There’s plenty to celebrate at the Evergreen Cultural Centre - the premiere venue and cultural hub for live arts events, experiences, and exhibitions in the Tri-Cities area.
This year marks the centre’s 25th anniversary, and to help celebrate this milestone, there is a marvellous lineup of performances scheduled at the theatre through until New Year’s Eve.
Using a speakeasy-inspired layout with just 18 tables set out for two performances for each show date, the theatre welcomes audiences at roughly 50 per cent capacity.
As per public health regulations, proof of vaccination will be required for those attending the theatre.
“We want to make sure we are protecting our staff as much as the artists and the people coming to see them,” says Jessica Fowlis, the centre’s marketing manager.
October’s performances kick off with Van Django (Oct. 2), a Vancouver-based quartet that performs smooth jazz from 1930s Paris.
Van Django’s concert is part of a special series celebrating the centre’s anniversary; a $25 for 25 Series where tables are available for just $25/person.
Blue Moon Marquee (Oct. 16) features the swingin’ blues of A.W. Cardinal and Jasmine Colette, who perform their original compositions.
On Oct. 26-30, there will be a unique online theatre performance called 1 Hour Photo. Tetsuro Shigematsu’s work is a moving portrait of one man’s quest to find beauty in the depths of a savage century follows his life from growing up in a fishing village on the banks of the Fraser River to being confined at a Japanese Canadian internment camp during World War II, to helping build the Distant Early Warning Line in the Canadian Arctic during the height of the Cold War. This special online event includes a live Q&A with the artist on zoom after each performance.
And Pictures at an Exhibition (Nov. 3), has The Bergmann Duo (Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann) present Mussorgsky’s Pictures as an Exhibition - a brilliant transcription for two pianos by British composer Tim Seddon.
The theatre’s 25th season is a welcome return to presenting the vibrancy of live performances after the COVID-19 pandemic provided a temporary disruption to the schedule.
Facing the potential of a massive round of refunds for pre-purchased tickets when the theatre was closed, the public stepped up. With their generosity, around 50 per cent of the anticipated lost revenue was retained as ticket and subscription holders donated back the cost of their purchases.
“That really speaks to the relationship we have built with people over the years,” Fowlis says. “We’ve been in the same location since 1996, remained in close contact with the city and school district, and it shows how closely we are connected to the arts community. And that’s special.”
For a complete listing of the Evergreen Cultural Centre theatre’s lineup through to the end of 2021, visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca/2021-speakeasy-sessions.
