"Guys & Dolls" at Vancouver College

Last Thursday evening, Neil and I attended the Gala Evening performance of "Guys & Dolls" at Vancouver College.  The musical was presented by Vancouver College in its Kucher Centre for Performing Arts in cooperation with Little Flower Academy & York House.  It was a special treat because Neil's nephew, Dylan, who is in grade 11 at Vancouver College, played the role of Nathan Detroit.

The Gala Evening included a buffet dinner  held in the new gymnasium before the start of the musical, which was catered by Queen Charlotte Lodge which is located in Haida Gwaii, and it also has an office in Richmond.  Famous as a fishing lodge, it also provides fish and seafood for catering.

Queen Charlotte Lodge, Haida Gwaii

The buffet dinner was wonderful - great salads, scalloped sweet and white potatoes, salmon and roast beef.  Then during the intermission, a dessert buffet was offered in the gymnasium as well - also excellent.

But the highlight of the evening was the student performers in Guys & Dolls - the cast was so talented and enthusiastic!  We loved every minute.  Here is a picture of cast members (in rehersal) taken from the front of the evening's program:

Dylan is in the bottom left photo.  He has taken acting lessons at the Gateway Theatre in Richmond, and the Shakespeare program at Bard on the Beach.  Also active in band.  So far we have seen Dylan in West Side Story, Grease, Macbeth, Brighton Beach Memoirs and look forward to more!

And here are some professional photos taken during a performance by Ryan Dean Photography:

Dylan as Nathan Detroit

with Miss Adelaide played by Claire

 

Tom Thomson - Great Canadian Painter

On Thursday evening, Neil and I met Janice and Jim for dinner at Earle's Resturant at 905 Smythe Street where we had very good service and the food was great.

Then the four of us walked down to Pacific Cinematique on Howe Street to see the documentary film "West Wind: The Vision of Tom Thomson" a film by Peter Raymont and Michèle Hozer/White Pine Pictures.

Neil has always loved the paintings of the Canadian Group of Seven, and in particular Tom Thomson.  The documentary tells the story of Tom Thomson's short life and his development into a great artist.  The scenery in Algonquin Park, especially that of Canoe Lake, north-west of Toronto is spectacular, but even more breathtaking when interpreted in Tom Thomson's art.

Here are some examples -

We had the opportunity to view Group of Seven paintings at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa many years ago, and those paintings are still engraved in my mind  http://www.gallery.ca/en/see/collections/artist.php?iartistid=5427   They were so much bigger than I realized - stunning.