April already draws to a close, but first let’s see what’s on in these picks of the week
Blooms: The 17th annual edition of the Chilliwack Tulip Festival continues to bloom – the Fraser Valley’s annual cavalcade of colour springs forth for the next few weeks.
Festival: Continuing until May 28th, Urban Ink and The Cultch welcome new works and past favourites to a free, all-digital TRANSFORM Cabaret Festival focuses on empowering Indigenous artists and encouraging collaboration with non-Indigenous artists.
Musical: Royal City Musical Theatre presents its 31st Season bringing the Gershwin comedy musical Crazy for You, starring Todd Talbot (Love it or List it-Vancouver) to the Massey Theatre from April 27 – May 14.
Cabaret: Wrapping up this weekend, the Arts Club Theatre’s Rubaboo is a theatrical indigenous cabaret, guided by powerhouse Métis performer Andrea Menard, an acclaimed singer-songwriter and actor. Featuring the sounds of drums and guitar, this grand musical feast includes songs of reconciliation, unity, love, frustration, and resilience.
Opera: Closing out its 2022-23 season, Vancouver Opera brings Wagner’s epic opera, The Flying Dutchman to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage April 29, May 4 and May 7
Improvise: The Improv Centre on Granville Island debuts its spring show, Bring Back The ‘90s!, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm until May 27
Femme: Opening tonight, Raven, part of The Cultch’s continuing Femme Festival, features seven performances from women in music, theatre, dance, comedy, and circus, on its three stages continuing until May 14, 2023
Internment: At the Shadbolt, April 27-29, Kunji Mark Ikeda’s Sansei: The Storyteller examines one of Canada’s darkest moments – when the attack on Pearl Harbor triggered the internment and dispossession of tens of thousands of Japanese Canadians living along Canada’s west coast.
Futures: From April 26, 2023–January 14, 2024, 25 years since the artist’s passing, the Bill Reid Gallery presents the Canadian premiere exhibition of Bright Futures, co-curated by Bill Reid Gallery Curator Beth Carter, Assistant Curator Aliya Boubard, and in consultation with Jordan Wilson (Musqueam).
Identity: April 29 to May 2, at Roundhouse Community Centre, Some Assembly Theatre Company Presents the World Premiere of The Identity Bureau, a new play, written & directed by Valerie Methot in collaboration with Diverse Metro Vancouver Youth, that explores the importance of one’s identity.
Comedy: Running to May 7, The Firehall Arts Centre and Savage Society present the remount of Taran Kootenhayoo’s White Noise, a comedy about two families who have dinner together for the first time during Truth and Reconciliation week.
Dance Day: April 29th is International Dance Day and the Dance Centre is collaborating to present a full day of events celebrating the art of dance. This year’s events are both free and ticketed, taking place around Vancouver
Exhibition: On display until June 11, Richmond Art Gallery, in partnership with the Richmond Public Library, presents A Small but Comfy House and Maybe a Dog the first major solo exhibition by Amy Ching-Yan Lam, guest curated by Su-Ying Lee, featuring sculptures made in collaboration with HaeAhn Woo Kwon, with objects from the collections of the Gallery and the neighbouring Richmond Public Library.
Gallery: On display until May 14, Polygon Gallery presents As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic Curated by Elliott Ramsey, the exhibition is organized by Aperture and features more than 100 photographs from the Wedge Collection — Canada’s largest privately owned collection committed to championing Black artists.
Photography: Keep your eyes open only until Sunday April 30 for the the Capture Photography Festival, Western Canada’s largest lens-based art festival, pops up at dozens of galleries and other venues throughout Metro Vancouver.