Sunday, December 20, 2009

December 17, 2009 Podcast

Check out last week's show by following this link!

We had the terrific musical duo Jack and Jill in studio with us to tell us all about their upcoming album and share some of their tunes with us.

As we approach the end of the year everyone's talking about the big movies of 2009. Steve reviews two highly talked about films this week. Tune in to hear his opinions on Up in the Air and Invictus.

And of course, it wouldn't be a complete Arts Rational without Gerry's fantastic Arts Notes.

Thanks for tuning in! We'll have holiday shows on December 24 and December 31 and be back in the New Year to talk about all the exciting things in the world of arts and culture in 2010!

Happy Holidays!!

The Arts Rational

Saturday, December 12, 2009

December 3, 2009 Podcast

Hello!

Vancouver's European Film Festival kicked off, and The Arts Rational was thrilled to have actor Pourya Mahyari in studio with us to talk about his film "For a Moment, Freedom." Steve had a great chat with him about this wonderful film, which has been highlighted as one of the picks of the festival.

Gerry also provided a colourful review of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Megan had a chance to tell us about the Arts Club's White Christmas.

To hear the podcast from our show, please click here.

Thanks for listening!

The Arts Rational

Friday, November 27, 2009

Gerry's Arts Notes - November 26, 2009

Gerry’s Arts Notes-Arts Rational CFRO November 26, 2009

1. Push Festival. Go on Line to Push Festival for information, passes and tickets to what is the best way to deal with the mid-winters blahs, and perhaps a break from the Olympic spirit. The 7th Annual Push International Festival—January 20th to February 6th…the best of local, national and international performance art—music, dance, theatre, film, multidisciplinary works. Thanks to Norman Armour, Katarina Dunn, Minna Schendlinger and Vancouver’s artistic community--It’s the best thing ever to hit Vancouver. In my humble opinion.

2. European Union Film Festival. Pacific Cinematheque Starting this Friday and going to Mid-December. Described as Europe without the Jetlag. Also a bit cheaper. One film from each of the 27 countries of the European Union. Two of the Best…One of this past spring’s Oscar Nominees for Foreign Language Film….and rave reviews wherever its opened….Baader-Meinhof Complex from Germany …on Friday December 4th….and on Saturday December 5th….From France….the prison drama A Prophet…the runner-up at this past springs Cannes Film Festival.

3. Also in the Cinematheque Program…… legendary world-renown Taiwanese Filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s 1989 Venice Film Festival Winner….City of Sadness…..a family saga set during the Post WW2 troubles in Taiwan. As well, watch for a film from Argentina…brilliant social comment and excellent reviews …The Headless Woman…a popular film from Vancouver’s recent Film Festival.

4. Van City Cinemas. Tom Charity, Laine Slater and all of those fabulous folks who produce the Vancouver International Film Festival….provide a regular year long program of the best of international cinema. Why go to the commercial cinema when you can enjoy curated…selected films by people who are trained and educated in the international language of cinema.

Go on Line to Van City Cinemas for program information…and tickets….and sit in the best cinema seats in town. Thanks to the good folks at Van City Credit Union.

Currently at Van City Cinema….the documentary At the Edge of the World…as environmentalists battle the Japanese Whaling Fleet in the frigid waters of Antarctica. Along with Collapse…a documentary about last year’s economic turndown…described as the best horror film released in years.

Next week at Van city…Tuesday night December lst only……the grim but brilliant Turkish drama Yol. A friend describes it as “A downer…but a brilliant one”.

Go On Line to check out whats next at Van City Cinemas. Together with the Pacific Cinematheque…Van City Cinemas ensures there is always something worth seeing on-screen in Vancouver.

5. Theatre. There are a few dozen listings for live theatre listed for Lower Mainland venues for this next week. There really is something for everyone in terms of live theatre….all genres…all prices.

Remember. Live theatre doesn’t always have to be expensive. There are previews….seasons passes…the Arts Club has rush student tickets for $25.00 available the day of the show. and the Playhouse puts all remaining seats on sale one hour before showtime for $20.00.

6. Put Studio 58 Langara…now just off the skytrain station at 4lst and Cambie….and Theatre at UBC on your list. Excellent and affordable theatre. Playhouse-Arts Club quality productions at bargain basement prices. Your tax dollars at work.

