pm, July 8 at 7:00pm, July 11, 2021 at 3:00pm
Some Assemble Theatre Company collaborates with youth to create original plays that build awareness, educate, promote wellness and encourage dialogue. They also provide mentorship programs and workshops for diverse populations of youth on topics related to performing arts, mental health and addiction issues.
Talking Stick Festival, the largest Indigenous festival of its kind in North America, presents the virtual Summer Sojourn program. From June 1 – July 1, 2021 enjoy a bountiful month-long celebration of Indigenous performance, art, and so much more – with many free events!
Talking Stick Festival Summer Sojourn
This online festival features concerts, dance performances, visual art, readings, theatrical presentations, and film, as well as some unique and unexpected virtual experiences. Summer Sojourn is the third presentation in their year-long 20th Anniversary program, The Season of Four Fires (following Winter Lodge and Spring Awakening).
Dreamspeakers International Indigenous Film Festival Film (May 31 — June 7) Moonlodge Film (June 1 onwards) Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival Multi-discipline (June 1 — 21) Embodying Power and Place Storytelling (June 3 — Jul 1) Indigenous Cities Storytelling (starting June 3) Indigenous Music Summit Music (June 7 — 12) Talking Truths: Following in Her Footsteps Discussion (June 18) The Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards Music (June 12) Dancing with our Ancestors Dance (June 15) Tara Williamson and The Good Liars Music (June 18) Mawessine’s Gala Theatre / Music (June 21) Opening Ceremony: All Together We Drum Music (June 25) 10-Year Celebration of Adäka Multi (June 26) Nyēn nzhän: Sing your Song: An Indigenous Language and Song Celebration Music (June 27) Land, Language and Song with The Love Soldiers Music (June 28) Piano Burning Performance (August 8)
Co-presented with TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival:
Snotty Nose Rez Kids Music (June 25, paid ticketed event) DJ Kookum & Sierra Tasi Baker Music (July 4) Blue Moon Marquee Music (June 28, paid ticketed event) Dalannah Gail Bowen Billie’s Blues @ Frankie’s Jazz Club Music (July 4, paid ticketed event)
Win a Summer Staycation
To celebrate Talking Stick Festival’s 20th Anniversary, they’re giving one lucky winner a Summer Staycation Prize Package. The grand prize (value over $750) includes:
