May Events

The merry month of May is flying past and I’ve been remiss in sending you information on arts and culture and for that I apologize! Please accept this latest offering of my Cultural Connection.

A special fundraiser for the Kelowna Community Foodbank and the Navjeevan Orphanage in India, “EAST MEETS WEST” takes place this Saturday night, May 20th @ 7pm in the Mary Irwin Theatre in the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Don’t miss this unique event celebrating the richness and beauty of Indian heritage and culture co-hosted by CHBC’s Mohini Singh and Laurence East. Included in the ticket price of $35 is delicious authentic Indian food from ‘Deep’s Pakora Palace’, wine from Summerhill Winery and a concert by world-renowned Aradhna - capturing the beauty and dignity of India’s bhajan devotional melodies with music that blends East and West.

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.ca or call the box office at 717-5304.

Lynden Beesley would like to invite you to two opening receptions of her work: “Pomulations” is opening at the Summerland Art Gallery on May 25 at 7 pm and “A Matter of Taste” is opening at Gallery Vertigo in Vernon on June 1 at 7 pm. I met Lynden during the Sculpture Symposium a few years ago and I am a real fan of her art. She works in a number of different media, but my favorite is her mask sculpture. You can also see selections of her work at the “Sculpture in Progress” Gallery at the Rotary Centre for the Arts.

“Independent America” is an 80-minute documentary feature that follows Kelowna-based filmmakers, Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes, as they hit the road and travel 21,000 kilometres through 32 states in search of "Independent America." It's a place populated by hardy souls fighting for the right to remain independent in a land smothered by Big Box stores and fast food chains. Forty years ago, Mom & Pop were an endangered species as corporate retail advanced quickly through the consumer heartland of the world. But today, small business is clawing its way back as Americans look to shore up their local communities in the face of daunting globalization, terrorism, corporate scandal and divisive politics. The stage is set for an incredible battle already underway between retail's David and Goliath. It will show on Thursday, May 25th at the KLO campus lecture theatre at 7:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Heather and Hanson will be available after the show to discuss any questions and thoughts that arise.

Lunch and Jazz! Every lunch hour during the summer come by the Rotary Centre for the Arts and enjoy live Jazz music while you eat and soak up some sun! May 30th - June 2nd from 12-1pm in the Atrium area will feature KSS jazz combos.

Some of you may be interested to know that the updated and expanded new version of Okanagan Trips and Trails, by Judie Steeves and Murphy Shewchuk, is now on bookstore shelves. It's available at Mosaic Books now, and also at Outdoor Adventure Gear. The new edition is 354 pages (up from 224), with a lot of new chapters, pics, trails and backroads, updated information about areas the 2003 wildfire went through and the Trans Canada Trail ~~ priced at $22.95.

StudioMoore's Opera Studio takes the Powerhouse stage for two hilarious (and heartfelt) nights of Opera for dummies and aficionados alike. In its never-ending quest to make opera accessible to and fun for all, the studio will present narrated excerpts from Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore, Strauss' Die Fledermaus (The Bat), Verdi's La Traviata, Lehar's The Merry Widow and (just for a twist) Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady. All works are staged and costumed, and will be performed in English, with the exception of the rousing "Libiamo" - the drinking chorus, sung it Italian and perfect for an audience sing-along! Come out for a dynamic evening of breathtaking solos, moving duets, rousing dance numbers and a couple of Merry Widow ensemble pieces which are guaranteed to have you rolling in the aisles (one is set in a urinal). See your favorite locals in action at A Redneck Night at the Opera May 26th and 27th at the Powerhouse Theatre in Vernon, 8pm! Directed by Paul and Melina Moore, Jenn Britton and Melina Moore, piano. Tickets $12 at Majestic Mattress, 27th Street, Vernon, 549-4419 or from performers.

Don’t miss out on tickets for the Viva Musica performance of Cats which begins at 8:00 pm nightly from Aug 18-26th with matinées at 2:00 PM on Aug 20th & 26th. Tickets are $38 for adults and $32 for seniors, students & ARTS CARD members, available at the Rotary Centre for the Arts Box office, 717-5304 or through Ticketmaster 860-1470 www.ticketmaster.ca. This is sure to be a sell-out! For more information on CATS or Viva Musica, please call 762-8967 or go to the Viva Musica website at http://www.vivamusica.ca

Finally, I went to a press conference at the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) a few weeks ago and learned, among other things, about the Rising Star Fund, which has been established to expand youth access to the arts. The RCA Rising Star will help support, develop and nurture the creative growth of youth by offering funds to help cover the cost of programs or workshops at The Rotary Centre for the Arts. One goal of the Rising Star Fund is to maximize the number of youth who have the opportunity to participate in the Arts. “This will open doors for so many who may not have access to the Arts, and offer encouragement and incentives for those demonstrating merit. This is a tremendous opportunity for youth in our community”, says Chris Sorensen, RCA Director and Rising Star Fund Committee Chair.

The RCA believes that accessibility to the arts must be open to all who are interested, without prejudice, and that equal opportunities must be provided to deserving students to explore their creative potential in a meaningful way. The Rising Star Fund committee will consider applications from eligible parents or guardians who are accompanying the child to events or participating in programs.

These funds are intended to provide fee assistance for workshops, materials and transportation for children aged 0-18 years, and their adult accompaniment (if applicable). The Rising Star Funds are intended to facilitate the cultural growth of the participant and will be awarded based on need, merit and personal growth.

I’m really excited about this initiative and hope that you will all try to support it even if only in a small way. To donate to this remarkable fund, please contact Chris Sorensen at [email protected] or 250-717-5304.

That’s all for now – I promise to get another edition of the Cultural Connection out soon!

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