Eastside Culture Crawl

 Happy November everyone! Did you make it through Halloween season alright? Thanksgiving Dinner anxiety is over and done with!  

This month brings us the annual Eastside Culture Crawl, which is ALWAYS a fun time, no matter where you go! 

Apparently, this year "is one of the biggest years ever, with more than 500 registered artists, including nearly 100 artists participating for the first time. Artists will be showcasing a variety of artistic mediums, from jewelery, sculpture, and pottery, to painting, textiles, photography, furniture, and so much more!" 

Photo-credit-Joshua-Wright: Georgia-Art-Studios - 

Provided-by-Eastside-Arts-Society_One-Time-Use

Annette-Nieukerk_Photo-credit-Joshua-Wright

Provided-by-Eastside-Arts-Society_One-Time-Use

Yaron-Bareli_Photo-credit-Joshua-Wright

Provided-by-Eastside-Arts-Society_One-Time-Use

And the best part is that all of this is FREE to go visit and see! 

Don't miss out on the Eastside Culture Crawl from November 14 - 17 ! 

Te Tangi a te Tui

 

On now at the York Theatre is an escape into the lush world of a Maori legend. Te Tangi a te Tui is a circus of movement and a circus of language. The show is told completely in the Maori language, supplying a sensory delight for the ears. Add in singing and musical instruments, and the sonic soundscape is just as important as all the visuals happening before your eyes. 

Prior to the show, ticket holders were emailed a link to an audio file of the show in English. It is highly recommended that you do the homework before attending. I myself did not do that and found myself fairly lost in terms of the storyline, as there is no translation available on stage. 

It is a beautiful and breathtaking show. Te Tangi a te Tui is on now at The York until October 29.

(All photos by David Cooper.) 

ANIMAL

 Well, eat your heart out, Cirque du Soleil. Who needs ya anyway! Especially when we've got something as organic and hilarious and genuine as ANIMAL, now on at the Vancouver Playhouse thanks to the CULTCH and the Vancouver International Children's Festival. 

This show was mesmerizing and joyful and also slightly terrifying, because these folks are flying without a net, balancing all over the place on top of one another and soaring through the air. There is also a lot of humour and heart in this performance, and is definitely suitable for all ages. 

photo by Rolline-Laporte

Aside from the mind-blowing stunts, the entire show is soundtracked by a live band - including the circus performers themselves, who sing, play instruments, and even yodel! 

photo by Benoit Z Leroux

Created by Cirque Alfonse, this Quebec-based troupe is gracing our city with their presence only until September 24th, so get your tickets immediately and do not miss out on this thrilling and fun night out! 

photo by Rolline-Laporte

ANIMAL had us laughing and gasping at the same time. I cannot recommend it enough!!! 

Perry Mason in our own backyard!

I recently read the book Hiding In Plain Sight, a biography of closeted gay Hollywood icon Raymond Burr, known famously for his role as Perry Mason.

Who knew that this legend was not only born in New Westminster, BC, but he is also buried in the Fraser Cemetery located in New West too!?

I had to make a pilgrimage to pay my respects to him. His grave is with his family (parents and sister) and is located footsteps from the main office of the cemetery.

It was an absolute honour to go and pay my respects to this icon.

Eastside Culture Crawl

I went to my very first Vancouver Eastside Culture Crawl just last year, and now I am addicted!! I cannot wait for this event, which starts up this Thursday and goes on until Sunday! So many artists and so much art and goodies and things to look at and buy! Perfect place to do some Christmas Shopping!

Happy 20th Anniversary to the Eastside Culture Crawl! Check out their website for maps and a list of artists/exhibitors!

Tuesdays With Morrie

So the final show of Gateway Theatre's groundbreaking Pacific Festival is now underway. It's a Cantonese version of the famous story Tuesdays With Morrie. Starring Chan Kwok Pong and Chung King Fai, these actors may be familiar to those who watch Chinese television regularly.

