Arts and Entertainment

Todd Richard sings “Green and Blue” as HHSES students get ready to belt out the chorus during the school’s Music Monday on May 3. He is currently in the running for a top 100 spot in the 2021 Toyota Searchlight competition. (Adam Louis/Observer)

Harrison Hot Springs musician Todd Richard vies for Toyota Searchlight prize

First round ends on May 20, votes can be submitted every day

Todd Richard sings “Green and Blue” as HHSES students get ready to belt out the chorus during the school’s Music Monday on May 3. He is currently in the running for a top 100 spot in the 2021 Toyota Searchlight competition. (Adam Louis/Observer)
Cinematic pop/metal/alternative band Asterous has given full rein to Rummy Kandola and Don Beaudoin’s musical and lyrical creativity, they say. (Contributed photo)

South Surrey-based duo achieves big international sound

EP is first release for Asterous

Cinematic pop/metal/alternative band Asterous has given full rein to Rummy Kandola and Don Beaudoin’s musical and lyrical creativity, they say. (Contributed photo)
Peninsula-raised guitarist Michael Fabro’s nuevo-flamenco album Tasting Notes is a distillation of all of his musical experience, he says. Contributed photo

South Surrey acoustic guitarist offers listeners a taste of Spain

‘Tasting Notes’ a heady blend of Michael Fabro’s musical influences

Peninsula-raised guitarist Michael Fabro’s nuevo-flamenco album Tasting Notes is a distillation of all of his musical experience, he says. Contributed photo
The music video for “Green and Blue” featured a Willington Care Centre in Burnaby as well as some of the volunteers and employees. (Screenshot/Todd Richard)

‘Green and Blue’: B.C. country musician releases tribute song for front-line workers

Richard’s new single has been viewed more than 3,000 times on his YouTube channel

The music video for “Green and Blue” featured a Willington Care Centre in Burnaby as well as some of the volunteers and employees. (Screenshot/Todd Richard)
Vedrana Ascroft, artist and gallery owner, sits in her Aquamaris Art Gallery in Duncan. Don Denton photo

When the world needs more beauty

Artist Vedrana Ascroft curates her Aquamaris Art Gallery

  • Apr 2, 2021
Vedrana Ascroft, artist and gallery owner, sits in her Aquamaris Art Gallery in Duncan. Don Denton photo
David Underhill as George Gibbs and Hailey Conner as Emily Webb in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, which explored the possibilities of Peninsula Productions’ ‘black box’ theatre space in August of 2019. (John Prowse photo)

Peninsula Productions’ Guy Fauchon shares post-pandemic vision for theatre company

New artistic director has strong roots in the community

David Underhill as George Gibbs and Hailey Conner as Emily Webb in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, which explored the possibilities of Peninsula Productions’ ‘black box’ theatre space in August of 2019. (John Prowse photo)
Holly Arntzen, seen here in performance with The Wilds with Kevin Wright - will explore the jazz side of her musical personality in a live-streamed concert from Victoria on Sunday (March 21). (File photo)

Holly Arntzen to live-stream jazz from Victoria

Peninsula resident featured March 21 with father Lloyd’s band

Holly Arntzen, seen here in performance with The Wilds with Kevin Wright - will explore the jazz side of her musical personality in a live-streamed concert from Victoria on Sunday (March 21). (File photo)
Self-taught artist Broderick Wong will demonstrate his celebrated watercolour techniques in a live online event presented by the Surrey Art Gallery Association on April 1. (Contributed photo)

Surrey Art Gallery to feature exploration of watercolour techniques with Broderick Wong

Online demonstration presents award-winning approach

Self-taught artist Broderick Wong will demonstrate his celebrated watercolour techniques in a live online event presented by the Surrey Art Gallery Association on April 1. (Contributed photo)
Screenshot of Amazon Prime’s “The Mystery Mountain Project”

Mystery Mountain Hop: Documentary recounts quest for largest peak on the B.C. coast

Film available on Amazon Prime explores expedition of Don and Phyllis Munday to Mount Waddington

Screenshot of Amazon Prime’s “The Mystery Mountain Project”
Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos poses in this undated handout photo. Netflix plans to open an office in Canada in what the streaming giant calls “a big first step” toward content creation in this country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Netflix *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Netflix plans to open an office in Canada and grow its relationship with its creators

