All the world's a stage

“It’s a sweet evening.”- Stephen Spettigue, Charley’s Aunt

We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful locations in a truly beautiful country. The fact that it is warm enough here to perform in the evening is a novelty for a Canadian city. On any evening of the week this summer Festivals Kelowna has planned a variety of acts in parks throughout the city completely free of charge, local wineries have incorporated performance into their summer programs and it is outdoor musical festival season at locations throughout The Okanagan.

On Sunday I had the opportunity to “take it outside” for the first time in Kelowna with my play My Favorite Fairy Tales. I have performed this play many, many times over the past 15 years with three different co-stars, most recently with Frank Takacs. Being outside in Alberta can sometimes be a very tricky experience, but in Kelowna I appreciated the opportunity to perform under the large shady tree in a natural amphitheatre setting at Gyro Beach on Sunday. It was a warm, well organized and attended event that made it possible to have a maximum amount of fun with kids in a great location.

My positive experience with Festivals Kelowna’s Family Sundays program is not an isolated one because there are a host of opportunities for audiences to see outdoor shows this summer. A tremendously successful run of Shakespeare Kelowna’s The Complete Works of William Shakespeare just wrapped up at The Vibrant Vine Winery, but there are still plenty of shows to check out this August. Here is a list of upcoming opportunities to see outstanding outdoor theatrical performances in The Okanagan.

• Caravan Farm Theatre’s The Night’s Mare:  July 24-August 23 - Armstrong, BC $15-$35. Tickets at Ticketseller.ca
• The Doug and Lisa TV Show-Live Taping:  Saturdays in August, Vibrant Vine Winery, 1-4 PM, Free
• Opera Kelowna’s Opera Under The Stars:  August 2, UBCO Campus, 7PMm, $5. Tickets at www.shopoperakelowna.com/#!opera-under-the-stars/cm40
• Bumbershoot Theatre’s The Flower Ball:  August 9, City Park; August 23 Gyro Beach, 2 PM, Free
• New Vintage Theatre’s My Favorite Fairy Tales:  August 23, Gyro Beach, 1 PM, Free

So get outside and check out all The Okanagan has to offer this summer - there is still a month left of great offerings.

(Photo: Derek Gratz)

Bonnie Gratz & Frank Takacs in My Favorite Fairy Tales at Gyro Beach

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.