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Thursday, July 30, 2009

News: Young Female Assaulted in Early Hours

Police issued warnings Wednesday about an early morning sexual assault.

The attack occurred around 2:30 a.m. in a back lane of the 1500 block of East Fifth Ave., west of Commercial Drive.

The 13-year-old victim was travelling on the No. 20 city bus — which goes between West Hastings downtown and Victoria Drive to Southeast Marine Drive — when a man boarded and sat down beside her. Police say the man threatened her with a weapon and directed her to get off the bus.

The man then led the girl to an alley behind some apartment buildings, where he sexually assaulted her before walking away. The girl reported the incident to a family friend who called 911.

The suspect is described as a 20-to-25-year-old, clean-shaven man with light or medium-coloured skin, and short black hair. He was wearing a white tank top and blue jeans.

Police weren’t commenting Wednesday on whether the attack may be linked to a series of earlier sex assaults on young girls in the Metro region.

Read the full story here>>>

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News: Commercial Drive Actress Dies of Cancer

From the Georgia Straight
Amidst all the news about celebrity deaths this past week, the Canadian theatre, film, and TV industries suffered a loss when local actor Lorena Gale succumbed to abdominal cancer on June 21.

Earlier this year, in February, the local theatre community rallied around her to support her during her battle with cancer.

Gale racked up an extensive number of roles on-stage and on-screen, in TV shows such as Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, The X-Files, and The Outer Limits and movies ranging from Things We Lost in the Fire to The Chronicles of Riddick.

She was also a dramatist whose Angélique, about a black slave hanged in 1734 after being accused of starting a blaze that destroyed Montreal, and Je me souviens, an autobiographical solo play that explored linguistic and cultural tensions in Quebec, were important contributions to Canadian theatre. In both her work and opinions, she addressed racial issues in Canadian society.

Read the full story here >>>

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Special Event: Artful Sundays @ Napier Square

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Special Event: Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival

Volunteers Wanted:

The 6th Annual

Summer Dream

Literary Arts Festival

Aug.19-Aug.29, 2009

Presented by Pandora’s Collective







Summer Dream was created to raise public awareness about on-going literary events, programs and resources available in the local writing community.

Now in its sixth year, the festival proudly features over 100 of the West Coast’s best authors, musicians and performers, including Governor General nominee Evelyn Lau, Vancouver’s first Poet Laureate George McWhirter, Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize winner Rita Wong, quirky Commercial Drive anti-heroes Al Mader AKA “The Minimalist Jug band” and the surreal RC Weslowski, plus Seattle spoken word legend Jack McCarthy, to name just a handful.

Summer Dream incorporates literary performances, dancers, local bands, panel discussions, open mics and a children’s area with puppet shows, music, story tellers, face painting and craft tables. There are also information tables showcasing community groups and resources like the Vancouver Public Library and The Federation of BC Writers.

Preparations are now well-underway for the event that local critics have called Vancouver’s best-kept summer secret!”

Festival organizers Bonnie Nish and Rhonda Milne are anxious to meet people who want to be a part of this engaging, entertaining, family-friendly celebration of literary-based art.


”There’s always lots do,”
Nish, the festival’s Executive Director, pointed out in a recent interview. “We need people to lend a hand with everything from spreading the word before the event, to helping out with set-up and tear-down on Saturday’s big outdoor happening.”

Milne, who acts as Volunteer Coordinator for the festivities, was quick to add, that what first convinced her to become involved was the sense of “camaraderie and community” that the festival fostered.

“The first time I got involved with Summer Dream,” Milne said, “I was inspired all the great talent and great people who really go out of their way to make you feel like your part of something very special and important. It’s like a big family!”

For volunteer opportunities you can contact Rhonda Milne at rhondamsel@yahoo.ca 778-928-1147

For media information and full festival details visit http://www.pandorascollective.com/sdrfestival.html or call Steve Duncan at 604-788-8340. srduncan@shaw.ca.

