Burnaby Central Secondary School students are getting ready for a tragedy.
Hamlet, William Shakespeare's longest and arguably most popular play, will come to life at the school from March 12 to 14, at 7 p.m. each night.
The school's theatre production class has been working for months on this condensed version of the show, which drama teacher Carol Mann says was a good choice for this group to perform.
"It was the right year for this cast, this class," she said. "They're just doing an absolutely amazing job."
A lot of work has gone into both the performance and the set for this production, she noted.
The stage includes trap doors and professionally-coached fight scenes.
Mann hired expert theatrical fight director Paul Gelineau to teach students how to make a sword fight look as real as possible.
The play is set in modern time - with 21st century street clothes and cell phones used on stage - but the original language of the script is the same.
The cast and crew totals 30 students, 18 of whom are performing, with the rest working behind the scenes.
Hamlet runs 2 hours and 10 minutes, including an intermission.
Everyone is welcome to attend, though Mann cautions parents against bringing elementary-aged kids, as there is violence in the play.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors, available from the school office, at 604-296-6850.
NEW ALBUM LAUNCHES
Burnaby singer Joanna Chapman-Smith is launching her new album, Love Me Deeply, in Vancouver on March 8, International Women's Day.
Chapman-Smith began writing the album at the end of a relationship.
The album is about "finding one's voice, finding empowerment, and finding oneself again in the aftermath of a damaging relationship," according to a press release.
An Independent Music Award winner and nominee for the 2012 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award, Chapman-Smith used this album to reflect on the theme of love, lost and found.
The launch performance will be held at St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Ave., Vancouver.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $20 ($16 for Rogue Folk members), available at Highlife and Rufus' Guitar Shop.
Fibre artist hosts show
A local artist is being featured in a month-long exhibition in New Westminster.
Burnaby's Donna Polos is showing her watercolour-painted paper, cotton and canvas in an exhibition called Seasoned Fibres.
The show runs March 5 to 30 at the Arts Council of New Westminster gallery in Queen's Park.
An opening reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 10, and the art can be viewed Tuesdays through Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 604-525-3244.
