BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for April 17-23

Studio 58’s Where’s Charley? is a mayhem of mistaken identity

Catch Three Ballet BC Premieres
How fitting that the official launch of a renewed and rejuvenated Ballet BC should be called Re/Naissance. Performing from April 15 to 17 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre (649 Cambie St., Vancouver), the corps will be on their toes with three Vancouver premieres, including Herman Schmerman, a work originally created for the New York City Ballet by iconoclastic choreographer William Forsythe; Things I told nobody by Israeli-born sensation Itzik Galili; and Short works: 24 by B.C.’s own dance diva Crystal Pite. And, interestingly, the works all reflect Ballet BC’s artistic vision to combine classical ballet with 21st-century sensibilities. Buy tickets at Ticketmaster at 604-280-3311or online at ticketmaster.ca.

Party for the Planet

We reserve a day each year to honour our moms, so it’s only fitting to do the same for the biggest mother of them all: Mother Earth. Thus, the powers-that-be have designated April 22 as Earth Day, the time to give props to our planet. Eco-conscious events will be underway all over B.C., including Vancouver’s Everett Crowley Park, the site of entertainment and environmental exhibits from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Or, check out the Earth Day Fair outside West Vancouver’s Whole Foods Market, running from noon to 3 p.m., where you’ll enjoy a free cup of Spirit Bear Coffee if you bring your own mug. For more info on these and other events, go to earthday.ca

Take Your Kids to See Carousel Theatre’s A Year with Frog and Toad
A Year With Frog and Toad, playing from April 17 to May 8 at the Waterfront Theatre (1412 Cartwright Street, Granville Island), is one children’s musical that won’t cause parents to croak out of sheer boredom. Based on the beloved children’s tale, it follows best friends Frog and Toad on their adventures through four fun-filled seasons, each set to jazz and ragtime-inspired music. After waking from winter hibernation, the two plant spring gardens, swim in the summer, rake leaves in the fall, and learn life lessons along the way, including ones about the power of friendship and honouring the quirks that make each of us unique. 
For tickets to this Carousel Theatre production, call 604-685-6217 or visit carouseltheatre.ca.

Attend Critter Care Wildlife Society’s Fundraising Dinner
It’s not always such a bad thing to be treated like an animal. At least not if you’re one of the lucky charges under the care of Critter Care Wildlife Society, a non-profit group dedicated to rehabilitating B.C.’s injured and orphaned wildlife. You can help the organization fulfill their mission to provide creature comforts to our native species, including raccoons, bear cubs, deer and river otters, by swinging by Fort Langley Community Hall (9167 Glover Road) on April 17 for an evening of entertainment and fundraising that includes a buffet dinner, silent auction and live music, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets for this animal-friendly affair are $60 per person, with further details at 604-530-2054.

Have Some Fun in the Okanagan Sun
Sure, Playland swings open its gates in Vancouver this week for another summer of thrills and chills, but that’s no reason for kids in Kelowna to pester their parents into planning a pit-stop to the Coast. Not when Kelowna is home to one of the Okanagan’s best places for family fun: Scandia Golf & Games (2898 Highway 97 North). Along with indoor and outdoor golf courses, the attraction covers all the bases with nine batting cages, an arcade boasting more than 130 video, skill and redemption games, plus a shooting gallery, bumper cars and even a roller coaster simulator. Swing by daily until midnight, with more details available at 250-765-2355 or scandiagolfandgames.com

Appreciate Your Admin Assistant
Hey, bosses: want to score some brownie points? Then here’s a tip: Better be sure to acknowledge Administrative Professionals Week, which runs this year from April 18 to 24. For the price of a Starbucks gift card, spa session or a box of chocolates, you’ll help boost staff morale, which, if you’re lucky, just might translate into increased employee productivity. So now’s your chance to show your appreciation for your office’s unsung heroes, the admin assistants who are tasked with everything from un-jamming photocopiers to calming cranky callers to fetching coffee. Hesitant to pull out your wallet? Just think how much you’d be grunting if you had to do all this so-called “grunt work” yourself!


