Here's a fantastic project for an artist with ties to Queensborough.
The City of New Westminster has issued an artist call for A Walk Down Memory Lane, a community-driven art project centring around Queensborough Community Centre, which will celebrate the history and evolution of the centre and of the Queensborough Community at large.
"We are seeking a dynamic artist with a strong community-engaged practice to create a permanent installation at the centre," the city's artist call says. "The artist will work directly with community members to research, design and oversee the installation of a vinyl mural in one of the centre's main thoroughfares."
The artwork is intended to include photos and images collected from the community, reflecting community memories, experiences and hopes for the future.
"A Walk Down Memory Lane will strengthen community ties across generations and cultures and engage longtime residents and newcomers alike," the write-up says.
Artists need to submit current CV and bio, documentation of up to past five artworks/projects, and a cover letter outlining the artist's interest in the project, the community of Queensborough and the Queensborough Community Centre.
The project must be completed by December 2015, and the artist must be available for community sessions on May 11 (10 a.m. to noon) and May 22 (6:30 to 8:30 p.m.)
Send submissions by April 10 to Renee Chadwick, manager of the Queensborough Community Centre, [email protected]. Check out www.newwestpcr.ca for the complete artist call and full description.
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I could have danced all night,
I could have danced all night,
And still have begged for more,
I could have spread my wings
And done a thousand things
I've never done before ...
Don't mind me, I just had to get that out of my system. Needless to say, the soundtrack to My Fair Lady has pretty much been stuck in my head since I found out that the Lerner and Loewe classic will be Royal City Musical Theatre's offering this spring.
I'll be writing more about it - and the awesome New Westminster folk involved in the show - very soon.
But in the meantime, I wanted to bring this heads-up to other Broadway fans, in case anyone had managed to miss it.
It will be onstage at Massey Theatre April 9 through 26.
This production of the classic musical stars Tracy Neff as the Cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle, with Warren Kimmel as Henry Higgins, Michael Wild as Col. Pickering, John Payne as Alfred Doolittle and NWSS grad Thomas Lamont as Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Barbara Pollard joins the cast as Mrs. Higgins.
Artistic director is Valerie Easton, with director Max Reimer, musical director James Bryson and choreographer Suzanne Ouellette.
Check out www.royalcitymusicaltheatre.com for all the details. You can get your tickets at www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
And, as a special bonus for musical theatre lovers, anyone with a My Fair Lady ticket stub can get $5 off the upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Out of a Dream, on at the Anvil Centre from April 29 to May 3.
The musical revue was created by Peter Jorgensen of Patrick Street Productions - you can find out more about it at www.patrickstreetproductions.com.
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If you love poetry, you'll want to mark Tuesday, April 7 on your calendar.
That's the night for a special celebration of National Poetry Month, hosted by the League of Canadian Poets at the New Westminster Public Library. It's co-sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The event runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and includes readings by Candice James, New West's poet laureate, and George Fetherling, an acclaimed poet, novelist and cultural commentator.
There's also an open mike session.
Check out www.poets.ca under Events for other National Poetry Month events.
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Here's another one for the poetically inclined - a book launch on Sunday, April 12.
Local writer Deborah Kelly will launch her debut poetry book, Through My Eyes, in a special event in the backroom at the Heritage Grill.
Starting at 2 p.m., Deborah will read selected poems from her book and will offer signed books for sale.
"This poetry book is a beautiful offering of spiritual poetry and the human condition," a write-up says. "It is an amazing collection of surrealistic musings weaved throughout spiritual thoughts."
The book is being released by Silver Bow Publishing.
The book launch will be followed by the regular Poetic Justice event from 3 to 5 p.m. Check out www.poeticjustice.ca for all the details.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
