April is Poetry Month so several poets who are meeting as Poetry Club in Roberts Creek once a month have challenged themselves to write a poem a day for a month. You don’t need to be a member of the club to participate, although you could come to the next meeting, April 9 at 2 p.m. at the Roberts Creek library, if you would like to be a member. Poetry Club has also started a Facebook group called Poem a Day for people to post their poems and share them. For more information, email [email protected]
Bits of music
Jill Shatford will be performing with a great group of musicians this Friday, April 1 at 8 p.m. at the Gumboot Café in Roberts Creek. All proceeds will go to support a local volleyball team, to help cover travel and hotel costs when they go into the Lower Mainland for regionals and provincials. Performances are: Bits of Jazz including Bonar Harris, Bits of Hillbilly from Mr. and Mz. Jeevious and the musical Bits of String. Take your chances at the 50/50 draw and treat yourself to refreshments. Email Jill for tickets at [email protected]
Play opens
Blithe Spirit, the witty comedy by Noel Coward, has opened at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, a presentation of Driftwood Players. See it this Friday or Saturday, April 1 and 2, or catch the matinée April 3. Tickets are at many outlets including online at www.driftwoodplayers.ca
Painting Music
On Saturday, April 2, hear and see Painting Music: the one-page score project. Graphic scores are presented from a three-day workshop plus live performance by a stellar ensemble of 12 local, Vancouver and international musicians including: Doug Gorkoff, cello; François Houle, clarinet and electronics; Eyvind Kang, viola; John Kastelic, viola; Janine Island, violin; Giorgio Magnanensi, conduction; Mark McGregor, flute; Chad McQuarrie, electric guitar; Lisa Cay Miller, keyboards; Graham Ord, saxophone; Katie Rife, percussion; Stefan Smulovitz, viola and electronics. Concert starts at 8 p.m.; tickets at the door. It’s at the Roberts Creek Hall. Call Giorgio Magnanesi at 604-886-9066 for more.
Landing Gallery
The Landing Co-op Gallery is once again switching things up as they start a new season. Beginning April 1 (no fooling) there will be a new look, new work, and a new show called Simply Spring. Pop in to see the growing amount of work that is springing forth. Check out www.landinggallery.ca, at 436 Marine Drive, Gibsons. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Comedy strip
A fictitious male stripper troupe, played by a cast of improvisational comedians, performs an improv comedy show on Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m. at the Raven’s Cry Theatre, Sechelt. They banter with the crowd and perform a hilarious twist on improv sketches – definitely a parody with no extreme nudity. Semi-undressed and completely unscripted, the Comic Strippers take off their shirts and take on your suggestions to create a whole new genre of comedy. A show for all genders, 19 plus only. Tickets are at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2450893. Seating is first come, first served, but you can reserve by bringing your ticket to Raven’s Cry and picking out your seat(s). A $3 cash/seat service charge will apply, which will be donated 100 per cent to the local SPCA.
Mars talk
Catherine Johnson from UBC, whose topic will be The InSight Mission: Journey to the Centre of Mars, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 8, at the Sunshine Coast Art Centre, 5714 Medusa St., Sechelt. Orbital and lander missions to Mars over the past several decades have revealed a wealth of information and raised many unanswered questions about the planet’s past climate conditions. Key to answering these questions is an understanding of the planet’s deep interior, about which we know very little. The InSight mission in 2018, will deploy a seismometer, a heat flow probe and several other instruments on the surface of Mars, and Johnson will talk about how InSight will monitor the Red Planet’s vital signs. Admission is free: donations gratefully accepted at the door. Check out the Sunshine Coast RASC site at www.coastastronomy.ca for contact and schedule information.
Fiji fundraiser
Severe tropical cyclone Winston will go down in Fiji’s history as one of the worst natural disasters to ever make landfall, leaving behind the biggest magnitude of destruction the country has ever witnessed. Thousands of families were left with just the clothes on their backs with little to no food and water. A local group is planning a fundraiser on April 16 starting at 6 p.m. at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall to help victims of this disaster. All proceeds will be donated. Enjoy a Night for Fiji that includes Fijian cuisine buffet, door prizes, raffle draws, 50/50 draws, dance and entertainment. Tickets are $50 (includes dinner and one free drink, kids enter free). To purchase a ticket contact Sabrina Samy at 604-989-1341 before April 10.
Banana in Brooklyn
Artist Anna Banana of Roberts Creek wanted to share the news that the book, 45 Years of Fooling Around with A. Banana, was awarded first place in the Alcuin pictorial category for excellence in book design. Jessica Sullivan was the book’s designer and Michelle Jacques was the author/editor of the many articles.
An exhibit of Banana’s work at the Pratt Institute gallery in Brooklyn, New York, is still on until April 10. Her work is hung between doors and vitrines over four floors of a heritage library building. The gallery staff was thrilled with the exhibit and about 45 New Yorkers (many old mail-art friends) made the big trip out to Pratt/Brooklyn to see the show.
Expanded Love
Three titles from Light Messages Publishing have been named Foreword Reviews’ 18th annual INDIEFAB Book of the Year awards finalists. One of them is A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks of Roberts Creek. Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. Over the next three months, a panel of more than 100 volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in 63 categories based on their experience with readers and patrons. The three books chosen from Light Messages were lead titles for 2015. A Theory of Expanded Love received resounding praise from reviewers and readers alike.
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact person’s phone number or email in your notice.