I ended up giving my ticket to my niece, who accompanied my mom to the show. When they got back, my niece reported that my mom cried during the show. What a testament to the show's ability to move and inspire! My mom grew up in the villages of old China and going to a theatre to watch a play is something completely out of her realm. The fact that she could do that here thanks to this Pacific Festival is such a wonderful thing. And the fact that my niece, who speaks even less Cantonese than me, was able to go with her and enjoy the show too thanks to the trusty subtitles provided makes this even more of an achievement. Congratulations Gateway Theatre on a job well done.

The room was packed with people and if you're wanting to catch Tuesdays With Morrie, you have tonight and tomorrow to do so!

Cook Your Life

This weekend the Pacific Festival continues at Richmond's Gateway theatre. I bought myself and my mom a pass for this, as I felt it was an underserved community - theatre for Cantonese speakers! Given Vancouver's population, why hasn't anyone done anything like this before? (Or maybe they have and I just wasn't aware?)

Anyhow, another show in this month long festival is Cook Your Life / MeChat.  This is actually comprised of two separate one-person shows. The first one is Cook Your Life, starring (and written by) MayMay Chan as a hilariously over-the-top woman who dishes to the audience about life, love, sex, and food. At first it feels like you're in a campy interactive cooking show, but it quickly evolves into a live-action melodramatic TVB Hong Kong-style soap opera. Chan eases easily from one character to another, making this my very first one-woman show I've seen in another language!

We didn't stay for MeChat, because I didn't think my mom would really understand its content, as it has to do with more modern day living (computers, ipads, online dating, etc.)  but Cook Your Life alone was worth the price of admission.

You only have one more chance to see if it you're not going tonight, and that's Saturday evening!

Check out more of the Pacific Festival at Gateway Theatre.

Pacific Festival at Gateway Theatre

I was very excited when I was at one of the Richmond Night Markets last month and saw a huge banner promoting the Pacific Festival at Richmond's Gateway Theatre. This was a theatre festival of plays conducted in Cantonese with English subtitles! That meant I could bring my mother out to catch some local theatre and she would be able to understand it! Wow!

The Pacific Festival has several events taking place, including a few FREE performances. It also has two full length plays coming up, including a Cantonese version of Tuesdays With Morrie!

So tonight we went to the opening night event, a free performance of The Will To Build, on only today and Friday. This dual Cantonese/English performance piece touches on the evolution of Hong Kong from being a neglected British colony of farmers and peasants into a bustling metropolis and all the struggles that come along with it, climaxing with the recent student protest movement that took place.

I need to commend Theatre Du Pif for creating a show that bridges these two languages, intertwining them into a story full of physical movement and poetic monologue. Originally set to be performed outdoors, today's rain storm dashed those hopes and brought the show inside, which everyone rolled along with. Great job!

Be sure to check out all the happenings at the Pacific Festival and get your pass so you can see all the shows!

The Chung Collection

Have you gone out to UBC lately to visit their Rare Books and Special Collections room? This is where you can find the permanent exhibit, The Chung Collection.

"The Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection contains more than 25,000 rare and unique items (documents, books, maps, posters, paintings, photographs, silver, glass, ceramic ware and other artifacts)."

"In 1999, the Chung family made an exceptional gift to the University of British Columbia Library, with their donation of The Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection.

In making a generous gift of this unique and extensive research collection, Dr. Chung gives back to Canada something of what he and his family have gained since his grandfather came from China to settle in Victoria more than 100 years ago."

"The Chung Collection is housed in UBC's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, where selected pieces are on display in the Chung Room. The exhibit is open to the public, at no charge."

For more information, please visit the website. 

Happy Vaisakhi!

"Thousands of spectators are expected at the Vancouver Vaisakhi Parade this Saturday.

The annual event begins at 11 a.m. at the Ross Street Temple, located in the 800-block Ross Street in southeast Vancouver.

The parade will begin at the temple and travel south on Ross Street to Southeast Marine Drive before heading west to Main Street, and then north to 49th Avenue.

From there, it will turn east to Fraser Street, south to 57th Avenue, and then east to Ross Street and end back at the temple.

Spectators are advised to take public transit to the event. The parade is free."

More information and map info here.  Head on down to Little India today for food and festivities!

Stickboy the Opera

I got a chance to go see Stickboy The Opera recently, which is having its world premiere at the Vancouver Playhouse and presented by Vancouver Opera.