Theatre at UBC. Local living performance legend Nicola Cavendish—if you’ve ever seen her on stage you’ll know what
I mean……is directing the current production at Theatre UBC.
The Laramie Project….which examines the brief life and horrific end of Matthew Shepherd…..a young university student in Wyoming who was brutally murdered because he was gay. Heavy going. But a powerful piece of theatre. The Laramie Project…directed by Nicola Cavendish will be playing at the Freddie Wood Theatre only until this Saturday November 28th.

And at Studio 58 Langara. Now only a few blocks from the newest skytrain route out to the Airport…..Shakespeare’s A Winters Tale. A modern setting. Somewhere in Russia I’m told. Running until December 14th.

7. On the North Shore. Just a Seabus trip over the Inlet and up the Hill to Presentation House. Western Canada’s only professionally curated photographic art gallery.

And while youre thinking about the North Shore, do consider the 3rd Street Theatre Series and other professional theatre productions on at Presentation House. The quality of the productions is very high. Running til November 29th ….Souvenirs….the latest work from award winning Vancouver playwright Michelle Riml…whose previous works include drama,

Theatre for young people and comedy. Ms Riml’s play Poster Boys was a hit at for the Arts Club a season or two ago.

8. More Theatre. After the Quake. Colin Thomas in the Georgia Straight…who is no pushover nice guy when it comes to his critical opinion…..describes this production as “A Dream Come True”. Its directed by two of Vancouver’s finest…Craig Hall…and
Tim Wolfe…of Theatre Conspiracy fame…and whom a friend described as one of Vancouver’s intellectual male sex symbols. Lucky guy.

After the Quake is part of the See Seven Series…which is a wonderful program featuring the best of independent and avant garde theatre in Vancouver. Go On Line to See Seven and see whats showing and whats coming. 7 professional productions for only $87 dollars.

9. An speaking of See Seven. Colleen Wheeler. One of the most amazing actors working on Vancouver stages. If you’ve seen her work in My Own Private Chernobyl….her lead role in Bard on the Beach’s spaghetti western version of the Taming of the Shrew a few years ago…and many others over the years…you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Id pay to see Colleen Wheeler read the dictionary.

Ms. Wheeler. will be on stage….performing with local director….writer…and actress Diane Brown….whose directing credits include an adaptation of Quebecois playwright George Archambault’s The Leisure Society…which starred Colleen Wheeler…and which remains one of my favourite stage pieces in the last several years. Ive never laughed so hard in years.

Ms. Wheeler and Ms. Brown will be featured in Ruby Slipper’s Theatre Company’s west-coast premiere of Canadian playwright Daniel McIvors A Beautiful View…which opens for a brief run in Vancouver and Burnaby next Friday December 5th.

Brown….MacIvor…Wheeler…Ruby Slippers Theatre.. What could be better.

10. Other Theatre. For Vancouver residents….there are only a few nights left to see and After Homelessness… the latest work by the award winning theatre artist David Diamond and his colleagues at Headlines Theatre. After Homelessness is showing at The Firehall Theatre only until Saturday November 29th. After that the play moves to Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminister. Where it runs December 1 to Dec 06th. But remember, all of us can work together to help end Homelessness in our communities. Go On Line to Headlines Theatre to get started.

11. Even More Theatre. If you like your interpersonal drama spiced with intellectual argument…..and current affairs….l British playwright David Hare’s The Vertical Hour might be fore you. I saw it a week or so ago. Very well done. A professional quality production done by United Players…and showing at the Jericho Arts Centre only until December 6th. Its part of the 50th Anniversary season of theatre for United Players….whose artistic director Andre Karras and her colleagues…come up with one of the best theatre lineups…..year in and year out..in Vancouver. Especially if classic drama interests you.

12. Christmas is coming. And if you want to give a gift that will not only please the recipient but show how classy you are…think about the gift of theatre tickets…movie passes as stocking stuffers…..memberships at the Art Gallery. Videos like David Attenborough’s The Live of Birds ….or Andrei Sukorov’s Russian Ark. On video. You can get me any one of those.

