EVENTS
Where Olive Trees Weep
Reel Causes presents Where Olive Trees Weep, a documentary about the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. A post-film panel will be moderated by Veronika Gorlova featuring Ashira Darwish (a journalist and therapist featured in the film) and Nazanin Shahrokni (associate professor, SFU International Studies).
(SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, Jan. 25)
Weave a Bag: A Salish Weaving Workshop with Chief Janice George & Buddy Joseph
$350-$360 (plus fees and taxes)
This is a rare opportunity to learn traditional Salish weaving directly from Chepximiya Siyam Chief Janice George and Skwetsimeltxw Willard (Buddy) Joseph. They were recently featured at the opening of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and are artists in residency at the Blue Cabin.
No prior weaving experience is needed. This intensive workshop is 12 hours of instruction over two days. With all supplies provided, participants will be guided through each step of the process to create a woven bag using Salish weaving techniques.
Don’t miss this unique experience at the Museum of Vancouver—secure your spot today!
Date: January 25-26, 2025
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm each day
Tickets:
$360 General Admission
$355 MOV Members, Students, Seniors
$350 Indigenous
(plus fees and taxes)
(Museum of Vancouver, Jan. 25 - 26, 9:00 p.m - 4:00 p.m)x
EPIDERMIS CIRCUS
Epidermis Circus is a spicy puppet cabaret hosted by a sassy grandma determined to steal the spotlight. This beautifully twisted variety show, performed by Ingrid Hansen—who also puppeteers for Jim Henson Company’s Fraggle Rock—features Hansen's incredible talent for creating characters using her hands, fingers, and tongue. Through tiny, whimsical stories, the show celebrates the hilarious impossibility of being alive and having a body. SNAFU’s work has been compared to Wes Anderson and David Lynch, yet “hilarious, absurd and profoundly human.” (The Star Phoenix Newspaper).
Content Warning: Cartoonish sexual content, swear words, puppet suicide. Dark lighting, loud music, and surprises. FOR AGES 14+
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Jan. 25, 8:00 p.m + Jan. 26, 3:00 p.m)
ALI HASSAN: DOES THIS TASTE FUNNY?
Host of CBC Radio’s Laugh Out Loud and the annual Canada Reads program, author and comedian, Ali Hassan’s career plans started off as simply as anyone’s: become a chef, get a food show on television, get a second food show on television, be the face of the network and have oven mitts with his face on them. But sometimes things get in the way of your dreams: like your parents’ disappointment, your family of four children and your successful comedy career.
This show is a hilarious exposition of Ali’s journey in and out of the culinary world in which he spent 12 years. Think Eat, Pray, Love....minus the Prayer.
This performance is recommended for people aged 16+
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Feb. 1, 8:00 p.m)
TIFF: EZRA (2024)
EZRA follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne). When forced to confront difficult decisions about their son's future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both their lives. Directed by Tony Goldwyn, who also appears in the film alongside additional cast members Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, EZRA is an endearing and often funny exploration of a family determined to find their way through life’s complexities with humor, compassion, and heart.
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Feb. 2, 3:00 p.m)
A Night of Obsidian
Reel Causes presents A Night of Obsidian: an unforgettable evening celebrating the brilliance of local Black filmmakers, creators, and musicians. This powerful event showcases compelling films, soul-stirring performances, and insightful conversations on identity, belonging, and healing.
(Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver, Feb. 6)
Weave a Bag: A Salish Weaving Workshop
The first run of this workshop was so popular that it’s being held again!
Learn traditional Salish weaving directly from Chepximiya Siyam Chief Janice George and Skwetsimeltxw Willard (Buddy) Joseph. They were recently featured at the opening of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and are artists in residency at the Blue Cabin.
No prior weaving experience is needed. This intensive workshop is 12 hours of instruction over two days. With all supplies provided, participants will be guided through each step of the process to create a woven bag using Salish weaving techniques.
Don’t miss this unique experience at the Museum of Vancouver—secure your spot today!
Tickets:
$360 General Admission
$355 MOV Members, Students, Seniors
$350 Indigenous
(plus fees and taxes)
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Feb. 8 - 9, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m)
National Geographic Live: Wild Wolves of Yellowstone with Biologist Doug Smith
Yellowstone National Park’s two million acres of wilderness has many stories, including one of the best case studies in wildlife conservation. Doug Smith led the project that reintroduced gray wolves in the 1990s.Never-before-seen photos and videos of the quest to bring wolves back and the incredible changes that happened after they arrived.
Doug Smith served as a wildlife biologist at Yellowstone National Park for nearly three decades and studied everything from beavers to birds.
(Vancouver Playhouse, 600 Hamilton St, Vancouver, Feb. 12)
Family Day Weekend at VCT
Join us in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre lobbies Feb 15 from 9am-12pm for a morning of family-friendly laughs at this FREE event during Family Day weekend. In partnership with Vancouver Public Library & Just for Laughs VANCOUVER, we're celebrating the joy of laughter with activities for comedy fans of all ages! Featuring JFL's interactive Family Comedy Stage hosted by local comedy stars Kevin Banner & Christine Bortolin, DIY comic strips & joke books at The Joke Factory Creation Station, and more!
