Young Burnaby performers are in the spotlight at this year's Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! production.
Miss Vancouver is being staged at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver as part of the annual musical theatre summer program. Burnaby's Karis Ducharme, Emily Hallam, Mikaela Orford, Aine Plunkett and Chloe Tadeuszow are all part of the 66-member production.
Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!, now in its 19th year, brings together performers aged 10 to 19 to learn from professionals in the theatre world - including musical directors Wendy Stuart and Lonnie Delisle, choreographers Isabelle Maheux, Laura Krewski, Diana Coatsworth and Troy McLaughlin, director Chris McGregor, acting coach and improv specialist Advah Soudack, and set construction and costume designers Jay Havens and Shizuka Kai.
Miss Vancouver features an original script by Perry Ehrlich, with more than 30 songs from Broadway and movie musicals -from Hairspray and Flashdance to Singing in the Rain, Sister Act and Billy Elliot.
It's on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 29 at 1 and 7:30 p.m. at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in the Jewish Community Centre, 950 West 41st Ave. in Vancouver. Tickets are $15. Call 604-257-5111.
Summer films What better way to spend a summer evening than at an outdoor movie? Burnaby residents have a chance to enjoy a few more movies in the summer series at Civic Square. Coming up on Thursday, Aug. 22, it's The Lorax (being shown in French, with English subtitles). The animated movie retelling of the popular Dr. Seuss book follows the story of a 12-year-old boy who's searching for something to help him win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it, he must discover the story of the Lorax - the grumpy creature who's fighting to protect his world.
The movie is set to run from 8:30 to 10 p.m. On Thursday, Aug. 29, it's E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, also screening from 8:30 to 10 p.m. As a special pre-show feature, there will also be a video conference with NASA scientist Darlene Lim and a message from Commander Chris Hadfield to all B.C. kids who have been reading this summer.
For more information about the movies, call 604-297-4572.
Piping hot
He's one of the world's best, and he's proved it once again.
SFU Pipe Band Pipe Sergeant Jack Lee has won the masters invitational solo piping contest in Glasgow, Scotland.
With the win, he earned an invitation to the Glenfiddich Championship in Scotland in October. Lee was the first North American piper to win the Glenfiddich solo piping championship, 10 years ago.
Lee was in Glasgow with the SFU band for the world pipe band championships, where SFU placed fourth. (See related story on page 9.) Lee and his brother Terry received honorary degrees from SFU in June.
He is also one of half a dozen SFU pipers featured in a new book, Our Journey, which was launched in Glasgow.
Check out www.pipe bandjourney.com for more on the book.
Imperfect vision
Amateur shutterbugs from Burnaby are being invited to submit their best images that celebrate the beauty of imperfection.
The Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness campaign is running a Perfect is Boring photo contest for B.C. residents.
"I'm so excited for this contest. I think it has the potential to challenge perfectionism and the standards of real beauty," said Amy Pezzente, a Burnaby resident and coordinator for the Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness campaign, in an email.
Pezzente struggled with her own eating disorder for a number of years.
"I wanted the perfect life, the perfect body, the perfect job," she said. "After feeling overwhelmed with all my shortcomings of 'not enough,' I had to learn the hard way that there really is no such thing as perfect."
The deadline for submissions is Aug. 31. The top three winners will receive official Love our Bodies, Love Ourselves wristbands and Perfect is Boring T-shirts.
For more information or to submit photos, email pedaw@mail.com. Full contest information is available at http://bit. ly/PerfectisBoring.
D.O.A. on tour
D.O.A. is heading out on the road again.
The punk pioneers - featuring Burnaby's own Joe Keithley - are taking their farewell tour through North America in September and Europe in October.
On Aug. 24, they'll play the District Public House in Chilliwack - where the D.O.A.-inspired D.O.Ale from Old Yale Brewery will be offered up along with the music. Also close to home, they'll be playing at the Shakedown in Bellingham, Washington on Aug. 29 and El Corazon in Seattle on Aug. 30.
You can follow them on the road on Twitter, @DOAJoe, or www.face book.com/DOAPUNK.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, jmaclellan@burnabynow. com.