For all other inquiries contact Bonnie Nish at Bonnie Nish at 778-322-4039 blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca

Pandora’s Collective would like to thank the following sponsors for making this event possible: Giest, Vancouver Review, Subterrain, Event, Room With A View, 3 Day Novel Contest, Prism, Capilano Review, One Cool Word, Vancouver Story Tellers, Vancouver Public Library, Quills, Nestor's Market, Graphic design by CWCLCOGY with Wera, Vancouver Parks Board, 2008 Celebrations Grant c/o The City of Vancouver and The Office of Cultural Affairs, CBS Outdoor, Starbucks, VanCity, Christianne's Lyceum, Coast Capital Savings, The Federation of BC Writers, Burnaby Writers Society, Industrial Alliance Pacific Life Insurance Company, BC Poetry, Jaffer Speech and Language Services, Irene Livingston, Don Simpson, Joyce Statton, Randy Jacobs, Bernice Lever, Andrea Winterbottom and Robin Susanto.

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Friday, July 03, 2009

Special Event: Alice in Wonderland Festival @ Trout Lake

The 15th Annual Alice in Wonderland Festival at Trout Lake, SUNDAY, July 12th from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Come as ANY character from Alice in Wonderland -

AND:

The World's Largest Gathering of ALICES, SATURDAY, July 4th at 1:30 p.m., English Bay

Yes, coming up one week from today - A World Record Challenge! If you've always wanted to be ALICE,
please attend! You still have time to assemble the basic Alice costume - blue dress, white pinafore, headband,
and a crinoline if you got one! All Alices must go to the website and state your Intent to Appear.


Please see our websites for full details:





Volunteers are always needed - many hands make delight work -
so please contact us if you'd like to be involved.

Hope to see you there!

And please forward this invite to all interested parties!

Yours in Wonderland,

The Hatter



The Community Arts Workshop Society Invites You to Attend
The 15th Annual Alice in Wonderland Festival

Sunday, July 12th, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM at Trout Lake Park

"Curiouser and Curiouser!"

Lewis Carroll's delightful characters come to life at Vancouver’s 15th Annual Alice in Wonderland Festival, July 12th starting at 1:00 PM at Trout Lake (John Hendry Park, 15th and Victoria).

On that special Sunday the east side of Trout Lake becomes an enchanted "Wonderland", complete with an impossibly long 30 foot table for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, giant tea pots, the Queen of Hearts Castle and dozens of characters roaming the Park in fantastic costumes.

This community festival boasts a cast of more than 50 actors, including Gina Bastone, Dan Vie, Kuei-Ming Lin, Christopher Sumpton, and Jim Sands, with musical refreshments provided by The Carnival Band, Toot-A-Lute, Gamelan Madu Sari and The End Tree.

Come dressed up as your favorite Lewis Carroll character and travel with Alice as she meets Humpty Dumpty and the Cheshire Cat, joins in the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, plays a wicked game of croquet with the Queen of Hearts, learns life lessons from the Caterpillar and dances the Lobster Quadrille. It’s all in good fun!

This free event offers participatory activities for adults and children. Come in costume, or get character make up and make costumes on the spot at our Imagination Station. Meet knights in real armor, visit with Queen Victoria, exchange riddles with the Mad Hatter, and have your picture taken by Lewis Carroll - plus meet the real-life ancestors of Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell. Bring a family picnic and join in tea, biscuits and wild speculation at The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Don’t forget to bring your favorite pink flamingo! No tickets are required, just bring a smile and come down to the park.

In the case of inclement weather, the festival will occur at Trout Lake the following Sunday, June 19th at 1:00 PM.

Please Note: As a warm up to the Festival, you are also invited to the Alices Everywhere Event. On Saturday, July 4th at English Bay, we shall attempt to achieve a world’s record for the largest assembly of people ever dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Please see www.aliceinwonderlandfestival.com for more photos, video, Registration details.

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Theatre: Stripes @ Havana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=498JnSU5sh4&feature=player_embedded

Creator/Performer Sarah Hayward tells us why we should see

Stripes: The Mystery Circus

Written and Performed by: Sarah Hayward

In collaboration with: Marguerite Witvoet and Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg

Presented by: Mystery Circus Media

A radically unique one woman show celebrating the comic circus of life.