13. And don’t forget to write your MLA…Opposition Leader Carole James….so-called culture minister Kevin Krueger…and
Premier Campbell..and tell him you want the Provincial Government to rescind the drastic and needless cuts to arts and culture in BC.

Go online to StopBCArtsCuts.ca for more details. And remember to write. The best of intentions won’t get us anywhere.

For information on just how drastic this is going to be…go online to the Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture.

14. Yes. Christmas is coming. You can’t avoid it here. But consider saving yourself some time and effort. Consider tickets to theatre or film or passes to the Vancouver Art Gallery…which has a terrific gift shop incidentally……for yourself or someone you love.

15. And keep listening to Coop Radio. Next week…December 4th on the Arts Rational….we will be talking to one of the stars of the biggest current hit on Canadian television….Steve Rosenberg will be telling us about the European Union Film Festival..and Megan Turnbull and myself will be telling you whether two big Christmas theatre productions….the Arts Club’s White Christmas and the Playhouse’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels are worth your time and money.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

November 19, 2009 Podcast

The Arts Rational had a jam packed lineup this week!

We started the show with a great chat with Adrienne Wong from Wrecking Ball about theatre that speaks out against the arts cuts.

We also had Gabriela De Luca from Headlines Theatre come down to the studio to talk to us about their upcoming play "Community Dialogues: Housing the Homeless."

Executive Director, Joyce Rosario and dancers, Day Helesic, and Meredith Kalaman from the Made in BC Dance tour told us about their successful dance tour around the province. They shared stories and shed some light on the appetite for arts in some of the smaller communities throughout BC.

And our very own Steve Rosenberg passionately told us about Pull Focus, his exciting new film school that pairs film students with local non profits to make community minded film.

You can hear the podcast from this show by clicking this link!

Thanks for listening!!

Arts Rational

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

October 15, 2009 Podcast

We continue to talk about the Vancouver International Film Festival. We were thrilled to have four directors drop by the station tonight to talk about their films. Our fabulous film festival correspondent Kelly-Ruth Mercier had great conversations with Dickson Chow ("THE VEILED COMMODITY") Ryan Ward ("SON OF THE SUNSHINE") Pablo Gonzales ("MIKE INC") and Paal Nesset ("MIKE INC").

Also in studio we had a live chat and performance with local singer-songwriter David Blair.

To hear this podcast please click here.

Thanks for listening!



Arts Rational

Monday, October 12, 2009

October 8, 2009 Podcast

Steve Rosenberg and Kelly Ruth Mercier chat about the 2009 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Local Hip Hop artist, Fallan Soldier, is in studio for a chat about his music and upcoming performancs. We play several tunes from Fallan Soldier's latest album, Above the Call of Duty.

Follow this link to hear the full show!

Thanks for listening!!

Arts Rational

Saturday, September 19, 2009

September 17, 2009 Podcast

We had a great show last week! Ellie O'Day, Media Director for the Vancouver International Film Festival, took the time to tell us all the exciting details about the upcoming film festival. Find out more at http://www.viff.org/

We spoke with short story writer, Deborah Willis, about her fantastic book of short stories called Vanishing and Other Stories. You can learn more about Deborah and her book at http://www.deborahwillis.ca/ and you can catch her reading at the Word on the Street Festival. http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/wots/vancouver

To hear this week's Arts Rational please click here

Thanks for listening!

Megan, Gerry, and Steve

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

September 10, 2009 Podcast

We had a great lineup of guests on the September 10 episode of The Arts Rational. Listen to Gerry's interview with Mary Katzke about her documentary film "About Face," which screened September 16 at the Pacific Cinémathèque. Learn about an innovative dance program called Discover Dance! in Megan's chat with Mirna Zagar, the executive director of The Dance Centre.

Great discussions along with another terrific round of Gerry's Arts Notes and a rapid Fringe Fest preview can be found by clicking on this link!

Thanks for listening!!

Gerry, Megan, and Steve

Sunday, August 30, 2009

August 27, 2009 Podcast

We had a great interview with local singer/songwriter Michelle A. Richard. You can check out her music at http://www.myspace.com/michellerichardsings and listen to our chat by clicking here.

