Saddle up this weekend as Victoria’s top alternative theatre company brings Williams Lake the new play, Cariboo Buckaroo.
Victoria writer-actor Matthew Payne and his Theatre SKAM troupe will hit Williams Lake on Saturday, Oct. 15 and Sunday, Oct. 16 during a month-long ride through B.C.’s Central Interior.
Written and performed by Payne, the show follows the trail of an 1860s cattle drive as it makes its way north to the goldfields. En route the vaqueros driving this beef train encounter plenty of hardship, a little magic and surprise, and plenty of beans.
Payne, a graduate of Quesnel Secondary School, is SKAM’s artistic producer, writer and performer.
“I took a look at the Cariboo-Chilcotin history I was never taught and found some of the most exciting stories you’ll ever hear,” Payne says.
SKAM developed the piece in the summer of 2009, making stops at community halls, First Nations historical sites, and private guest ranches throughout the Interior.
The company’s managing producer Allison Bottomley explains: “We’re very excited about expanding the touring of this show. Being able to share the play with the smaller communities of B.C.’s Central Interior has been on our wish list since we first created the show two summers ago.”
Cariboo Buckaroo will run at the Williams Lake Studio Theatre for three performances: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 2 and 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children eight to 14. Check skam.ca for further venues and ticket information.
Gallery features two artists
The Station House Gallery welcomes artists Shannon Williamson and Crystalynn Tarr for a nearly month-long showing from Oct. 7 to 29.
Williamson, a former Williams Lake resident, grew up with an appreciation and love of the land that would fill her canvases and inspire her in the studio.
Though many of her hours are spent at the gallery, Williamson maintains a strong studio practice and teaches workshops dedicated to Encaustic painting — an ancient process of mixing pigment and beeswax.
Crystalynn Tarr grew up in Prince George and studied art and English eventually achieving the art award in her Grade 12 year.
Landscapes and specifically mountains began to creep into her art and in 2010 she earned the Toni Onley award/scholarship for a painting she submitted at arts fest.
Art is constantly evolving as Tarr experiments, learns new techniques and tries new things both on canvas and in life.
The public is invited to drop by throughout the month of October to check out the exhibits.
WL Studio Theatre Friday
The 2011 Williams Lake Studio Theatre AGM will take place Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Studio Theatre in Glendale Elementary School.
Find out first hand what the play directors will have to say about their upcoming productions.
The AGM also means that it is time to elect the theatre’s new society board. Come and cast your vote and maybe even stand for election.
Women’s Contact Society fundraiser continues
The Women’s Contact Society and Shoppers Drug Mart are partnering in an effort to raise funds in supports of women’s whole health in Williams Lake through the 10th annual Tree of Life campaign.
The fundraising campaign takes place until Oct. 14 at Shoppers Drug Mart stores, and is to harvest essential funding to directly support Women’s Contact Society’s resources and programming initiatives.
Women’s Contact Society to hold AGM
The Women’s Contact Society will hold its annual general meeting on Monday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.
It will take place at 301-19 North First Ave. RSVP by Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Following the AGM, the society will celebrate Person’s Day, with guest speaker Beth Beddard, an anthropology professor at Thompson Rivers University. Call 250-392-4118 to RSVP.
Social Planning Council looks for input
The Social Planning Council, in partnership with the City, is inviting the public to provide input to a social development strategy for the community and establish priorities for the work of the SPC in the coming year.
People are also invited to participate in the SPC’s annual general meeting on Monday, Oct. 24 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at Thompson Rivers University. Dinner will be provided so those interested in attended are asked to RSVP to spc-cooordinator@xplornet.com or call 250-243-2126.
George Canyon to perform at Gibraltar Room
Country music singer George Canyon is coming to town this month.
Canyon will perform at the Gibraltar Room at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22.
Tickets, which are $40 each, are available at Margetts Meats and Willie’s Western Wear.
Colin James to tour in Williams Lake
Colin James and special guest Chris Caddell perform in Williams Lake this month.
James will be in the lakecity for his Up Close and Personal, an Acoustic Tour. on Thursday, Oct. 27.
Tickets to his show are $45 each and are available at Margetts Meats and Audio Video Unlimited, The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Gibraltar Room.
Diamond Dinner Oct. 29
For the seventh time in as many years those who attend the annual Diamond Dinner could win the grand prize of a Canadian diamond.
The dinner, a fundraiser for the Cariboo Chilcotin Child Development Centre, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Women’s Contact Society, will be held at The Point restaurant Oct. 29.
The event includes a gourmet dinner, auctions and raffles with funds raised going towards iniitiatives by the three agencies to address violence, homelessness and food security in the city.
One hundred tickets will be sold to the event for $65 each. Organizers are still accepting items for auction. Some of the items available on the evening include two B.C. Lions game tickets, tickets for two to two Canucks games, a framed picture, and signed Carey Price items.
To purchase tickets to this event call the Women’s Contact Society at 250-392-4118 or the Child Development Centre at 250-392-4481. To donate items contact the Women’s Contact Society.
April Verch to perform in the lakecity
April Verch will perform in Williams Lake on Nov. 9 at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre.
Verch will bring her her new release That’s How We Run as part of a North America-wide musical tour.
Born in the Ottawa Valley region of Ontario, Verch grew up with music in her heart, says the artist’s bio. Her music combines traditional Southern sounds with earthy vocal aesthetics resulting in a dynamic repertoire.
Over the last eight albums, Verch has continued to develop her love for sharing music with international audiences. This love for performance has recently taken April as far as China to enthuse crowds with her subtle charm.
That’s How We Run was launched digitally in June with the promotional tour taking place from July 2011 to June 2012.
Presented by Mountain Mystics, the April Verch Band concert will take place at the Central Cariboo Arts Centre on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 by reservation. Call 778-412-9044 or e-mail mountainmystics@me.com to reserve. Visit http://www.aprilverch.com for more info.