Sheila Arellano, Arts & Culture Editor
Early 2019 is permeated with events you cannot miss, ranging from musical performances to plays, book releases, art exhibitions and festivals. This year is an exciting time to attend fun and interesting events with friends and family.
Music
A few events in the music scene stand out in January and February, starting with the Circle Game: Reimagining the Music of Joni Mitchell. The Circle Game will be playing from Jan. 12 to Feb. 9 at the Firehall Arts Centre in Vancouver. The enduring music of Joni Mitchell is re-imagined in this energetic musical experience. Joni Mitchell has often reflected on social and environmental ideals through her music and is an excellent inspiration for new generations.
Mark Takeshi McGregor + Liam Hockley are following the Circle Game. These two musicians will be playing on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 pm at the ANNEX Theatre. The show includes a free pre-show chat at 7:15 pm. Flutist Mark Takeshi McGregor has been admired for his “mind blowing” performances of “huge physical energy” (Times Colonist). Clarinetist Liam Hockley is emerging as an artist and performer. Hockley’s “alternative or avant-garde approaches to his instrument are only part of the everyday tool kit” (Georgia Straight).
Theatre
The awesome comedy The Matchmaker will be on from Jan. 24 to Feb. 24 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. The play follows Horace Vandergelder (Ric Reid), a wealthy store owner, who seeks a wife – and matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi (Nicola Lipman) doesn’t need to look very far to find her. With forbidden young love and mistaken identities afoot, more than one match is sure to be made. “I adore the message at this play’s core: that life’s meaning can be found in taking risks, finding adventure, and embracing joy,” said Arts Club Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran.
Also coming up is the International Performing Arts (PuSh) Festival, which will be happening from Jan. 17 to Feb. 3. The PuSh Festival features over 100 different performances. Some of the events are free, but most range between $20-$60. Performances are Canadian productions, many produced by local Vancouver theatre companies, and others are produced by international artists. This festival can be a fun activity to do with your friends and family and have an awesome time. At PuSh, there are lots of performances to choose from appealing to a wide variety of audiences.
To find out more about tickets and the festival, visit pushfestival.ca.
Book Launches
Authors Wade Baker and Mary Tasi are launching their book The Mapmaker’s Soul: Captain Vancouver’s Journals through an Indigenous Perspective on Thursday, Jan. 31, from 7-9 pm. Baker is a Coast Salish artist and Tasi recently published a groundbreaking book titled The Hidden Journals: Captain Vancouver & His Mapmaker. At the Ferry Building Gallery in West Vancouver, the co-authors will discuss their book, which is the culmination of 10 years of research and gathering of oral stories and personal histories, and explores the records of Captain Vancouver’s travels that were airbrushed out of the official accounts. Join Baker and Tasi for this illustrated lecture as they explore these stories from an Indigenous perspective and share their remarkable journey of discovery.
Register at 604-925-7270 or online at ferrybuildinggallery.com. Drop-ins are also accepted.
Art Exhibitions
And finally, an outstanding series of Impressions featuring India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos is also taking place at the Ferry Building Gallery. The first three-part exhibition, Impressions of India Part 1: Northern & Western India, is on Wednesday, Feb. 6, from 7-9 pm. In this fascinating audio-visual journey, one will be able to explore India from a historic and cultural point of view and discover the subcontinent’s art, architecture, geography and magnificent cultural heritage, including the religions of various civilizations that have occupied the land. One will be able to view images that evoke the natural and cultural diversity of the country and gain a deeper understanding of India’s subtleties, especially valuable to potential travellers. Keep an eye out for future Impressions in this series, on display from 7-9 pm on Wednesdays at the Gallery from Feb. 27 to Mar. 27.