Also on this week's show Steve Rosenberg shared two detailed movie reviews of The Cove and Paper Heart.

Thanks for listening!

The Arts Rational crew

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Best Albums of the Decade

As we're approaching the final months of this decade, it's interesting to look back over the last ten years to see how it all shaped up. What defined the first decade of the new millenium? Who were our cultural heroes and icons?

We'll have a chance on The Arts Rational to reflect on many facets of culture over the last ten years, and we're going to begin with music. With the help of the Arts Rational listening audience we're going to come up with a list of the best and most important albums of the past decade. As this was truly the first digital decade, it will be interesting to see how such a list turns out. Who were the U2s, the Radioheads, the Nirvana's of the years 2000 - 2009? Please post your comments and we will air the the list during our December shows.

We're looking forward to hearing your opinions!

Cheers,

Megan, Gerry, and Steve

Sunday, June 28, 2009

June 18, 2009 - Podcast

Have a listen to our June 18 show. We had Laurel Murphy and Katia Leonardo, two incredibly talented singers, come by for a chat and a bit of live singing. We also had Anne Stone come back for a great discussion with author Hiromi Goto. And towards the end of the show Myriam Steinberg returned with another fantastic event to tell our listeners about.

Have a listen here !

Thanks for listening to Co-op Radio and the Arts Rational.

M&G

Friday, June 19, 2009

June 11, 2009 - Podcast

Have a listen to the lastest edition of Jay Hamburger's Theatre in the Raw. Click here for a great hour of theatrical entertainment!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

June 2, 2009 - Podcast

Have a listen to our interview with Myriam Steinberg, Artistic Director of the In the House Festival and one of the festival performers, Magician, Jamie D. Grant. We also have one of the Jessie Nominees to chat about theatre with Gerry. Please listen here

Monday, May 25, 2009

Song of the Week - May 25, 2009

Two of my favourite effects in music are male/female duets and the banjo. Any song that features either of these musical treats will likely tug at my heartstrings and win me over instantly. Imagine my excitement when I discovered Patrick Watson's new tune "Big Bird in a Small Cage," on which he features both the banjo and shared vocals with songstress Katie Moore.

Have a listen and pay special attention to the magical moment when Katie breaks in and joins Patrick's gentle voice, adding strength and beauty just before the song picks up momentum. Notice also how the tune defies expectation when it starts to build the first time. As listeners we anticipate that at 1:17 the song will pick up momentum because of the rising vocals, but the music leaves us hanging and waits for a second build up to finally take off into the next verse at 1:32. This jolt to our expectations makes a fantastic song even more interesting to the listener! Patrick Watson is one of the most exciting musicians in Canada. Check him out and enjoy!!

May 21, 2009 Podcast

Listen to the podcast of our interview with DOXA documentary film director, Alan Goldman, about his film Who the Jew are You?

After a week away from the show, Gerry brings in a half hour's worth of Arts Notes!

Have a listen...

Friday, February 27, 2009

Gerry's Arts Notes - February 26, 2009

1. The 9th Annual Liza Nemetz Memorial Chutzpah International Festival of Jewish Performing Arts, continues to provide a showcase for some splendid live performance (theatre, music, dance) thanks to Marie Louise Albert, Jodi Smith, and many volunteers. At the Jewish Community Centre and other venues across town.

2. Victoria’s Laura Anne Harris…a guest on the Arts Rational
last week….charmed my friend Alison and me with her one-woman Fringe circuit hit….Pitch Blond…on the life of Judy Holiday… a nice Jewish girl from a broken home who made her name playing the quintessential dumb blond with the distinctive voice in Born Yesterday and countless other film, radio, and stage performances. Ms Holliday…in spite of appearances to the contrary….had a genius level IQ…and Pitch Blond recounts her talent at using her ditzy persona to escape the clutches of the American anti-left witchunt of the early l950s. Pitch Blond, I think like any good play, made me interested in finding out more about Ms. Holiday.

3. We also went last night to see the joint Chutzpah…Firehall and Tarragon Theatre Toronto production of East of Berlin….from up and coming Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch…which continues a very short run at the Firehall only until February 28th.

Several weeks ago, I dished the holocaust film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for being ridiculous and implausible. But East of Berlin’s story line…..at least on the surface…is weirder and wilder.

