Beach House Theatre
Beach House Theatre’s seventh season runs this week at the company’s tent stage on Blackie Spit (Crescent Beach).
The shows are Neil Simon’s Rumors (until Aug. 19, performances at 8 p.m.), and the theatre-for-young-audiences (TYA) show Miss Electricity, by Kathryn Walat (daytime performances Aug. 15-19 at 11 a.m.).
In Rumors, directed by Candace Radcliffe and Rick Harmon – a farce set in 1980s New York – elegantly-attired dinner guests arrive at the home of deputy mayor Charlie Brock and his wife Myra, expecting a party to celebrate the couple’s 10th anniversary. Instead they find Myra missing, Charlie unconscious upstairs with a bullet hole in his ear lobe and reputation-destroying scandal just around the corner.
Miss Electricity, directed by Courtney Shields, is a creative musical tale about fifth-grader Violet, who has been zapped by lightning twice, leaving her with electricity-controlling superpowers and a new super-hero persona.
To reserve tickets for both shows – recommended because of the short season and limited seating – visit beachhousetheatre.org
Concerts at the Pier
Grand finale of the free TD Concerts at the Pier summer series – presented by the White Rock BIA in partnership with the City of White Rock, and sponsored by TD Canada Trust – will be Aug. 18, at East Beach.
Highlighted will be the environmentally-inspired folk-rock of South Surrey’s own The Wilds (featuring the multiple musical talents of Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright) and The Northern Pikes.
Blue Frog
White Rock’s Blue Frog Studios (www.bluefrogstudios.ca) continues to provide intimate, up-close concerts with national and international acts – as well as well-known local performers – throughout the summer.
Coming up are indigenous North American blues singer Crystal Shawanda (Sept. 6); Someone Like You: The Adele Songbook performed by Katie Markham (still tickets for an additional show Sept. 13); jazz singer Karin Plato (Sept. 14) and vituoso blues guitarist Terry Robb with the Blue Hearts (Sept. 15).
The venue is located at 1328 Johnston Rd.
For information on upcoming shows, and to reserve tickets, visit bluefrogstudios.ca
Traditional jazz
Toe-tapping retro jazz is still a feature at the Crescent Legion Branch’s Club 240, 2-5 p.m. most Sunday afternoons.
Although White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s season is on hiatus until the fall, popular WRTJS house band Red Beans & Rice – led by WRTJS co-founder Rice Honeywell Sr. on piano (and sometimes cornet) – is continuing its 14th summer season of dances.
Sessions run until Aug. 26.
The venue is located at 2643 128 St.; admission is $10 at the door (WRTJS members); $12 (non-members) and $6 (students with ID).
Meghan Carich masks
An exhibit of unique and expressive spirit masks created by Peninsula artist Meghan Carich is featured until Aug. 31 on the art wall at White Rock Library.
The leather masks – which combine both traditional and experimental elements – utilize the self-taught artist’s background in fashion design.
Carich, who has been teaching her mask-making techniques since 2007, has said that her biggest emphasis in teaching has been to underline that art takes time – and that quality cannot be rushed.
The library is located at 15342 Buena Vista Ave. For more information and opening hours, call 541-2201.
Mind the weather
Vancouver photographer, videographer and composer Mel Yap and Surrey painter Jen Clark have collaborated on the exhibition Mind The Weather, featured at the Crescent Beach Pop Up Gallery (12160 Beecher St.) until Aug. 23.
Their blend of sound and abstract painting explores the idea of weather as a metaphor for internal emotion and subconscious thought.
The formal opening of the exhibition was last Sunday.
The gallery is open Tuesday nights from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit mixcontemporaryart.com
Art at the Beach
The MIX group – a collective of established artists – will take over the Crescent Beach Pop Up Gallery at Beecher Place (12160 Beecher St. – lower level) from Aug. 30 to Sept. 16.
Participants Doris Anderson, Lee Caulfield, Veronica Davies, Louise Harding, Candace Latinga and Adriana Molina will be showing works that reflect their freedom of expression in contemporary and abstract art.
The opening reception will take place Aug. 30 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the venue.
Opening hours are noon to 7 p.m. over the Labour Day weekend (Aug. 31 to Sept. 3) and noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday for the rest of the exhibit.
For more information, visit mixcontemporaryart.com
Author reading
Squamish-based novelist and international affairs analyst Graham E. Fuller will read from his latest book, Bear, as part of Semiahmoo Arts’ Readings from the Salish Sea series, Sept. 5, 7-9 p.m. at the Turnbull Gallery (South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre), 14601 20 Ave.
Described as “a novel of the Great Bear Rainforest and Eco-violence,” Bear explores themes of environmental activism and confrontation that resonate with readers in both Canada and the U.S.
“The themes of Bear go beyond mere concern for the environment (to) invoke the universal image of bears as symbol of ancient wisdom and justice,” Fuller notes.
Tickets are available online at semiahmooarts.com, by phone at 604-536-8333 or at the Semiahmoo Arts office.
Conductor wanted
The South Fraser Community Band – a 25-member ensemble that performs locally – is looking for a new conductor.
Rehearsals are held every Thursday evening from 7:45-9:45 p.m. at Elgin Park Secondary.
Interested applicants are asked to email rbutula@telus.net or mdcullen05@gmail.com
Branch 8 Music
The White Rock Legion (Branch 8), 2290 152 St., presents bands and musical entertainers every Friday and Saturday, and Country Sunday live entertainment Sundays from 3-7 p.m., interspersed with other special music presentations, and daily specials from MacKarino’s Kitchen (open Wednesday through Sunday from noon).
Entertainers coming up are Reckless (Aug.17-18), Rick Leather (Aug. 24-25), Nasty Habits (Aug. 31- Sept. 1), Lone Wolf (Sept. 7-8), Nightwing (Sept. 14-15), Cheek To Cheek (Sept. 21-22) and Two Of A Kind (Sept. 28-29). The legion is located at 2290 152 St. and, on Fridays and Saturdays, is open from noon to 1 a.m.
For more, call 604-531-2422 or 604-531-4308.
Friday dances
The Semiahmoo Music Consortium’s regular Friday night party on the celebrated dance floor of Crescent Legion’s Club 240 continues Aug. 24 with House Special.
The show gets underway at the 2643 128 St. legion at 8 p.m.
., and hot food is available from Seriously Good Catering.
Coming up in the SMC series are ever-popular show band March Hare with a salute to the ’70s (Sept. 7), a CD release party with African-born music sensation Ezra Kwizera (Sept. 14) and The Retrogrades (Sept. 21).
For more info on shows at Club 240, visit www.club240.ca