Relive the Voyage of Apollo 13

“Houston, we have a problem.” Forty years have passed since astronaut Jim Lovell uttered this ultimate understatement, belying the grave danger that he and his two crewmates faced when Apollo 13 malfunctioned during a 1970 lunar mission. Now, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (1100 Chestnut St., Vancouver) welcomes astrophysicist Jaymie Matthews on April 17 as he shows “what went right” on the near-fatal, problem-plagued voyage, which narrowly averted tragedy to become one of NASA’s proudest moments. The space talk, hosted by Global BC’s Steve Darling and Mark Madryga, also includes a screening of Apollo 13, the Oscar-winning 1995 movie starring Tom Hanks, starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.75, with further information available at 604-738-7827 or spacecentre.ca
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Party Parisian-style at the Rogue Club
If you’re dreaming of frittering away your days in France, sorry, we can’t help you. But you can still party it up, Parisian style, at St. James Hall (3214 W. 10th Ave., Vancouver) on April 17 and 18. That’s when the Rogue Folk Club is hosting April in Paris, a fourth annual Django Festival celebrating the musical legacy of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, the gypsy guitarist and jazz fiddler who defined the musical spirit of war-torn Paris in the dirty ’30s. Plus, the music isn’t the only thing that’ll get you jazzed; check out the Parisian-style bistro for some fab French fare. For more info or to buy tickets, visit roguefolk.bc.ca or call 604-736-3022.


Check out Saltspring’s Patchwork of Colour Spring Art Show
Need another reason to visit Salt Spring Island, a scenic sanctuary boasting an open-air community market, tree-lined bike trails, organic coffeehouses and unspoiled beaches? If you’re a fan of the fine arts, then you may want to check out the Patchwork of Colour spring art show, hosted by the Salt Spring Island Painters Guild, from April 15 to 29 at ArtSpring (100 Jackson Ave.). Underscoring the island’s rep as a creative community, the facility showcases original work by more than 35 artists. Plus, on April 15 and 16, you can scribble down bids at a silent auction for a chance to purchase selected pieces. For further details, go to artspring.ca.

See Studio 58’s Where’s Charley
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Forget Waldo. Theatre lovers are asking Where’s Charley? That’s the title of the latest offering unfolding at Studio 58 at Langara College (100 W. 49th Ave., Vancouver) until April 18. Set at Oxford University in 1892, this classic play, which broke all longevity records on the London stage, hearkens back to the time of chaperones. Chuckles ensue when a young man persuades a buddy to impersonate his aunt, who failed to report for duty overseeing his date with a gal-pal. The plot thickens when Mr. Spettigue, the girl’s guardian, falls for this imposter “aunt,” creating a mayhem of mistaken identity, Oscar Wilde style. For info and tickets, call 604-684-2787 or visit ticketstonight.ca
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Go Clubbing in Style at Five Sixty

One size fits all is a term that typically applies to clothes, not nightclubs. But that was before Five Sixty (560 Seymour St., Vancouver), a New York-style club that critics have branded “the city’s coolest hot spot,” opened its doors in downtown Vancouver. This four-storey space invites patrons to party in three separate mini-clubs, each with its own DJ. So if you’re bored of the bar scene, you can head up to the top floors, operating as satellite art galleries for North Vancouver’s Presentation House and UBC’s Belkin Gallery. What’s more, floor-to-ceiling video projections on the main floor give you more to gaze at than just bad dancers, and a massive 6,000-square-foot unisex bathroom boasts unique tile work and speakers in every stall. Check it out nightly from 5 p.m.


Stock up at the Kerrisdale Antiques Fair

If you’ve ever found yourself muttering, “They sure don’t make things like they used to,” you may want to stock up at the ninth annual Kerrisdale Antiques Fair on April 17 and 18. Held at Kerrisdale Arena (5670 East Boulevard, Vancouver), it boasts more than 250 tables and booths of 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century antiques and vintage collectibles, making it the largest event of its kind in Vancouver. You’ll find everything from antique jewellery and Victorian sterling to retro-chic furniture and antiquarian books. Plus, drop-in appraisals will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on a first-come-first-served basis. For info, call 604-980-3159 or visit 21cpromotions.com.

Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper
Rocky Mountaineer Vacations has engineered a perfect little getaway that allows you to experience BC’s scenery in style. You’ll ride the rails on a two-day, all daylight Journey Through the Clouds between Vancouver, Kamloops and Jasper while breathtaking vistas roll past your windows. From alpine peaks and sparkling lakes to sprawling meadows and lush forests — this scenic trip aboard BC’s award-winning railway offers it all. Priced from $819 per person, the package also includes three night’s hotel accommodation, on-board breakfasts and lunches and a National Parks pass. For further information, visit rockymountaineer.com or call 1-800-665-7245.
 

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