It’s already May and there will be plenty of shows and events to attend this month. Visit exhibits and talks to stimulate your intellect, watch plays and musicals to excite your senses, and check out parades and food festivals to tickle your taste buds! Take a look below for some of the activities happening around town this month.
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Screwball Comedy
May 10–14
www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca
The Evergreen Cultural Centre will be putting on a production of Screwball Comedy by the Royal Canadian Theatre Company. Hilarious Hollywood stereotypes, sizzling, super-fast dialogue plus a rather suspect murder mystery colour this affectionate and brilliantly realised spoof, written by one of Canada’s own most successful and popular playwrights, Norm Foster. For tickets and more information, please check out the Evergreen website.
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LivePerformance360’s VR Salon
May 11–14
www.digibc.org/events/boca-del-lupos-liveperformance360-series-vr-salon
This May, Boca del Lupo will be presenting VR Salon with two suites of work from inspirational creators working within immersive mediums. Curated with an eye to stimulating the imagination of both audiences and local artists, these four projects highlight what VR does best. LivePerformance360 explores the intersection of contemporary performance and immersive technology with VR work from around the world. Check out the DigiBC website for tickets and more information.
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A Sound Like This: Chor Leoni & The Leonids
May 12–13, 7:30 p.m.
The Leonids – made up of some of the finest singers in North America – are already making a buzz in the choral world. The debut program of this dream team ensemble features phenomenal works, new commissions and collaborations with Chor Leoni, making this a double-feature of the very best of choral music. Check out the Chor Leoni website for tickets and more information.
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Romantic Violins
May 13–14
www.kaymeek.com/events/romantic-violins-live-0514
The Kay Meek Cabaret Series will present Romantic Violins on May 13 and 14. This fabulous evening of romantic music will feature Lache Cercel, a national treasure in his native Romania and virtuoso of Roma Jazz violin, who now makes Vancouver home. His ‘Roma Trio’ features Stephen Nikleva, guitar and Sam Soichet on bass. To round out the ‘Romantic Violins’, veteran jazz violinist Kit Eakle will join Cercel in creating a truly ‘Romantic’ atmosphere to the evening while providing some distinctive swinging sounds of his own. For tickets and more information, please visit Kay Meek’s website.
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Jurassic Quest
May 13–15
You’re gonna need a bigger weekend! Jurassic Quest will be coming to the Vancouver Convention Centre from May 13 to 15, featuring world-famous, life-size dinosaurs that are meticulously painted and animated to be realer-than-real. Whether you’re 3 or 103, this is a one-of-a-kind experience you’ll never forget. Kids can ride a dino, explore bounce houses, create dino crafts, dig for fossils and more! For tickets and more information, check out their website.
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TJ Fest
May 14–15, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Enjoy a festive weekend with family and friends and young ones. Try some delicious authentic Taiwanese street food, immerse yourself in inspiring multicultural performances and win prizes from family-friendly games! This year will be the 10th annual TJ Fest, a hugely popular free community cultural event that showcases the multiculturalism and diverse backgrounds of Metro Vancouver, experienced through amazing outdoor performances. There will be free carnival-style games and activities for family and children to play and have fun for the entire day.
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Weaving Femininity into Mysticism: Rereading Parvīn Iʿtiṣāmī’s “God’s Weaver”
May 14, 4 p.m.
The Institute for Asian Research at UBC will be hosting a talk by Monash University Research Fellow Behnam M. Fomeshi, who will be discussing the work of Parvīn Iʿtiṣāmī (1907–1941), the first important twentieth-century woman poet of Iran. Her knowledge of English language and education at the American school for girls as well as her father’s translations from foreign literatures contributed to her appreciation of the modern ideas, including women’s rights. Unlike some of her contemporaries in the early 20th century who tried to revolutionize the form of Persian poetry, she expanded the potentiality of poetic language in its traditional forms. Iʿtiṣāmī’s profound knowledge of mystical Persian literature and her awareness of gender inequalities as well as her familiarity with Western literature, particularly Walt Whitman, contributed to introducing a character in the poem “God’s Weaver”, a spider who possessed characteristics of a female and those of a mystic. Through this character, Iʿtiṣāmī formed an association between femininity and mysticism; challenged the patriarchal system, particularly, the patriarchal discourse of Persian mysticism; and the lethargy of the (mostly male) mystics.
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Here for Now vol. 3
May 20–21
Here for Now is a cross-disciplinary art event that hosts boundary-pushing experimental work in unconventional spaces. Now in its third iteration, Here For Now is excited to bring this collection of live performances to Slice Next Door on 1636 Venables St, a new co-producing venue known for their community programming in East Vancouver. For presale tickets and a complete list of performances and performers, check out the Here for Now website.
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Turkish Tunes
May 21, 6 p.m.
www.facebook.com/TurkishCanadianSocietyVancouver
Turkish Tunes is a community music event presented by the Turkish-Canadian Society. The first Turkish Tunes took place in 2009. This is a volunteer effort of the Turkish community in B.C. to showcase the rich musical genres from Turkey. The local musicians who play Turkish music are promoted. The stage program includes examples from classical music, folk music, pop music and more. Dance performances are additional treats and at the end, the floor is left for the DJ and dancers! Alcohol will be served at the cash bar (over 19 years of age) and there will be delicious Turkish food!
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Fort Langley’s 100th Annual May Day Parade
May 23, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
On May 23, Fort Langley will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of May Day. Fort Langley will be planning to have a bigger and better parade which kicks off at 11 a.m. along with their Event in the Park which runs from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Park events will include speeches from the May Queen and dignitaries, May Pole Dancing, various vendors, food, rides for the kids, Mini Golf for Everyone and even a Beer Garden. Check out the May Day website for more information.
