Movie buffs, don't miss out on the next Last Mondays at the Movies screening.
Up this month, on Monday, March 30, it's Princess Grace (Grace of Monaco), starring Nicole Kidman as the celebrated actress-turned-princess.
"Grace of Monaco is an intimate snapshot of a year in the life of the 20th century's most iconic princess, Grace Kelly, as she strived to reconcile her past and her present, a yearning for a return to the big screen with her newfound role as a mother of two, monarch of a European principality and wife to Prince Rainier III," a synopsis notes.
The movie is on at the Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Ave., and it screens at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $9, and you can buy them at the door.
SPRING INTO ART
Art lovers, you'll want to make note of this one.
The Anvil Centre is holding an opening reception on Thursday, March 26 for the latest exhibition in its Community Art Space.
Expressions of Spring will run at the gallery from March 24 to May 22, with the opening reception March 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The community artists this month are members of Century House arts and crafts programs.
The seniors' centre offers a host of programs and services for adults aged 50 and up, and this group art exhibition will feature works from its arts, pottery, crafts and quilting groups.
"The works are a diverse cross-section of mediums, artistic expression and craftsmanship," a press release notes.
The Anvil Centre is at 777 Columbia St., downtown.
VINTAGE BOOKS SOUGHT
Are there any book lovers out there with vintage books they can lend to a good cause?
Royal City Musical Theatre is on the hunt for books: "lots and lots of vintage or vintage-looking books," as the group notes in an email.
The theatre company needs the books for the set of its upcoming spring musical, My Fair Lady, which opens April 9 at Massey Theatre.
If you have any books you can lend or donate, get in touch with the theatre company by email, [email protected].
For those who haven't yet bought tickets, My Fair Lady will be onstage at the Massey from April 9 to April 26.
There's a special family matinee on April 12 - buy two adult tickets and receive two senior or children tickets for free -and there's also an extra matinee added for April 26, due to demand.
Check out www.royalcitymusicaltheatre.com for more details or to buy tickets now.
POETIC JUSTICE
Have you checked out Poetic Justice lately?
The poetry reading series is continuing on Sunday afternoons at the Heritage Grill, with two featured poets and an open mike session each time.
Coming up this weekend (Sunday, March 29), the session will be hosted by Sho Wiley, featuring Chelsea Comeau and Janet Kvammen.
It's closed for the Easter long weekend the following weekend but returns Sunday, April 12, with Deborah L. Kelly hosting a session featuring Kyle McKillop and Aidan Chafe.
Poetic Justice runs from 3 to 5 p.m. in the back room at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St. See www.poeticjustice.ca for the full schedule and all the details.
WORDPLAY DROP-IN
Also for the poetry lovers, don't forget about WordPlay.
The Royal City Literary Arts Society offers the free monthly drop-in series as a way to help writers generate poetry - you arrive with your own writing tools and paper, then get writing prompts from the group to help "free your poetic heart," as they say.
It's not a critique group, just a chance to get some first drafts flowing.
The next session is set for Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in the back room at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St.
See www.rclas.com for all the details.
CHORAL GEMS COMING UP FOR SPRING
Fans of choral music have an excellent month coming up in April.
In my last column, you'll have read about VanDeca's fundraiser at River Market on April 18 (check out the details at www.vandecachoir.com, or see the article online).
Well, on that very same night, you also have two other choral events to choose from.
New Westminster's own Amabilis Singers are performing The Elements: Earth | Water | Air | Fire, at 8 p.m. at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church (8255 13th Ave. in Burnaby).
"Not just a musical guide to the elements, this concert promises to fundamentally deepen your appreciation of the substances that make up our world," a notice from the choir says.
The concert includes pieces in a diverse range of styles that embody each of the elements. Earth includes such works as Lydia Adams' Mi'kmaq Honour Song and Alan Raines' choral reworking of Richard Strauss's Morgen.
Water comes to life in Eric Whitacre's Water Night and Mack Wilberg's Deep River, while Air is depicted by Rihards Dubra's Stetit Angelus and Donald Patriquin's arrangement of J'entends le moulin.
For fire, audiences can expect to hear such pieces as Patrick Wedd's Veni Creator and Stephen Paulus's Hymn to the Eternal Flame.
(Yes, yes, it's confession time: I am indeed part of Amabilis, and if you come, you can find me in the alto ranks.)
Tickets are $20, or free for children under 11. Call 604-503-2074 or see www.amabilissingers.org.
That very same evening, Phoenix Chamber Choir is also in town as part of the Music at Queens concert series, giving an encore performance of spring concert, GLOW.
The performance includes contemporary choral works by such composers as John Tavener, Jake Runestad, Gabriel Jackson and Jean Coulthard.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. at Queens Avenue United Church, 529 Queens Ave.
Tickets are $20, or $15 for seniors and students, $10 for children.
Check out www.phoenixchoir.ca for more details about the concert.
Good news for those who'd like to attend both concerts - although we haven't yet figured out a way for you to be in both places, it is also possible to hear Phoenix perform its spring concert the previous night, April 17, at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Vancouver (1440 W. 12th Ave.).
Incidentally, Phoenix also has a recently released CD, Mid-Winter Songs/Un Soir de Neige, and a newly released music video, of Eric Whitacre's I Hide Myself.
You can find out more about both at the choir's website.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected]. You can also find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