Imagine…if you will…..a young schoolboy….living in a german speaking colony in Paraguay….being shocked to learn that his father….who with the rest of the local German community celebrates Adolph Hitlers birthday……is a war criminal. And later……this same fellow…estranged from daddy…..but supported by a war criminals trust fund…..getting on his knees…and proposing marriage to the daughter of a holocaust survivor…in the tourist parking lot at Auchwitz. Oh yes. Shes got a bad case of the touristas.

Strange. Strange. Strange. But you know….somehow East of Berlin really worked….for both of us…..dealing with themes as varied as family conflict, historical awareness, secrecy and betrayal…..and all in 90 minutes.

I think that’s due to a very good script by Miss Moscovitch..an emerging talent in Canadian theatre circles….….very impressive set design……and tremendous performances….notably by Toronto actor Brendan Gall as Rudi….the conflicted….rather neurotic and chain smoking hero of the piece.

If you want to see a good play. From Tarragon Theatre…one of the pre-eminent theatre companies from back east. You might want to check out East of Berlin at the Firehall until Saturday night only.

4. Pacific Cinematheque. They say that when your heart goes pitter patter it is supposed to mean you’re in love. Well… my heart went pitterpatter when I noticed an online announcement that the new Pacific Cinemathque Program is out. On Howe Street, near Davie…the Cinematheque and its 150 plus volunteers labour to bring us the best in art house and serious cinema. From here and away…..from current to way back when.

No one need ever complain to me about a lack of good film in town. Just pay attention to the Cinematheque program. Something for everyone.

And over the next few months….

- Canada Top Ten films from 2008 as selected by a panel of Canadian film critics and notable filmmakers…..a showcase of current Austalian cinema…plus Sir Carol Reed’s l947 clasic Odd Man Out…. with James Mason as an Irish terrorist on the run….Tuesday March l7th only…..and Hong Kongs brilliant Wong Kar Wai and his Director of Photography James Doyle…in a remake of his 1994 historical epic….Ashes of Time….running from April 8th to the 13th.

Also coming to the Cinematheque…..a showing of its perennial sellout Fellini’s La Dolce Vita……buy your tickets online and get their early……and Eisenstiens Ivan the Terrible Parts One and Two…….also in Mid April.

5. Van City Cinema. The home of the Vancovuer International Film Festival. And some of the best seats in Town. Always good programming. And never in competition with the Cinematheque. Thank God for cooperation.

At Van City Cinemas….the Godfather Part 2…considered by many to be the most successful sequel ever made….and considered by many to be better than the original Godfather
And following that….a cinematic look at Canada’s national sport—Hockey….featuring Paul Newman in Slapshot ….Keir Dullea in Paperback Hero…..and Rocket…the Quebecois box office hit about Maurice “The Rocket” Richard”.

And for film festival enthusiasts…..note that the Vancouver International Film Festival this year is a bit later…starring October lst and running to October 16th.

6. At the commercial cinema. Steven Soderberg’s glowing adulation of Che Guevera….a man some Cuban friends refer to as the communist Mickey Mouse……his portrait as ubiquitous in Cuba as Mickeys in Disneyworld…..Yes. Che. all 4 to 6 hours of it….is opening this weekend.

All the major oscar winners and nominees are in town. My own favourite films still showing….MilkSlumDog Millionaire….Meryl Streep in the screen version of John Patrick Shanleys Tony Award winning play Doubt…..the holocaust thriller Defiance….and last year’s Cannes Festival top prize winner…..The Class…..a particular favourite.

And you might want to check out the very minimalist low budget American film……Wendy and Lucy….the Best Film of the year from Film Comment…the journal of the Film Socieety at Lincoln Centre…and the Toronto Film Critics Society. With Michelle Williams. I was grabbed by the film…her performance…and the sadness of the story. Other friends said Wendy and Lucy was like watching paint dry….though theyd prefer the paint.

7. Some terrific Music and Performance. . Unforgettable. The Music of Nat King Cole. A musical starring Dan Stewart….with Sibel Thrasher…she is phenomenal……playing Ella FitzGerald…..and featuring the Ron Johnston quartet. At the PAL Theatre (Peforrming Arts Lodge) only Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27.