I'm not an opera fan in the slightest. I do enjoy musicals, though. Actually, I love musicals. Which is not to say that they are one and the same. In fact, opera is very different. Usually, the lack of hummable Broadway show tunes has me infuriated that I'm wasting my time watching an opera. Also, they are usually in another language so I don't have any idea what's happening, despite the help of subtitles that are normally provided.

However, with Stickboy, comes a VERY accessible opera not only in the modern way that it's presented (animated images on a screen in the background), a very thorough write up of the story and yes it is in English! The story itself was also easy for me to connect with, having been bullied in school during my teenage years. The premise revolves around an overweight boy who is the target of harassment and bullying in his high school. The scenes are simple but effective, and will keep you poised on the edge of your seat as you root for him to find the courage to overcome.

Stickboy would be the perfect introduction for anyone who is looking to get into opera, in its accessibility and relate-able storyline. I can easily see troops of high school classes being taken here for a field trip both as a lesson in opera and the effects of bullying.

Stickboy is on now at the Vancouver Playhouse until November 7th.

Vancouver Opera presents: Stickboy

"There's a bully in all of us." So is the tagline for the world premiere of this original piece presented by the Vancouver Opera.
 

"The inner life of a young boy is at the heart of this moving and meaningful new opera by world-renowned spoken-word artist Shane Koyczan and composer Neil Weisensel. Bravely autobiographical, beautifully poetic, visually innovative and musically memorable, Stickboy confronts the uncomfortable reality of a society struggling with its own fear and insecurity, a society that seeks conformity and uniformity at the expense of those who are different."

Stickboy runs at the Vancouver Playhouse from October 23 to November 7. 

VIFF: The Vancouver Asahi

This one is gonna be a sell-out, so get your tickets quick! I was lucky enough to attend the media screening and even that was a full house. Perhaps it's because of the local interest - the film is set in and about Vancouver! Or perhaps it's because it's the powerful true story of a local Japanese-Canadian baseball team that bridged communities, fought against all odds, and provided hope amongst a backdrop of racism, World War II, and an impending black mark on Canadian history - the internment camps.

Gorgeously shot, this film is a joint effort from Japan/Canada and is heartbreaking as much as it is heartwarming. With anti-Asian sentiment at a high these days in Vancouver, perhaps this film is timely and relevant and a good reminder about the ugliness of humanity and the strength and fortitude of individuals and community.

The Vancouver Asahi shows on Sept 29 (6:30pm) and Oct 4 (2:30pm) at the Centre for Performing Arts, and on Oct 10 at 1pm at the Vancouver Playhouse. Don't miss this extraordinary feature!

Find out more information about the real life Vancouver Asahi here at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Museum of Anthropology

I'm heading back to school in the Fall and will be on campus up at UBC, which means I can't wait to go visit the Museum of Anthropology while I'm up there. They currently have some intriguing exhibits going on, including

Without Masks: Contemporary Afro-Cuban Art:

Claiming Space: Voices of Urban Aboriginal Youth:

and Spotlight Taiwan:

Find out more about the Museum of Anthropology at their website!

Curious Flea Market

Are you feeling curious? Just a bit? Then scratch that itch by heading out to New Westminster to discover one of the coolest events in town. It's the Curious Flea Market! The next one takes place May 24 & 25!

"The Curious Flea is a social flea market…a new way of ‘fleaing’ .  We’ve curated an incredible collection of vendors selling spectacular wares ranging from antique to Mid-Century Modern to 50′s kitsch to upcycled furniture and decor. This isn’t your usual bargain basement flea market, but rather a treasure hunter’s dream."

And don't forget about the Battle of the Curious! "Do you have the weirdest, strangest most curious thing in your closet?  Bring it to Curious Flea! The most curious object will be immortalized forever in our Curious Hall of Fame, and the winner will receive a fabulously curious prize!"

Check out their Facebook page to keep informed! See you on the weekend of May 24/25 at the Curious Flea Market at New Westminster's River Market (810 Quayside Drive,  New Westminster).

