Arts Preview!

BY NADINE ARMSTRONG

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

CentreStage presents Sleeping Beauty

CentreStage Theatre presents Sleeping Beauty, a production by Susan Bardsley and Lani Brockman. It is an interactive musical comedy for very young audiences, ages 3-9.

This show was created specifically for the youngest members of the audience, but it is great fun for the whole family. The show is about 45 minutes with no intermission.

Sleeping Beauty is a classic fairy tale. The King and Queen have long awaited a child and finally their wish is granted when Aurora is born. All gather to celebrate this new child.

One uninvited guest has different plans for the occasion. Maleficent puts a curse of the princess for her 16th birthday. Upon her 16th birthday, she meets and falls in love with a handsome stranger, then learns of her family, and all seems lost. But don’t worry; it has a happy ending!

CentreStage’s production follows the same basic storyline, but is a bit less dramatic. It is a funnier version with lots of audience interaction. The music is catchy and you will be guaranteed to be humming the tunes for the rest of the day.

Sleeping Beauty is directed by Emily Oickle and stars Bob Cook, Colleen Hagen, Evan Mahaney, Carolyn Thomas, Jessica D'Entrement and Lizzy Johnson.

The show plays Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m. from July 4-19. All seats are $5. Phone 678-8040 to make reservations.

For more information visit

http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.centreStagetheatre.ca or phone 678-3502.

Windsor Waterfront Concert Series

The Windsor Business Enhancement Society (WBES), the downtown Windsor merchants, presents the Waterfront Concert Series Friday evenings this summer.

Bring a lawn chair, sit back and enjoy the waterfront concerts at the gazebo. Scheduled is as follows: July 17-31, Hughie McDonell; Mike Aube; Montana; and Ted Woundy.

Richard Donat live, July 24 and 25

Canadian stage, film, and voice actor Richard Donat (originally from Kentville) is treating audiences July 24 and 25 to entertaining evenings of readings by one of Canada's best-known humourists, Stephen Leacock.

Vignettes include "My Financial Career," "How to Live to be 200," "Gertrude the Governess," and others, along with an excerpt from Leacock's book, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. Donat's voice talent has been heard in over 100 CBC radio dramas and as many television productions over the years.

He was born in Kentville and studied acting at the University of British Columbia and at the National Theatre School in Montreal. He has appeared in roles at Neptune and the Chester Summer Theatre, which he helped organize.

Since returning to Nova Scotia in 1994, he has appeared at Neptune Theatre and was a regular in the TV series Emily of New Moon and Blackfly. He is an active director and is frequently heard as a reader on the CBC.

Richard Donat will be at CentreStage Theatre, 61 River Street Kentville, Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $15 and can be reserved by calling 678-8040.

Rock out at the Library

The Annapolis Valley Regional Library, in conjunction with K-Rock, is hosting a Guitar Hero Rock-Out. The contest is open to ages 12-18 only.

Interested participants can sign up at one of four libraries: Berwick, Bridgetown, Kentville, and Windsor. Up to 20 people can compete at each branch, and four from each will advance to the finals Aug. 7 at the Kentville Lions Hall.

The grand-prize winner will receive an electric guitar pakage from Long and McQuade, including a guitar, practice amp and free guitar lesson. The runner-up will win a $200 gift card from CD Plus.

The contest begins July 16 in Bridgetown. Other dates include July 17 in Berwick, July 20 in Kentville and July 21 in Windsor. Visit the library website at www.valleylibrary.ca for more details and to register.

Musique Royale presents the Orchid Ensemble

Musique Royale will present the award-winning Orchid Ensemble in communities throughout Nova Scotia. ‘Music from East to West’ will be featured first at St. John’s Anglican Church in Port Williams Tuesday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. and at Kings Theatre in Annapolis Royal Saturday, July 18 at 8 p.m.

The Orchid Ensemble blends ancient musical instruments and traditions from China and beyond, creating a beautiful new sound that is creative and distinct. The ensemble has embraced a variety of musical styles to its repertoire, ranging from the traditional and contemporary music of China, World Music, New Music to Jazz and Creative Improvisation.

The Orchid Ensemble features Lan Tung on erhu (a two-stringed fiddle held on the lap), Bei Bei on zheng (a 21 string zither) and Jonathan Bernard, marimba and percussion

Tickets ($20) are available at each venue. Special student admission is $5 at the door.

Information: 634-9994 or e-mail stjartsalliance@eastlink.ca www.musiqueroyale.com

Utata ready to rock out

Utata Gallery and Art Centre in Windsor announces a unique summer program for local youth. Called “Rock Camp”, this is a program aimed at helping young rock star hopefuls realize their dreams.

Hosted by Jake Smith and Mike Keating, both of the band The Fed Pennies, which opened for Ozzie Osbourne at Halifax’s Metro Centre in 2008, participants will have the chance to learn many of the ins and outs of making a career in music.

Both instructors are music teachers at Moe’s Place Music Sales in Windsor and very involved in the local music scene, including playing at Utata’s highly successful inaugural “Street Punk Thursday” youth event. “We’re going to host an outdoor concert at the end,” said Catherine Jamieson, Executive Director of the Utata Gallery, “so all the kids can show off what they learned.”

Each participant will go home with a CD of their own recorded music and have the opportunity to purchase a specially designed Rock Camp T-shirt. Registration forms are available in Windsor at either Utata Gallery, 40 Water Street, or at Moe’s Music Sales,

129 Gerrish Street.

Camp starts bright and early Monday, July 20 and winds up Friday, July 24 with an evening concert on Windsor’s waterfront.

Utata Gallery and Art Centre is located in downtown Windsor at 40 Water Street. Open from 10-10 daily, they offer an Art Gallery, classes and workshops, daily events and an outreach program. They are online at http://gallery.utata.org/ and can be reached by calling (902)792-2710.

Festival line-up includes Canadian music icons

The Acoustic Maritime Music Festival has announced that Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard will join Ron Hynes, J. P. Cormier, Charlie A’Court, Ian Sherwood, The Hupman Brothers, Coco Love Alcorn, Christina Martin, Norma Macdonald, Gary Cook and Bill Elliott in the line up for the 5th Annual Acoustic Maritime Music Festival to be held at Peterson’s Festival Campground, Kempt Shore, Hants County, July 17-19, 2009.

To contribute to Arts Preview, e-mail your event to narmstrong@hantsjournal.ca or call 708-8371 ext. 2201