8. And Speaking of PAL. The Performing Arts Lodge. Cooperative Housing for the Arts Community. They are developing a wonderful program in their own small theatre.

The incomparable Nicola Cavendish will inaugurate a Solo Series at PAL…..with a reading from one of her best known roles…Shirley Valentine…..followed by Rosey Frier Dryden in Rose…..the story of a sweet little Jewish lady from Miami who survived the best and the worst of the 20th Century….Renne Bucciarelli in the Belle of Amherst….on the life of poet Emily Dickinson……and later…Tanya Dixon Warren in British playwright Alan Bennett’s A Lady of Letters and Her Big Chance.

All of this should remind us that good theatre does not need to have a massive budget or a gigantic cast…it can be intimate..
Compelling…and affordable.

9. And speaking of affordable theatre…check the Arts Club Box Office or go online at the Arts Club and check out some lower price nights…..and their special prices for young people and their older friends. Remember the first Saturday matinee of any production at the Playhouse is a pay what you can bargain….and if Studio 58 and Theatre at UBC provide top of the line professional productions….at student prices. Your tax dollars at work!

10. And while both of these events are almost over…do check out Rendez Vous….an amazing program of Francophone cinema from Quebec….. France and overseas……now in its 15th Year…and surviving almost under the promotional radar. Which is too bad. Rendez Vous will wrap up on March 6th. But it will be back next year. Mark you calendars for early February next year!

11. And Reel to Real….the Youth Film Festival…..wraps up at Van City Cinema and the Roundhouse this weekend. Check that out. And if you have a young Eisenstien….a future Bergmann…or merely a budding Steven Speilberg……this Youth Festival will doubtless be back…same time next year.

12. Presentation House. The only professionally curated Photographic Art Gallery in Canada. On the north Shore.

Their current show features Isabel Pawels Video Installation…B and E…..which looks at the goings on…on the screen and through the front door of Vancouver’s infamous Porn Theatre The Fox. Hey you might recognize someone you know.

13. And if Slumdog Millionaire is….well…..just a little bit too cinematic for you. What about the real thing? Check this out. Aisha and Ben…presented by South Asian Arts and Theatre Jihad….at the Telus Studio Theatre Chan Center for the Performing Arts on March l9th to 2lst. Described as a provocative play about the perils of Success….Aisha and Ben is a romance….a culture clash…and a bit of Bollywood…and it features Port Moody born Anita Majumdar……who is currently studying theatre at the National Arts Centre and is currently based in Toronto.

14. Cockpit. Wen Wei Dance. At the Dance Centre. In spite of its rather graphic title…this dance piece…featuring 4 male and one female dancer…is described as a subtle delving into the nuances of nascent sexuality. Only until Saturday February 28th.
You gotta admit. The Title sort of grabs you!

That's all for this week! Remember to tune in to The Arts Rational on Co-op Radio 102.7 to hear Gerry present his Arts Notes live and enthusiastically every Thursday at 9:00 p.m! Thanks for listening!!

M & G

Monday, February 9, 2009

Song of the Week - February 9, 2009

I had the pleasure of seeing local musician, David Blair, perform live in November and was blown away by his catchy melodies and charming stage presence. We’re excited that David is coming down to the Arts Rational on Thursday, February 19 to chat about his music and perhaps even play a tune or two live in studio! Check out his myspace page here and listen to another example of the terrific talent Vancouver has to offer!

Pay special attention to the song “This is The Soundtrack,” which sounds like a hit just waiting to explode. Enjoy!

Gerry's Arts Notes - February 5, 2009

Gerry's always on the pulse of this city's arts and culture events. Here are his cultural suggestions this week. In no particular order:

LIVE THEATRE:

Alter Boys @ The Arts Club Theatre from January 15 - February 21. Click here to find out more.

In the Realm of Oshima at the Pacific Cinematheque including Mr. Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Empire Of Passion Valentines Weekend. (Kwaidan Japanese ghost story meets Postman Always Rings Twice). Click here for more information.

City Opera Vancouver puts on The Emperor of Atlantis. Three shows remaining on February 7, 9 and 11th at the Norman Rothstein Theatre Jewish Community Centre. Find out how to get tickets here.

