A veteran encounters a 10-year-old child at a WWII battle site in Jake’s Gift. | Photo courtesy of Presentation House Theatre
In 1919, the first Remembrance Day (then called Armistice Day) was observed throughout the British Empire, of which Canada was then a part. It commemorated the anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. One hundred years since, the day has been used to honour Canadians who served in the armed forces risking or giving their lives to defend Canada in times of war and peace. In this edition of the calendar, I’ve included a couple of events dedicated to Remembrance Day, including Chor Leoni’s musical plea and Presentation House’s story about D-Day. Whatever else you decide to do this month, spare a moment to remember those fallen soldiers!
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Chor Leoni: Protect us from War
Nov. 9–11
West Vancouver United Church and Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver
For 28 years, Chor Leoni has honoured Canadian peacekeepers and soldiers and offered musical petitions for peace. Now the choir’s trademark Remembrance Day program comes to the Orpheum stage with a plea to protect all people from war. Works by Canadian composers Zachary Wadsworth, Don MacDonald and Nicholas Ryan Kelly will be featured alongside landmark works by Samuel Barber, Veljo Tormis, Kurt Weill and Bob Chilcott. Check out their website for tickets and more information.
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Remembrance Day Ceremonies
Nov. 11
Various locations throughout Canada
The Great War, or the War to End All Wars, as the First World War was once called, was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. Today, Canadians hold Remembrance Day ceremonies on Nov. 11, the cessation of hostilities on that date in 1918, in order to commemorate and honour the sacrifices Canadian soldiers made in the name of freedom. There are many Remembrance Day ceremonies held in municipalities throughout Metro Vancouver. To find a ceremony near you, please check out the Royal Canadian Legion website.
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Jake’s Gift
Various showtimes between Nov. 11–17
Presentation House Theatre, North Vancouver
The Presentation Theatre will be presenting Jake’s Gift, a surprisingly funny, multi-award winning drama, about a Canadian WWII veteran’s reluctant return to Normandy, France, for the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. While roaming the shores of Juno Beach, Jake encounters Isabelle, a precocious ten-year-old from the local village whose inquisitive nature and charm challenge the old soldier to confront some long ignored ghosts. At its heart, the play is about the legacy of remembrance and personalizes the story behind one soldier’s grave. Please check out the theatre’s website for tickets and more information.
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23rd Annual Eastside Culture Crawl
Nov. 14–17
Various locations in Vancouver
The Eastside Culture Crawl Society hosts an annual four-day visual arts festival in November that involves artists on Vancouver’s Eastside opening their studios to the public. The event is focused on the area bounded by Columbia St, 1st Ave., Victoria Drive and the Waterfront, and involves painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers and glassblowers; from emerging artists to those internationally established. To download the 2019 program, check out the society’s website.
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Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Fall Series
Nov. 14–19
Rio Theatre, Vancouver & Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver
This outdoor and mountaineering-themed film festival has been promoting active lifestyles on the cinematic screen since 1998, featuring films that inspire and educate audiences about life at high altitudes. Watch alpine enthusiasts, skiers and adventure climbers scale the tallest cliffs, perform extreme skiing on some of the trickiest mountains and traverse snowy landscapes. Check out the festival website for tickets and showtimes.
ANON(YMOUS) retells The Odyssey as the story of a refugee travelling through the present-day United States. | Photo courtesy of Studio 58
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ANON(YMOUS)
Nov. 14–Dec. 1
Studio 58 at Langara College, Vancouver
A painfully beautiful adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey at Studio 58 at Langara College, ANON(YMOUS) is the story of a present-day teenage refugee who crosses the United States in a quest to find his disappeared mother. Far away from home and constantly skirting danger, he encounters a wide variety of people and creatures including a murderous butcher, a fantastical stiletto-wearing bird and a salacious truck driver. It’s those who offer kindness and hope – an immigrant family, a chorus of refugees and a surfing goddess, that allow him to stay strong in his resolve to reunite with his family. Visit Langara’s website for tickets and more information.
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12th Annual West Coast Christmas Show & Artisan Marketplace
Nov. 15–17
Tradex – Fraser Valley Trade & Exhibition Centre, Abbotsford
www.westcoastchristmasshow.com
Want to get your Christmas shopping done early? Why not come down to the Tradex Centre in Abbotsford for the West Coast Christmas Show? Check out holiday knick-knacks, décor ideas, hand-crafted toys and ornaments at the artisan market. Children can learn model making, decorate and bake Christmas cookies and listen to storybook time at Santa’s Workshop. Plus, there will be plenty of live family entertainment, festive foods and presentations and demonstrations on all three days.
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Sixth Vancouver Turkish Film Festival
Nov. 15–17
SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Vancouver
As a “melting pot” of many cultures for thousands of years, the land of modern Turkey has so much to offer from a cultural viewpoint. The Vancouver Turkish Film Festival aims not only to promote Turkish cinema by bringing highly acclaimed, award-winning Turkish films, but also to encourage dialogue and cross-cultural understanding among local communities. This three-day annual festival will take place at Goldcorp Centre for the Arts at SFU Woodward’s on Nov. 15–17. The film schedule, the festival program and ticket information can be found on the festival’s website.
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Black, Indigenous, People of Colour Dance Artists
Nov. 15, 18 & 19, 8 p.m.
KW Studios, Vancouver
www.madeinbc.org/mibc-creative-residency-showcase-2019
The Made in BC – Dance on Tour will be hosting an evening of contemporary works by emerging dance artists who are part of the Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) communities. The project provides opportunities and professional development for emerging dance artists of colour to create contemporary performance works. Three artists, Eric Cheung, Kristy Janvier and Zahra Shahab, will showcase recent work developed over their seven-month Made in BC – Dance on Tour 2019 Creative Residency. Please visit the Made in BC website for more information.
Local miniature art is showcased at Positively Petite in Coquitlam. | Photo courtesy of Place des arts
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Positively Petite: Annual Miniature Exhibition
Nov. 15–Dec. 19
Place Des Arts, Coquitlam
Positively Petite is an annual exhibition unique to Place des Arts that showcases miniature artwork created by local artists. This year, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the exhibition, the maximum size dimensions for artwork are multiples of 30! All two-dimensional artwork on exhibit is 30 square inches or smaller and all three-dimensional artwork is 90 cubic inches or smaller. This year’s show features small artworks in various mediums including painting, ceramics, fibre arts, sculpture, etching, mixed media and drawing from over 30 artists.
