BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for April 16 – 22

Grammy Award winner Buddy Guy performs at the Red Robinson Theatre April 16

What to do in BC this week

See Basic Training – April 14-16 

Let’s just say there’s nothing at all basic about Basic Training. In fact, the award-winning one-man show, written and performed by Kahlil Ashanti, has been optioned for a TV series. The play, inspired by Ashanti’s time on the front lines in the Middle East as a member of an entertainment troupe, also won the NY Times Critics Pick during its Off Broadway run, delivering “65 electrifying minutes of heart-rending drama, physical comedy and mind-blowing rap-dance.” Catch it at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (1895 Venables Street) from April 14 to 16, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, with $5 discounts for students, at the door. For more info, call 604-251-1363.

Check out the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival – April 15-24

Think the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival, running from April 15 to 24 in Whistler, is just about the outdoor activities? Think again. This 16th annual alpine extravaganza is also the site of Canada’s largest free open-air concert series, featuring the likes of Broken Social Scene, Delhi 2 Dublin, Swollen Members and Spirit of the West, among others. It’s also party central for après-ski nightlife, along with a roster of fashion, photography, theatre and film events. And, as celebration of all that’s core to mountain culture, the fest also highlights the latest trends in alpine sports. Wanna make a weekend out of it? Check out Whistler’s special rock-bottom room rates by visiting or calling 1-888-600-6610.


See The Graduate on Stage – April 14 – May 14
“Mrs. Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?” So said a fresh-faced Dustin Hoffman in 1967’s The Graduate, ranked as the seventh greatest movie of all time by the American Film Institute. Get set to hear that famous phrase again — one of the most iconic in cinematic history — when a live stage production hits the Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston Street, Vancouver) from April 14 to May 14. Director Lois Anderson takes a fresh new approach to this classic tale about a naïve new grad who is seduced by an older woman but ends up falling for her daughter. For tickets or information about this Arts Club Theatre production, featuring theatre critic Jerry Wasserman testing out his acting chops and Camille Mitchell as Mrs. Robinson, call 604-687-1644.

Catch Buddy Guy – April 16

Few musicians have a bigger case of the blues than Buddy Guy, a five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his “stinging, attacking electric guitar style and wild, impassioned vocals.” The 74-year-old bluesman, who has backed the legendary likes of everyone from Muddy Waters to Howlin’ Wolf to Sonny Boy Williamson, is set to make an appearance at Boulevard Casino’s Red Robinson Show Theatre (2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam) on April 16. Expect him to revisit his rollicking, six-decade repertoire of hits, including classic collaborations with late harp master Junior Wells. Tickets are $44.50 and $55.50 from all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge-by-phone at 
604-280-4444.

Join the Sound of Music Sing-A-Long – April 16 

Maybe it’s the grand nod to nostalgia, but Elton John, Dan Aykroyd, Debbie Reynolds, Hugh Grant and Joan Collins are just a few of the celebrity fans of Sing-A-Long Sound of Music, a worldwide hit that has played to packed houses in nine countries. Held on April 16 at the River Rock Show Theatre (8811 River Road, Richmond), it’s not just a chance to see the 1965 Rodgers & Hammerstein film classic on the big screen, but it’s also a major audience participation event that promises fun for all ages. And if you’ve forgotten the lyrics, no worries: subtitled songs like “My Favourite Things” will ensure you’re ready to hit all the right notes with Maria and the von Trapps, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 and $29.50 and available at Ticketmaster or by phone at 604-280-4444.

Sip All Soiree – April 16
Did you know that moderate wine drinkers live longer on average than teetotalers? So raise a glass guilt-free at the South Okanagan Winery Association’s 2011 Banée on April 16. This sip soiree, modeled after Burgundy’s famed Banée de Meursault, marks the start of a new season of sipping. Held at Spirit Ridge Resort in Osoyoos, it features a chef-made meal paired with some of the region’s top tipples. Tickets are $200 per person, and include a wine reception, family style feast and live auction. For more details, call 250-485-0227. While you’re at it, be sure to ask about the special Banée packages offered by Spirit Ridge, Walnut Beach and Watermark Beach resorts.

Debate the Veil – April 16
The Niqãb: Freedom or Oppression? Seems most people these days have a strong opinion on this hotly debated topic, including Islam expert and author Farzana Hassan, who’s set to discuss the controversial view that face-covering veils, traditionally worn by Muslim women, are a form of oppression. She’ll state her case at the Chan Centre at UBC (6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver) on 
April 16, beginning at 8 p.m. with a pre-lecture musical performance by Amy and Amir. Tickets for the show, part of the UBC Laurier Institution Multiculturalism Lectures, are $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and $12 for students, at Ticketmaster or 604-280-3311.

Drive British Styles – April 17 

There will be lots of cars, but no traffic, at the sixth annual St. George’s Day British Motoring Show on April 17 at Fort Langley Community Hall (9167 Glover Road). If you’re thinking it’s all about cars, you’re only partially right: there will be Brit-made buses and lorries, too — more than 60 in all — not to mention a display of SPARC Society antique radios. And if you’ve got some enviable English wheels of your own, you’re welcome to register it for $15, with proceeds going to Langley Big Brothers and Sisters. For further details on the show, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., go to lambscarclub.com or email lambmc@telus.net.

Taste Island Wines – April 19
You could say that the Wine Islands Spring Tasting is a bit of a misnomer. Sure, the April 19 event at the Crystal Ballroom in the Fairmont Empress Hotel (721 Government Street, Victoria) will be popping the cork on vats of new vintages, but it will also feature a range of ciders, meads and spirits, too. And if you’re impressed with the products, you can give props to the vintners, who’ll be on hand to promote the newly published guidebook Island Wineries of British Columbia. Tickets for the event, starting at 6 p.m., can be purchased online for $39 at islandwineries.ca or in person at various wine shops in Victoria and Duncan.

See Brian Howell’s Shopping Carts Photo Exhibit – until April 30

One of the great questions of consumerism, writes Vancouver author Douglas Coupland, is this: “When you throw something away, what, exactly, do you mean by away?” It’s a question that’s also explored in Shopping Carts, a Brian Howell photography exhibition on display at the Winsor Gallery (3025 Granville Street, Vancouver) until April 30. This collection of 25 life-size portraits portrays the realities of Vancouver’s population of scavengers, the feisty entrepreneurs who push shopping carts not along the slick aisles of grocery stores but in urban alleys on garbage day, hunting for the cast-off treasures among the trash. For more details, call 604-681-4870.

Brave the Waves
 – now
If you hate the thought of working out in a stuffy gym, especially now that spring has sprung, Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak Centre (2156 Banbury Rd., North Vancouver) offers the perfect alternative. For $75, you can hit the water for a one-hour private kayaking lesson or, for $32, go it alone on a two-hour ocean kayak or canoe excursion. Daily and long-term rentals are also available, along with lessons in everything from capsize recovery to kids’ kayaking to navigation. If you prefer spectator sports, check out North America’s largest weekly Paddle Sport Races every Tuesday evening until September 13. Need more details? Call 604-929-2268.


Get a Discounted Spa Treatment – 
anytime
In times of stress, spa treatments are known to spike. Unfortunately, pricey body-care services can also bottom out your bank account. So thank goodness for local penny-pinching pampering alternatives, including the Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage (#300-342 Water Street, Vancouver). Check out the student clinic for a range of fabulous treatments at discounted rates. For details, call 604-688-5060. In Burnaby, you can also try Dominelli Esthetics College (6354 Beresford Street, 604-431-0777), which also runs student spa clinics, and in New Westminster and Victoria, try West Coast College of Massage Therapy.


Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.