Kings Arts scene - as of Feb. 26

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

Sounds of Rustic Harmony in Berwick

The Annapolis Valley Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association presents the multi-award winning Rustic Harmony in concert, with opening band Valley Grass at the Berwick Lions Hall Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m.

Rustic Harmony formed in the early ‘90s and started recording and playing festivals in 1994. Their collection of recordings include old-time country, bluegrass and mountain music - made fresh and new by the duet style of Len Hicks and Allan Robichaud. Their style is similar to that of the Louvin Brothers, The Blue Sky Boys and Jim and Jesse. Hicks plays guitar and sings lead and low harmony; Robichaud plays dobro, harmonica, lead and tenor vocals. He is also a five-time Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Association dobro player of the year. Pat Ann Hicks plays a solid acoustic bass and Carmen Jackson provides the sweet sounds of mandolin.

Admission is $8 advance, $10 at the door. For information or advance tickets call Bill Dempsey at 847-3740 or 538-9259.

The AVBOMA supports the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Oscar reflection

Watching Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova receive their Oscar for best song, I was extra appreciative of the Fundy Film Society. Without the society it would have been impossible to see their film, Once, or best actress Marion Cotillard in the French feature about Edith Piaf, La Vie en Rose. The society screens independent and foreign films that never make it to mainstream cinemas.

As Hansard said, “we made this film two years ago; we shot on two Handycams. It took us three weeks to make; we made it for a hundred grand. We never thought we would come into a room like this and be in front of you people. It's been an amazing thing.”

The Academy Award winning Irish musical film was shot in Dublin and one of the songs in the film received an Academy Award for best original song.

Additional programs

Not only is the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts offering its regular March Break programs, there are some special programs for teens - including teen choreographers.

Teens can take in either one day or a whole week of programs geared just for them: young architects, hip hop, 3D sculpture, fusion and junk band.

The teen choreography lab is open to three Nova Scotian dance students with choreographic skill and the potential to realize a future in dance. The teens will overnight during March break, working with professional choreographers, dancers and musicians and each other in class and open studio time. Deadline to apply is February 29.

Night Kitchen

March 1, another Night Kitchen concert is set for the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville. The music gets underway at 8 p.m.

Films aplenty

The Fundy Film Society’s Main Series continues with Persepolis, a deeply personal coming-of-age tale about finding one’s place in the world. Based on her bestselling graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi teamed up with underground comic book artist Vincent Paronnaud to co-direct this animated big screen adaptation. The result: an electrifying, heartfelt and original portrait of a spunky girl who surmounts countless obstacles to grow into a wise young adult. Persepolis screens at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville March 2 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m and March 3 at 7 p.m.