Kim's Convenience

It's always refreshing for me, as an Asian Canadian, to see myself reflected on stage, in film, on TV, etc. Kim's Convenience is a Canadian play written by Ins Choi, and centers around a Korean convenience store and the family dynamics swirling about it.

Like the patriarch in the story, it is Paul Sun-Hyung Lee's performance as Mr. Kim that really holds the entire show together. He, like the show, displays a huge range of emotions from rage to sadness to well-peppered moments of comedic timing.

Kudos to Ins Choi for a well-written, entertaining, culturally educational and important play. I've tried writing a play before, and it is not an easy feat. To do one that takes lace in one main location and to fill that stage up with tears, laughter, and love on top of it being a good show is an amazing accomplishment.

Kim's Convenience is playing now at the Granville Island Stage until May 24th. (It's also Asian Heritage Month, so this is perfect timing to go see Kim's Convenience!)

Happy Asian Heritage Month!

May is Asian Heritage Month, and there is lots to do to celebrate, here in Vancouver!

Check out their website for more!

Weekend Picks: Sing Along to Grease, Lowest Common Denominator, Visitors

There are a lot of great things going on this weekend! Get out and have fun while I nurse my flu back to health. Here are the ones that caught my eye:

Sing Along to Grease at the Rio

I don't know how I managed, but somehow, I've never seen "Grease." Perhaps, it's because I have this terrible skin condition that makes me break out in hives when I get near a musical. 

But this looks like so much fun it might worth a Benadryl hangover. So down your favorite antihistamine and join in the song this Saturday evening. 

Sing Along to Grease

Saturday 15 March 2014 at 7:30 PM

Rio Theatre, 1660 E. Broadway, Vancouver

Tickets: $6-8 at Rio Theatre Tickets

Lowest Common Denominator at PAL

Honestly, I was first interested in this play to see what Deborah Williams of Flame fame is up to, but now I'm intrigued by the play's cutting-edge story of an intergenerational love triangle. 

Plus, this title appeals to the math and theatre geek in me. (I had a difficult childhood.)

Lowest Common Denominator
March 13-30, 2014

PAL Theatre, 581 Cardero Street, Vancouver

Tickets: $25-32 at Tickets Tonight or 604-684-2787

Visitors at the Rio

One of the many things that endear me to my husband was finding the entrancing "Koyaanisqatsi" on his PVR. This is the latest by Godfrey Reggio, director of that groundbreaking film. 

Once again Reggio presents a "stunning, wordless portrait of modern life." The film includes music by Philip Glass and is presented by Steven Soderbergh in super high-def 4k digital black and white projection. See the trailer here. This could be the perfect, lazy Sunday movie.

Visitors 

March 16, 17 at 9 PM

March 20 at 7 PM
Rio Theatre, 1660 E. Broadway, Vancouver
Tickets: $8-10 at Rio Theatre Tickets

Odysseo!

Can't wait to see this! Anyone else going to this show? The company Cavalia was here a year ago and I didn't get a chance to see it, but I ain't missing out on this one! More information on the Cavalia Odysseo site!

Odysseo rides into town on December 7th until January 5th! 

Bread & Salt

The other night I was fortunate enough to attend Bread & Salt - A Tribute to the East End's Historic Ukrainian Community. Presented by Vancouver Moving Theatre, this cultural foray into the history of Vancouver's Ukrainian community is both entertaining and educational. With direction by James Fagan Tait, whose work I have seen at Bard on the Beach, this show is artistically done by mixing scenes of personal stories with traditional Ukraine dance. Throw in a live orchestral band and a full choir, and you end up finding yourself enveloped by the entire production, like a warm giant embrace welcoming you into the Ukrainian community.

 

The entire weekend has now been sold out, unfortunately for those who didn't manage to snag a ticket. Those attending on Sunday evening will be treated to a traditional Ukrainian dinner in addition to the performance.

There was definitely something festive in the air, and it felt like the perfect way to kick off the holiday season! I learned quite a bit about this community, who went through some turbulent times here in the Lower Mainland, including being dragged off to internment camps during WWI.

Happy 85th Anniverary to the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC)!  Thank you for having me at your celebration!