Studio 58 is doing a production of Bye Bye Birdie from January 29 to February 22. Go out an support local, college theatre. Get information here.

Presentation House Third Street Series presents "Three Viewings." Come see this story of intertwined stories of love and loss. Find out more here.

United Players presents There Came a Gypsy Riding until February 15. Find out more here.

The hilarious "Holy Mo" with Lucia Frangione runs from February 6 to March 2 at Pacific Theatre. Find out more here.

FILM:

The Class @ Tinsletown. Click here for show times.
Of Time and the City @ Van City. Click here for show times.
Welcome to the Sticks @ Park Theatre. Click here for show times. (This is the VIFF top grossing French film of all time!)

FESTIVALS:

Check out the Chutzpah Festival, which start February 19. You can find out more here.

Please feel free to comment on any of these events, or suggest events of your own that others should check out.

Stay tuned next week for more of Gerry's fantastic Arts Notes!

Cheers,

M & G

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Arts Rational Radio- January 15th, 2009

In this episode we have a chat with Nathan Blackburn from PuddleCity Arts and continue our coverage of the PuSH festival.

Download show here. (Right-click > Save As...)

Monday, February 2, 2009

Song of the Week - February 2, 2009

This is the first of what I plan to be a regular entry on this blog. The Song of the Week entry is a chance for us to share one song that we think you should be listening to each week.

In this era of unlimited musical choice, we hear music all the time, but we rarely stop to listen anymore. We fill up our iPods in order to create a soundtrack for our daily lives, skipping from one song to the next and never taking anything in. Music has the ability to affect more than just our hearing, but in order for it to work its magic on our other senses; we have to take the time to let it really soak in.

Rather than listing off twenty great songs that you should add to your iPod, knowing that they’ll just get lost in the shuffle, my goal here is to introduce you to one great song and let you in on why I think it’s special. Don’t just turn it on while you’re folding your laundry. I encourage you to take a few minutes out of your life and let this song in. Allow yourself a musical moment.

For the very first "Song of the Week" I've chosen the Fleet Foxes tune "White Winter Hymnal" off their first full length album, which was released to critical acclaim in the summer of 2008. The music is gorgeous and creative, providing a sea of musical intrigue for any music lover. They’ve drawn comparisons to legends such as Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young and the Beach Boys as well as current “it” bands such as Band of Horses. The whole album is tremendous, but I’ve chosen this particular song for the creative journey that it provides in a mere two minutes and 27 seconds. You get a sense of the band’s beautiful harmonies in the sparse opening and the song slowly builds from there, adding layers of sound and then finally falling off to finish with the familiar vocals from the beginning of the song. At the song’s climax it sounds like a full pop orchestra with big, warm drum beats; jangly, swirling percussion and hymn-like vocals that together wrap the listener in a cozy blanket of sound.

Please click here to visit the Fleet Foxes myspace page. I hope you enjoy their music as much as I do.

Happy Listening!

Upcoming on Arts Rational February 5, 2009

Hi Listeners!

Please tune in this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. for more coverage on the Push Festival. Gerry and I have both attended some performances and are planning to attend more! We'll be reviewing what we've already seen and discussing exciting upcoming shows.

We also have someone coming down to chat with us about an event called "Crimson Cabaret." Crimson Cabaret is a huge production that showcases local talented women. All proceeds from this event will go to the North Shore Women's Centre. Please click here to learn more about the North Shore Women's Centre and Crimson Cabaret.

We're looking forward to the show on Thursday!

Ruta Mazonas' YVR Experience - January 29, 2009

Thanks to Jay Hamburger and Theatre in the Raw for the candid interview with actress, Ruta Mazonas. We were fortunate that Ruta generously shared her devastating experience of being mistreated by Immigration at the Vancouver International Airport before eventually being deported out of the country. Thanks to Ruta for this and to her partner, Robert Meister, who came down to the studio to re-cap with us after hearing the recorded interview. We'd be interested to hear your thoughts about this interview and similar cases of abuse by people in positions of authority.

Thanks for listening!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Welcome to our blog...

Keep checking back for more Arts Rational-related information!!!!!


M and G