(Queen Elizabeth Theatre Lobby, 630 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, Feb. 15)
Raven by 3 Crows Production
Designed for children 6 and up, Raven is the tale of how Raven stole the sun. Filled with lighthearted humour and audience participation, kids are invited on stage to portray characters in the story and encouraged to add their unique twist.
Raven entertains and educates, introducing traditional Indigenous place names and holistic values from various Indigenous Peoples. Attendees will learn about the significance of Indigenous Oral Traditions, the role of laughter in storytelling, and the importance of environmental respect. This dynamic performance combines fun and learning, making it a memorable experience for the whole family.
Tickets: $10 General Admission (plus fees and taxes)
(1100 Chestnut Street, Feb. 17, 1:00 p.m - 2:00 p.m)
CHRIS FUNK, The Wonderist Magician
Finally, a magic show with live music! Redefining Wonder is a gripping and interactive multimedia experience created by Chris Funk, a multi-talented magician, comedian, and musician that has been featured on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Redefining Wonder is unlike any other magic show; with his unique blend of magic and comedy, Chris Funk, The Wonderist Magician, will leave you scratching your head and laughing out loud.
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Feb. 17, 3:00 p.m)
Mardi Gras! GARY COMEAU AND THE VOODOO ALLSTARS
Gary Comeau & The Voodoo Allstars bring a taste of Louisiana's hot and spicy roots and blues to the Mainstage, creating a Mardi Gras party atmosphere that echoes the festive spirit of a Bourbon Street festival. Their music bursts with unique and original flair, blending jazz, roots, Latin, and R&B blues drawn from the culturally rich history of New Orleans. Inspired by the jazz influence of Louis Armstrong, the piano stylings of Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Dr. John, and Allen Toussaint, and the funky rhythms of the Neville Brothers, they craft a sound that is distinctly their own.
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Mar. 1)
BOOM
Following the hugely popular BOOM X last season, Rick Miller is back with BOOM! Written, directed, and performed by Rick Miller, BOOM is an explosive solo performance that documents the music, politics, and culture that shaped the Baby Boom generation (1945-1969). BOOM takes us through 25 turbulent years, and gives voice to over 100 influential politicians, activists and musicians, in a stunningly staged production that blends cutting-edge multimedia, moment-defining songs, and tour-de-force storytelling. It’s a mind-blowing experience for audiences of all generations. Experience the global events as they unfold: the Cold War, McCarthyism, Beatlemania, JFK, MLK, Vietnam... The various stories spiral into the “The Summer of Love’’, and BOOM ends as it began: with the birth of a new generation.
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Mar. 8)
National Geographic Live: The Untold Story of Sharks with Dr. Jess Cramp
Sharks have roamed the planet’s waters since before the dinosaurs evolving into more than 500 species. Only recently have we begun to understand their lives—and how our actions can threaten their survival. Dr. Jess Cramp looks at the work of women leading shark science. Swim alongside her under the vibrant waters of the South Pacific to find out what it truly means to save sharks.
Dr. Jess Cramp is a shark researcher who specializes in conservation policy and engaging communities in the management of their ocean.
(Vancouver Playhouse, 600 Hamilton St, Vancouver, Apr. 2)
TIFF: THELMA (2024)
ABOUT THE TIFF FILM SERIES
This season’s TIFF Circuit series focuses on families and unlikely heroes in extraordinary circumstances, celebrating resilience, personal growth, and unconventional adventures.
ABOUT THE FILM
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
Rated PG-13 for strong language.
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Apr. 12)
The Knitting Pilgrim
The Knitting Pilgrim, featuring actor and knitter Kirk Dunn, is a multidisciplinary one-man show that combines personal storytelling, image projection, and three huge knitted panels that look like stained glass windows, to explore the connection amongst the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The play recounts Kirk’s fifteen-year artistic and spiritual journey of hand-knitting the ambitious project, and looks at why people struggle to get along today, the meaning of art, the hell of grant-writing and the power of love to overcome major obstacles (and minor mishaps).
(The ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, Apr. 25)
VCT presents Silent Movie Mondays: Piccadilly
A young Chinese woman working in the kitchen at a London dance club is given the chance to become the club's main act, which leads to a plot of betrayal, forbidden love, and murder. Anna May Wong is mesmerizing as Shosho, the dishwasher who overnight becomes the toast of the town - and the object of every man's desire.
Escape to the 1920s silent movie era! VCT is thrilled to present classic silent films accompanied live on the historic Wurlitzer organ
(Orpheum, 601 Smithe St, Vancouver, Mar. 10)
VCT presents Silent Movie Mondays: The Gold Rush
Charlie Chaplin's comedic masterwork - which charts a prospector's search for fortune in the Klondike & his discovery of romance (with the beautiful Georgia Hale) was an immediate success on its release and continues to be one of Chaplin's most celebrated works. The Gold Rush is an indelible work of heartwarming hilarity, featuring such timeless gags as the dance of the dinner rolls and the meal of boiled shoe leather.
Escape to the 1920s silent movie era!
(Orpheum, 601 Smithe St, Vancouver, Jun. 2)
