We are just 10 days away from the opening night of the 36th annual Harrison Festival of the Arts.
As we countdown, we've been choosing to share some of the events we're looking forward to this year, and this week we are looking in dramatic directions.
Each year, one night at the festival is dedicated to the UFV theatre program. Last year's offerings were sublime — one comic and one tragic. It left this reporter wanting to see more. The shows are chosen from the UFV Directors' Theatre Festival by curator Ian Fenwick. And this year, he's chosen three.
“Each one of the selected shows was a standout at DFEST; seeing them together on the Harrison stage as part of the Festival of the Arts will be a special summer treat for theatre-goers and a great experience for our students," Fenwick said.
The UFV DFEST shows appearing at Harrison are Mr Bigg and Tall, written by UFV Theatre students Tim Howe and Stephen Wilhite, and directed by Tim Howe.
This play chronicles a run down burlesque house in its prime.
The second is Time Flies, by David Ives, directed by Amanda Thiessen.
A press release from UFV tells us: "They are born, they meet, they mate, they die. This is the average life of the average mayfly, but May and Horace are anything but ordinary... or so they think." Who wouldn't want to see that fleshed out?
Finally, Fenwick has chosen A New York Minute, by Michael Palermo, directed by Beth Gasser.
In this play, Melissa’s best friend Harry recently became a ghost. The two try to sort out what this means for their friendship and discover a whole new way of living.
Theatre Night will be July 15, beginning at 8:30 p.m. at Harrison Memorial Hall. Tickets are $14 for regular admission and $12 for children and seniors.
For more information and to see a full list of what's happening during the festival, visit www.harrisonfestival.com or call 604-796-3664.