A Busy Week in NL Arts

You know, typically, the arts community in most places goes fairly quiet from January to May, especially around here because you can never be sure that some horrible snowstorm won't shut your event down. I'm not sure if it's just me or not but I feel like there isn't much of a lull around here lately and I say hoorah! This week, the first full week of March, is a perfect example. There's loads of stuff on the go here. I can't name it all. Go to The Scope or The Town Cryer or The Tely Go Guide or The Express (Out and About) sites to find out everything, but I'm going to talk about more of the writing/theatre stuff because that's mostly where my interests lie. Some highlights of the week to come are:


WANL Monthly Reading Series

This month WANL celebrates the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild as Guild Members read from their latest anthology A Charm Against the Pain. That's tonight, Monday, March 5, at the LSPU Hall Gallery at 8:00 p.m. As a recent new member of the Guild, I can tell you that it is a wonderful group of talented writers who are very supportive of new writers. It includes members that are pioneers of Newfoundland and Labrador writing to newbies like me.

Featured readers will be Roberta Buchanan, Lillian Bouzane, Lily Bursey, Libby Creelman, Danette Dooley, Anne Ferncase, Michael Bruce Lockhart, Janet McNaughton, Alison Melvin, Jennifer Morgan, Hilda Chaulk Murray, Marilyn Porter, Esther Slaney-Brown, Georgina Olivere Queller, Geraldine Chafe Rubia, and Joan Scott.

(And as if that is not enough for one night, while at the Gallery you can see Michelle Stamp's new exhibit Portrait Works, which includes portraits of many well-known Newfoundlanders.)


The March Hare

After returning from a tour of Ireland, the annual March Hare, a clebration of words and music, hits St. John's, Gander and Corner Brook this week.

In St. John’s on Wednesday, March 7, the March Hare will be at The Martini Bar (above Peddler’s, George St.) at 8 p.m. It will feature Patrick Lane, Lorna Crozier, John Steffler, Agnes Walsh, Susan Gillis, Emiko Miyashita, Larry Small, Anne Ferncase, Boyd Chubbs and Matthew Byrne. Admission is $10 or $5 for students.

The Hare then moves to Gander on Thursday, March 8 at the Knight’s of Columbus, Airport Blvd., at 7:30 p.m. where it will include Pat & Joe Byrne, Fergus, Tom Dawe, Phil Patey, Agnes Walsh, Isabell Blackmore, Stan Dragland, Pamela Morgan & Anita Best, John Steffler, Lorner Crozier, Pat Lane, Allan & Matthew Byrne, Susan Gillis, Dave Shaw, Bernice Morgan, and the Breakwater Boys.

Then it hits Corner Brook. Artists including Nick Avis, Lloyd Bartlett, Elinor Benjamin, Cleve Best, Breakwater Boys, Allan & Matthew Byrne, Joe Byrne, Pat Byrne, Lorna Crozier, Stan Dragland, John Ennis, Fergus, Final Approach, Susan Gillis, Jennifer Hedd, Pat Lane, Ruth Lawrence, Randall Maggs, Emiko Miyashita, Bernice Morgan, Pamela Morgan, Charlie Payne, Daniel Payne, Linda Slade, Larry Small, Gerald Squires, John Steffler, SWGC Actors, Agnes Walsh, and Des Walsh will be at the following locations:

Friday, March 9:

1:30 p.m., Sir Wilfred Grenfell College—March Hare Anthology and CD Launch

4:30 p.m., Glynmill Inn—Book Launches: Larry Small and Agnes Walsh

8:00 p.m., Casual Jack’s Roadhouse—Readings and Music

Saturday, March 10:

2:00 p.m., Columbus Club—Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Matinee

8:00 p.m., Location to be Announced—Pittman’s Fancy

Sunday, March 11:

2:00 p.m., Location to be Announced—Sunday Soiree


Women’s Work Festival

A festival of women playwrights, the Women's Work Festival will take place over four days this week, from the 5th to the 8th. RCA Theatre, White Rooster Productions and She Said Yes! Productions are joining together to host this event with all proceeds going to the Naomi Centre, a shelter for women between 16 and 30 in need of safe and supportive temporary shelter.

As part of the festival, a Play Reading Series is scheduled for three nights from March 5-7, 2007 at 7 pm nightly at the Eastern Edge Gallery. On March 5, Sex, the war of by Lois Brown, and Connecting Rooms by Florence Button of Carbonear will be presented featuring Kay Anonsen, Robert Chafe, Sandy Gow, Brad Hodder, Ruth Lawrence, and Sara Tilley. On March 6th, Family, or, 63 Steps by Agnes Walsh will be read by Robert Chafe, Amy House and Ruth Lawrence. Then on March 7th, The (In)complete Herstory of Women in Newfoundland and (Labrador!) by Sara Tilley will feature Mary-Lynn Bernard, Robert Chafe, Sandy Gow, Ruth Lawrence and Sherry White.

The finale of the festival will be the 2nd Annual The Ladies of Misrule, held at 8 pm, March 8th at the Masonic Temple on Cathedral Street. The evening will include a celebration of several pioneers. Kay Anonsen, Tessa Crosbie, Sheilagh Guy Murphy, Amy House, Katie Pittman, Joan Sullivan, Simone Savard-Walsh and others will salute the work of writer Cassie Brown, music hall entertainer Biddy O’Toole, poet Len Margaret, traditional singer Bride Judge and others. As well, there will be a dessert buffet.

And, because I should add something not really writing related, one of my favorite local musical acts, Oddly Enough, are performing at Roxxy's Saturday night, March 10th.

No reason to be bored around here, I'll tell you.