Here's a heads-up for local theatre lovers. The Vagabond Players are kicking off 2015 with Agatha Christie's Go Back for Murder. Based on Christie's novel Murder in Retrospect, the play follows a woman who's seeking to prove that her now-deceased mother was innocent of the murder that sent her to jail.
The Vagabond production is directed by Jacqollyne Keath. It runs Jan. 29 to Feb. 21, with shows Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Bernie Legge Theatre in Queen's Park.
Tickets are $15, or $13 for seniors and youth, with $10 previews on Jan. 29 and 30.
Reserve at 604-521-0412 or email [email protected], or see www.vagabondplayers.ca for more details - and watch these pages for more to come.
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Also on the theatre front, you can catch New Westminster talent onstage in the next production at Coquitlam's Evergreen Cultural Centre.
Stage 43 Theatrical Society is presenting Steel Magnolias, running Jan. 15 to 24.
It features New West's own Nancy Ebert as Clairee, and it's also directed by local resident Jacqollyne Keath.
Ebert was recently seen onstage locally in the Vagabond Players production of Fawlty Towers, where she starred as Sybil. She's joined in Steel Magnolias by another of her Fawlty Towers castmates, Michelle Berg as M'Lynn.
The production also stars Angela Bell as Truvy, Jill Menkveld as Annelle, Sharon Notarrigo as Ouiser and Alannah St. Pierre as Shelby.
For those unfamiliar with Robert Harling's story - which, of course, became the basis for the 1989 film starring Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field and Shirley MacLaine - it revolves around the lives of the women who frequent Truvy's Beauty Salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana.
Steel Magnolias is onstage at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, from Jan. 15 to 18 and Jan. 21 to 24. Call the box office at 604-927-6555 or see www.stage43.org/tickets.
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Arts at One is back.
The free afternoon concert series is continuing at Douglas College on Thursday afternoons.
The Jan. 15 edition will feature Song of the East, with Mohamed Assani on sitar and Sunny Matharu on tabla. On Jan. 22, you can enjoy Le Nozze di Figaro, presented by the UBC Opera Ensemble and directed by Nancy Hermiston.
On Jan. 29, the concert features Duo Verdejo - Adrian Verdejo on classical and electric guitar and Meghan Verdejo on viola - and on Feb. 5, it's a Douglas College faculty recital.
All Arts at One concerts take place at 1 p.m. in the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre, fourth floor north at Douglas College, 700 Royal Ave.
For more information on the concerts, call 604-527-5723 or see www.douglascollege.ca.
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Love art? Drop in to the New Westminster Public Library to check out two new art shows for January.
On the ramp gallery (on the main floor), you can enjoy Young Creative Minds, a show by the students of artist Shavon Cheng. The young artists are in grades 1 to 5, and the show features work by Chloe Chan, Jerry Chen, Amity Dominelli, Harmony Dominelli, Angelina Garcia, Naomi Hsu, Amanda Huang, Eileen Ji, Brendan Lin, Mia Rose Lin, Charlotte Mak, Chloe Mak, Ashley Tseng, Jackie Tseng, Isabelle Zhan, Denis Zukic and Elvin Zukic.
Upstairs at the library, you can check out the New Westminster Photography Club's 8 x 10 x 19. Nineteen of the club's members are displaying photographs - ranging from a closeup of a hummingbird to sweeping landscapes to art photography.
The library is at 716 Sixth Ave., uptown, and you can see the art exhibits at any time during library opening hours. See www.nwpl.ca or call 604-527-4660 for more information.
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Every writer knows that feeling - staring at a blank page, wondering how on earth it's going to fill itself.
A workshop at the New Westminster Public Library has some help to offer.
The Royal City Literary Arts Society is holding the free workshop, Getting the First Draft on the Page, on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
"No matter if you like to plot your story, or write by the seat of your pants, author Perry Wilson will show you how to get from the first word to the last of your great story," a press release notes. "Along with the tips on how to create a strong tale filled with complex characters, you'll get some practice on locking in conflict between your hero and villain."
The workshop is free, but you must pre-register by calling 604-527-4667 or by emailing [email protected]
The library is at 716 Sixth Ave.
Check out www.rclas.com for more on the workshop.
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Poetry lovers, take heed - there's been a change of date and venue for the next Poetry Wars session.
Poetry Wars is a study group led by Carol Shillibeer, which challenges participants to explore Canada's literary environment by reading poems, reviews, texts and commentary, then gather for a once-a-month discussion.
The next date was originally announced as Jan. 10, but it's now been changed to Monday, Jan. 19 - and in a new location at 100 Braid Street Studios. It runs from 7 to 9 p.m.
Check out www.rclas.com/events/poetry-wars for more, or just drop in to check it out for yourself. You can also email [email protected] if you have questions.
Send Lively City ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