Netflix has 21 offices around the world, including Amsterdam and Rome

Netflix co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos poses in this undated handout photo. Netflix plans to open an office in Canada in what the streaming giant calls “a big first step” toward content creation in this country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Netflix *MANDATORY CREDIT*
FILE - In this April 4, 2019, file photo, Mary Wilson, a former member of The Supremes, is escorted after singing the national anthem before a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals in Detroit. Wilson died in Las Vegas, publicist Jay Schwartz told KABC-TV. When she died and other details weren’t immediately clear. She was 76. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Mary Wilson of the Supremes dead at 76

Artist posted YouTube video announcing work on new music just days before her death

FILE - In this April 4, 2019, file photo, Mary Wilson, a former member of The Supremes, is escorted after singing the national anthem before a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals in Detroit. Wilson died in Las Vegas, publicist Jay Schwartz told KABC-TV. When she died and other details weren’t immediately clear. She was 76. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
(SNL/Twitter)

Canadian star Dan Levy hosts Saturday Night Live’

Levy has been riding an incredible wave of success

(SNL/Twitter)
Actor Christopher Plummer seen at the press conference for “The Forger” during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12, 2014, in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)

Celebrities pay tribute to late Canadian actor Christopher Plummer

‘The world has lost a consummate actor today and I have lost a cherished friend’

Actor Christopher Plummer seen at the press conference for “The Forger” during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12, 2014, in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)
A video of Morgan Wallen showed him outside a home in Nashville, Tennessee yelling profanities. (AP Photo/Sanford Myers)

Country singer Morgan Wallen pulled from B.C. radio stations following use of racial slur

Metro Vancouver’s 93.7 JR Country and Country 107.1 are just some of the stations involved in the North American boycott

A video of Morgan Wallen showed him outside a home in Nashville, Tennessee yelling profanities. (AP Photo/Sanford Myers)
Atwork “un/settled” by poet Okot Bitek and photographer, SFU lecturer Chantal Gibson can be seen at West Hastings and Richards streets in downtown Vancouver. (SFU)

PHOTOS: Newly unveiled art installation pays tribute to Breonna Taylor at SFU

Found at West Hastings and Richards streets, ‘un/settled’ paints a picture of Black womanhood

Atwork “un/settled” by poet Okot Bitek and photographer, SFU lecturer Chantal Gibson can be seen at West Hastings and Richards streets in downtown Vancouver. (SFU)
Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)

$500,000 more funds available to struggling B.C. musicians amid COVID pandemic

Successful applicants will receive $5,000 SoundOn grants in as early as a month

Vancouver’s Blonde Diamond is one of dozens of B.C. bands who received a SoundON grant during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lauren Zbarsky photo)
The CBC TV show Dragons’ Den is now accepting applications for virtual auditions. (CBC TV photo)

Applications open for Dragons’ Den virtual auditions

Hit CBC TV show has held in-person auditions in Lower Mainland for many years

The CBC TV show Dragons’ Den is now accepting applications for virtual auditions. (CBC TV photo)
Red Fraggle, one of Jim Henson Company’s Fraggle Rock characers, is shown at Time To Play Holiday Show, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, in New York. The Jim Henson Company says production has officially started in Calgary on a reboot of the original 1980s children’s puppet series, which was filmed in Toronto.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mark Lennihan

‘Fraggle Rock’ children’s puppet series reboot starts production in Calgary

A spokesperson says the new series will stream on Apple TV plus

Red Fraggle, one of Jim Henson Company’s Fraggle Rock characers, is shown at Time To Play Holiday Show, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010, in New York. The Jim Henson Company says production has officially started in Calgary on a reboot of the original 1980s children’s puppet series, which was filmed in Toronto.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mark Lennihan
Toronto-based director Michelle Latimer was recently scrutinized after years of claiming she was of Algonquin and Metis descent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)

‘Trickster’ fans question why CBC cancelled the series instead of finding new path

Indigenous TV series cancelled in the wake of controversy over co-creator Michelle Latimer’s ancestry

Toronto-based director Michelle Latimer was recently scrutinized after years of claiming she was of Algonquin and Metis descent. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)
Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle (center) sings “Ordinary Day” with a virtual choir of 200 physicians from all over Canada. The video draws attention to A Dollar A Day Foundation, which supports those suffering with mental health and addiction issues. (Screenshot/YouTube)

VIDEO: 200-physician choir sings to benefit mental health, addiction recovery

Led by Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle, the video calls attention to mental health needs

Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle (center) sings “Ordinary Day” with a virtual choir of 200 physicians from all over Canada. The video draws attention to A Dollar A Day Foundation, which supports those suffering with mental health and addiction issues. (Screenshot/YouTube)