Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Chair Series monologues Whistler debut

Arts News: Local Music Festival this weekend, Heavy Hitting Horror Fest cancelled
arts_arts3-1-9170825d10f095ff

The Chair Series give actors a monologue and lets them speak (and act) their piece, says Vancouver playwright John McGie.

They also, unsurprisingly, get a chair — to act as prop, island or sitting implement.

"It's amazing what performances you get. Actors can't hide," McGie says.

"It's evolving, sort of like what happens in a petri dish. We push the ingredients in to see what grows."

McGie estimates he has now written around 25 monologues that have been performed since his project began at the start of the year — each piece is tailored to the individual actor.

"There are new monologues, three new Whistler actors (Brandon Barrett, Susan Hutchinson and Angie Nolan), three from Squamish and two from Vancouver," McGie says. "It will be fun... it's theatre unplugged."

The Chair Series takes place at The Point Artist-Run Centre on Saturday, Sept. 24; doors open at 7 p.m. There will also be live music and a cash bar.

Tickets are $15 and available at www.thepointartists.com or Armchair Books.

Local Music Fest key to Fall for Arts

Whistler's inaugural Local Music Festival draws singing and songwriting talent for the enjoyment of visitors and as a boost to the careers of our homegrown talent.

Part of Fall for Arts, the festival takes place on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25, 20 bands and performers from the region play outdoor sets at two locations — Village Square and Town Plaza.

"It's a great opportunity to discover Whistler's thriving music scene," says Arts Whistler's executive director Maureen Douglas. "There are more bands and individual musicians creating original music than ever before, but more often than not, they're performing in Whistler's bars and clubs. This weekend daytime festival gives everyone a chance to experience our local talent whether you're an early to bed, early to rise type, or not old enough to get into the bars."

Bands include Big Love Band, Marble Canyon, Brother Twang, Northern Ignition, Dakota Pearl, Poor Dirty Sylvia, FOMO, Racketeers, Gordo, Railtown Profits, Jeremy Thom, Red Chair, Jon Shrier, Some Assembly Required, Kostaman and the Good Vibrations, The Funky Snow Monkeys, Little Biggs Band, The Ontarios, Lozen and The Overcomers.

For more information, visit www.artswhistler.com/fallforarts.

Chris Buck Band joins Dakota Pearl at Pemberton Barn Dance

B.C.'s reigning Country Club Act of the Year, the Chris Buck Band, is performing at the 2016 Pemberton Barn Dance at the village's community barn on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.

A fundraiser for the community's Lions Club, the band helped raise $10,000 for Pemberton Lion Seniors Housing last year. This year funds raised will go to the Pemberton Trail Society.

Local country rockers Dakota Pearl are also playing.

Tickets are $25 and available at AC Gas, Pemberton Valley Supermarket, or Scotiabank Pemberton.

Heavy Hitting Horror Fest cancelled

Whistler's long-running horror film festival, the Heavy Hitting Horror Festival, has been cancelled for 2016.

But the October festival will be back, says organizer Feet Banks.

He said in an email: "Horrorfest has always been a feral beast savaging the line between fun and chaos. Last year I had difficulty keeping it under control without my wingman and co-creator Chili Thom and not having him around this year either, I knew I wouldn't have the energy, time or ability to pull it off as well as I would like.

"We do have a plan for the future, with a new generation of local horror freaks interested in jumping into the bloodbath, but I couldn't put all the pieces together in time. Last year almost killed me, so let's call this a transition year. Everyone should use this free time to make their next films that much more bad-ass."