Local teacher Holly Beckmyer and Janessa Shae O’Hearn will present an Easter recital at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 25 at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Gibsons. Having grown up on the Sunshine Coast, Beckmyer has taught privately and co-led the Coast String Fiddlers for the past two years, and she is also pursuing a career in opera. She is proud to showcase that on the Sunshine Coast on March 25, alongside her operatic colleague O’Hearn and award-winning pianist Nikolai Maloff. Though the two singers studied together at Vancouver Academy of Music, they have developed very opposite musical styles. Beckmyer has a special interest in modern music, while O’Hearn has been studying traditional opera in Italy. Together, they have put together a contrasting recital with something for everyone, from Easter Oratorio, to Italian opera, to humorous art song. In celebration of Palm Sunday, they will be starting the programme with Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater,” and will also be singing works by Bellini, Mozart, Strauss, Bernstein and more. Admission is by donation.
Graduation
The Sunshine Coast Film Society presents Graduation, a Romanian crime/drama in Romanian with English subtitles. A Cannes winner, Graduation is a powerful exploration of a parent’s life, duty and values becoming undone by destructive life circumstances. Romeo, a physician living in a small Transylvanian mountain town, tries to “heal” his daughter’s damaged life and ensure her academic future by making shady deals and conflicted compromises. The film screens on Saturday, March 24, 2 p.m., at the Raven’s Cry Theatre, 5555 Sunshine Coast Highway, Sechelt. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Members $5, single event $9.
This Weekend
• Nir Blu performs his original, eclectic compositions on piano this Friday, March 23, at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons. Tickets at the door for $20.
• The Funtastics present Hooray for Hollywood this Friday, at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre. Tickets are at the door, if any are still available.
Off the Page
The comedy Ocean Blue View will be the next play in the Off the Page Play reading series on Sunday March 25, 1 p.m. at the Gibsons Public Market, third floor, Coastal Room. Ocean Blue View tells the story of a wealthy socialite who hires some dodgy landscapers to cut down trees that are blocking her view of the ocean. The cast is Wanda Nowicki, Pat Dorval, Dave Hurtubise and Nathan Detroit Barrett who is well known for the role of Tanner in the Netflix series, iZombie, and is a frequent visitor to the Sunshine Coast where he has family connections. Admission is pay-what-you-can.
Ulrich Trio
On Sunday, March 25 at 2 p.m. the Pender Harbour School of Music presents the Shari Ulrich Trio. The expression “music legend” is often bandied about casually but, in the case of Ulrich, it hits the mark. Since the early 1970s, her voice and her words have left an indelible mark on Canadian music and on several generations of dedicated fans. Still actively writing and performing, she particularly enjoys the opportunity to sing with her daughter who clearly has inherited some impressive musical genes. Ulrich is joined by Julia Graff and Cindy Fairbank. Tickets are available at Harbour Insurance in Madeira Park, Sechelt Visitor Centre or at penderharbourmusic.ca
Produce a Recording
The third in the Sunshine Coast Arts Council’s The Business of Art series is How to Produce a Recording, and it takes place Sunday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre. David Taylor, award-winning music producer, will present information on recording and producing a song/album with examples of work in progress, discuss issues such as time and costs involved, how to self-release a CD and how to promote it via social media, as well as the big question: “How do you know when you’re ready to self-release?” Taylor is a multiple award winning record producer/engineer and multi-disciplinary artist with over 120 album credits to his name. His television and film sound work includes Corner Gas, Wild Life and The Nature of Things. To register, call 604-885-5412 or see Share-There.com. Drop-ins are welcome if space is available. Funding comes from the BC Arts Council, sponsored by S.C. Credit Union.
Indigenous Literature
On Saturday, March 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m., the Gibsons library hosts the launch of Daniel Heath Justice’s new book, Why Indigenous Literatures Matter. Justice (Cherokee Nation) is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Literature and Expressive Culture at UBC. A widely published scholar in Indigenous literary studies, he is co-editor of Oxford Handbook of Indigenous American Literature (2014) and the author of a Cherokee literary history, a cultural history of badgers, and the Indigenous fantasy trilogy, Way of Thorn and Thunder.
Why Indigenous Literatures Matter is part survey of the field of Indigenous literary studies, part cultural history, and part literary polemic. The book asserts the vital significance of literary expression to the political, creative, and intellectual efforts of Indigenous peoples today.
Speakers Corner
Stop by Sunnycrest Mall, Gibsons, on Saturday, March 24 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the local Toastmasters clubs’ speaking event. Hear interesting mini speeches and impromptu comments, or join in, if you like.
Raconteurs Night
Sunshine Coast Racon-teurs Night presents, Facing Finite Time: Scary Diagnoses, at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery, March 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. Presenters sing, talk or read from their own or other authors’ work for up to five minutes on their life-threatening issues or the impact those of loved ones has had on their lives. Poignant, inspiring, sad, often humorous. All are welcome. Admission is by donation. Contact Janice at [email protected] to participate, or just come and listen.
Coffee House
The monthly Artesia coffee house will be held on Good Friday evening, March 30 at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. The evening will open with young singer, songwriter Ashley Hautala followed by the Pender Harbour duo of Ken Johnson on grand piano and Nancy Pincombe, vocals. After the break, author Anne Simonet will read from her latest novel, Unfinished Business. Closing the night will be the Millar-Bowie Band with Glenn Millar: acoustic guitar, bass guitar, vocals; Jim Bowie: electric guitar, bass guitar, vocals; Paula Bowie: uke, vocals, with an eclectic mix of cover and original tunes spanning the genres of folk, pop rock and jazz. Tickets are $10 at the door opening at 7 p.m. with music starting at 8 p.m. Come early to get a good seat, meet with friends, enjoy treats by Trish, watch the slideshow of past musicians and take in the latest art exhibition in the Gallery.
Go Frankie
Performer Frankie Cottrell, formerly of Gib-sons, is now playing Elvis in Million Dollar Quartet at Chemainus Theatre Festival in Chemainus on Vancouver Island, opening this Friday. As well he will be performing in Mamma Mia for the Arts Club at the Stanley Theatre Stage in Vancouver, opening on May 10.
Mycelia Luna
Mycelia Luna, a one evening event with three diverse musical styles and an art gallery featuring Coastal locals in an all-ages show is coming to the Roberts Creek Hall on March 31. Art Gallery opens at 8 p.m., music by Heofon at 9 p.m., Yaima at 10:30 p.m. (with Simon Haiduk visuals) and Bridge at midnight. Find out more at Share-There.com (also ride-sharing) or buy tickets at MELOmania in Roberts Creek. More details in next week’s Coast Reporter.
Message Me
Did you get a “not in service” message when you tried to reach me by phone recently? My new phone number is 604-741-9360. You can send notice of your arts and entertainment events to [email protected] (my email has not changed). Items go into the Art Beat column one day to one week ahead only depending on space. Deadline is Tuesday noon for Friday’s paper.
