It’s just about 2019, and that means a new year on the arts and entertainment scene.
To get your year started on the right foot, we’ve rounded up these 10 must-see shows that are coming to New Westminster, so you can enter all these dates into your calendars and make sure you don’t miss out.
Here are just a few of the highlights of what New West has to offer in the new year:
1. International Guitar Night (music)
You can enjoy the talents of four guitar luminaries from around the world – Italy’s Luca Stricagnoli, France’s Antoine Boyer and Samuelito, and Turkey’s Cenk Erdogan – in this show at Massey Theatre on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 regular, $25 for seniors and students, $15 for children under 18 (plus service charges). See www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
2. Blind Date (theatre)
This Arts Club on Tour production is coming to the Anvil Centre for a show on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.. This spontaneous theatre creation by Rebecca Northan features one actor going on a “blind date” with one man picked directly from the audience, in a fusion of clown, improv, theatre and social experiment. Buy tickets through www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
3. Fragile Forms (dance)
Anvil Centre once again plays host to a PuSH Festival performance, as MACHiNENOisy brings its site-specific, 360-degree dance performance to the city from Saturday, Feb. 2 to Thursday, Feb. 7. The show brings together architecture, sound, visual and lighting design, with a cast of dancers from Canada and Finland. It’s appropriate for all ages. See www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
4. Rabbit Hole (theatre)
Vagabond Players are taking a walk on the serious side with their first show of 2019, running Feb. 9 to March 2 at the Bernie Legge Theatre in Queen’s Park. The play tells the story of Becca and Howie Corbett, who have a picture-perfect life in the suburbs of New York until a random accident claims the life of their four-year-old son. It’s directed by Miles Lavkulich. Tickets are $17 regular, or $15 for seniors and students, with $12 for previews. You can also get half-season tickets for the remaining three shows - Rabbit Hole, Detroit and The Melville Boys – for $36. See www.vagabondplayers.ca or call 604-521-0412.
5. F is For Funny Too (comedy)
Comedy isn’t just for straight white guys, thank you very much. A diverse roster of voices is returning to the Anvil Centre stage for another night of comedy produced by Laughter Zone 101. It’s on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m., and general admission seats are $26. See www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
6. The Real Group (music)
The internationally acclaimed a cappella supergroup from Sweden is coming to New Westminster, thanks to the efforts of local quintet Quayside Voices. The Real Group will be onstage at Massey Theatre on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. as the only Canadian stop on a North American tour. The groundbreaking group, whose music fuses choral, pop and jazz, continues to make a name for itself around the world. Don’t miss a unique chance to see them right here at home. Tickets are $50, or $39 for seniors/students. See www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
7. Cuba Vibra! (dance)
Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba takes audiences on a tour of Cuba through the rhythms, music and colours of mambo, cha-cha, rumba, conga and bolero, backed by an eight-piece band. It’s on Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Massey Theatre, and tickets are $50 and $60. (Use the code Havana to get 20 per cent off if you buy before Dec. 31.) For tickets, see www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
8. Circle Game (theatre)
Circle Game: Reimagining the Music of Joni Mitchell is part of the Arts Club on Tour performance series, and it’s coming to the Anvil Centre Theatre at 777 Columbia St. on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Circle Game reinterprets such iconic songs as Big Yellow Taxi, River, California and A Case of You through the ears and eyes of a new generation. Buy tickets through www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
9. A Bedfull of Foreigners (theatre)
The Royal Canadian Theatre Company returns to the Anvil Centre Theatre with this fast-paced farce, described as “Fawlty Towers meets Benny Hill.” It’s on for four shows: Thursday, March 14 to Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m., plus a Saturday matinee on March 16 at 3:30 p.m. See more about the company at www.rctheatreco.com, or buy tickets through www.ticketsnw.ca or 604-521-5050.
10. Singin’ in the Rain (musical theatre)
Royal City Musical Theatre returns for its 30th anniversary performance with this classic musical favourite, running April 4 to 20 at the Massey Theatre. Expect a talented cast offering up favourite numbers – You Are My Lucky Star, Make ’Em Laugh, Good Morning and, of course, the title track – against a backdrop of amazing sets and costuming in a show for all ages. Tickets are $49 for adults, $39 for seniors/students and $19 for children. See www.royalcitymusicaltheatre.com for details, or buy tickets through www.ticketsnw.ca or 604-521-5050.