“With a booming voice and a rocking bod, Sarah Hayward is a master of the small stage. Her solo theatrical cabaret about a woman auditioning to be seven different circus acts enchants the audience with its spunk and skill. ” – E.G.A. (EG ANDERSON).
An energetic, exciting, piece of theatre, Stripes: The Mystery Circus stars Sarah Hayward, as seen on TV in Smallville, The L Word and Robson Arms, and in the Films Hellraiser and Miracle.
Stripes toured the Fringe Festival circuit with great success, with performances in Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

At the Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive

One week limited engagement: July 14 to 18, 2009, 8 pm

Tickets available from Tickets Tonight: 604.684.2787

email: info@ticketstonight.ca


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Thursday, July 02, 2009

Special Event: Mythical One-Acts at Cedar Cottage Community Gardens

FREE! - Our Last Vancouver Date - FREE!
Sunday, July 5th, 2009 -
Curtain 4 pm


Nuclear Fall-In by Ed Ballou
Photo by Steve Duncan

Jack Benny & The Angels by Jason Logan
Photo by Peter Valentine

VENUE: Cedar Cottage Community Garden
Under the Sky Train at the big red “A”
at Victoria Drive & Hull Street, Vancouver

Beginning with the Musical Act:
E.C. Salazar on Folk Guitar with Mouth Trumpet
"Tunes in the Key of Little Mountain"

And, the One-Act PLAYS we'll present:
Nuclear Fall-In and Jack Benny & The Angels

Free Outdoor Event - Rain or Shine!
Link to Google Map to Cedar Cottage Community Garden >>

So, what do ya call a misplaced forearm that's gone awry… and a winged Jack Benny on assignment?

It’s our “Festival of Mythical Plays and Winning One-Acts... A 2009 Summer Lower Mainland Mini-Tour of original One-Act Plays...

>> A little bit about the Plays...

1. Nuclear Fall-In by Ed Ballou - an original winning One-Act Play – A nuclear family is living/working too close to a leaky nuclear plant. (no pun intended) Mutation of living creatures is on the rise. This play has a number of way out surprises and something “loaded” to say.

"...We don't want to believe what we already know..."

2. Jack Benny & The Angels by Jason Logan - an original One-Act Myth Radio Play – Jack is back but as an angel with an important job to do! Visiting earth, he interviews a whole slew of wacky characters who happen to reside in BC believe it or not. Is humanity worth saving is the question?

"...This show has a hilarious cast! - Not to be missed! ...You'll be on the grass in laughter... plus... a historical piece of Vancouver I never knew!..."

Directed by our own Jay Hamburger, artistic director of Theatre In the Raw.

Free... Free... Free...

Please help us spread the word to your friends and family...
We'd really appreciate it! ...Hope to see you there!

Thank You to... Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House Small Grants, The City of Vancouver - Office of Cultural Affairs, The BC Gaming Commission, The Vancouver Foundation, The McLean Foundation, Joanne Mackinnon - CCEC Credit Union, Theatre In the Raw Society, Vancouver Co-op Radio 102.7 FM - Arts Rational Show and Canadian Actor's Equity

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Special Event: Summer Spaces Happening All Seeson


Summer Spaces is looking for performers, musicians, actors, jugglers, non-profits, clowns, visual artists, dancers, creative souls and community lovers to participate in East Vancouver’s first regular street closure (or opening if you want to look at it that way) !!!!

That’s right folks, every Sunday for July and August Commercial Drive will be closed to car traffic and open for the community to enjoy! All the way from Venables to 1st Ave.

The excitement starts at Noon and all activity must be clear of the street by 7pm.

Summer Spaces will be much smaller than the Car Free Festival. There will be little pre-programmed activity. Everyone is welcome to come down and enjoy this space responsibly. To make sure everyone is enjoying themselves we have thrown down a few guidelines; so please read, and ENJOY!

Guidelines:

-You are welcome to transform the street into anything you wish! Build a giant board game, start a hockey game, use it as a yoga studio, draw on the streets, roll out a living room, create a free store, write, play, sing, dance, perform street theatre, ride a crazy bike, juggle or build a street garden……the possibilities are endless!

-Performance for donations is permitted.

-Non-Profits are invited to come down and participate.

-Preference will be given to local artists and community based organizations.

-No equipment will be provided.

-Local merchants will be expanding their shops onto the street, however no 3rd party vendors will be permitted.

-Please remember this is public space for the whole community.

-If the activity you plan will be amplified (although non amplified performances are preferred) or will have a large impact please inform Amy our Community Liaison, of your plans prior to the event at openstreets@carfreevancouv
er.org


Thank you for participating in East Vancouver’s first regular street opening!
If you have any other questions email Amy, our Community Liaison at openstreets@carfreevancouver.org

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=96858481025&ref=mf

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