BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for April 2 – 8

Shirley MacLaine looks back on her life at the River Rock Casino, April 2

What to do in BC this week

Catch The Last 15 Seconds – until April 2
Imagine staring death right in the face. What would you be thinking? That’s the question posed in The Last 15 Seconds, a groundbreaking new play depicting the tragic, true-life murder of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustapha Akkad and his daughter Rima during a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on three Jordanian hotels in 2005. Held at the Firehall Arts Centre (280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver) only until April 2, the work constructs an imagined dialogue between Akkad and suicide bomber Rawad Jassem Mohammad Abed in the last terrifying seconds before the explosion. Tickets for this MT Space Theatre production are $17 to $29 by phone at 604-689-0926 or online.


See Shirley MacLaine at the River Rock – April 2
Whether you know her as Warren Beatty’s big sister, as a best-selling author or as an Oscar-winning actress, Shirley MacLaine is all these things and more. See for yourself when this New Age sage stops for a one-night speaking engagement at the River Rock Casino Resort (8811 River Road, Richmond) on April 2, starting at 8 p.m. No wilting wallflower, the outspoken actress is set to host a frank and provocative evening that combines a montage of her most memorable film moments with private revelations about her extraordinary life, career and spiritual journey. Tickets for the show, priced at $69.50 for orchestra seats and $89.50 for Golden Circle, are available in person at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at 604-280-4444 or online.

Shop Local for Under $50 – April 3
Whether your look is glam or girly, elegant or edgy, retro or refined, you’ll find everything you need to suit your style at the fourth annual Nifty for Fifty Sale happening on April 3 at Heritage Hall (3102 Main Street, Vancouver). More than 18 top local designers — including Adhesif, Clutch Jewels, Poodlebreath and Toodlebunny — are rolling out their wares to dazzle fashionistas with everything from dresses and shirts to shoes and accessories, all priced at $50 or less. And not only will you be able to shop a full range of sizes from zero to 24, but you’ll also find one-of-a-kind designs that won’t leave you looking like a mainstream mall rat. Admission to the sale, taking place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., is free.

Find a Bargain at the Annual West Vancouver Flea Market – April 3
It’s said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Never does this old adage become more apparent than at flea markets. If you’re a fan of ’em, swing by the annual Flea Market at West Vancouver Arena (786-22nd Street) on April 3 to find great bargains on everything from furniture and kitchenware to electronics and accessories. And rest assured: your money will be well spent as proceeds help support the West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre. Check it out from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with further details available by calling 604-925-7280.


See Eat Pray Love Author Elizabeth Gilbert – April 5
Elizabeth Gilbert inspired women around the world with her best-selling memoir Eat Pray Love, which chronicles her solo travels to Italy, India and Indonesia in search of inner peace following a devastating divorce. Now she’s set to inspire you in person when she takes the stage at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (777 Homer Street) on April 5 as part of the Unique Lives & Experiences lecture series. The award-winning writer who Oprah Winfrey called a “Rock Star Author,” and who Julia Roberts recently immortalized on the big screen, is set to enlighten audiences with her hard-won wisdom in an evening of humour, wit and charm, starting at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call 1-866-449-8118.

Catch Spanish Songster Julio Iglesias – April 8

Quick: Can you guess which performer made the Guinness Book of World Records for selling more albums in multiple languages than any other musical artist in history? No, it’s not Elvis, Madonna or Britney; it’s Julio Iglesias, the so-called Latin “master of the love song.” Catch this Grammy Award winner when he stops at the River Rock Show Theatre (8811 River Road, Richmond) on April 8 or Red Robinson Show Theatre (2080 United Blvd., Coquitlam) on April 9. Tickets 
for the concerts, starting at 8 p.m., are $99.50 and $119.50 at 604 280-4444 or at ticketmaster.ca.

Let Wayne Brady Make You Laugh – 
April 8
Forget The Brady Bunch. The only Brady with a pop culture presence these days is Wayne Brady, the Emmy Award-winning host of CBS’s daytime game show Let’s Make a Deal. The actor, dancer, singer and comedian — who you may recall from the ABC improv comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway? — is in the midst of a North American tour, which makes a stop at Boulevard Casino’s Red Robinson Show Theatre (2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam) on April 8. The improv stage show, starting at 8 p.m., incorporates singing, audience participation and a musical homage to some of Brady’s biggest R&B inspirations, along with tunes from his 2010 debut album A Long Time Coming. For tickets, priced at $59.50 and $69.50 plus service charges, visit local Ticketmaster outlets, or call 604-280-4444.

Learn to Dance Burlesque – April 8 

Pole dancing? So passé. If you really want to amp up your inner vamp, Canada’s leading burlesque expert will show you how on April 8 at Harbour Dance Centre (927 Granville Street, Vancouver). Kaitlyn Regehr, host of the TV series Re-Vamped, specializes in transforming confidence-challenged wallflowers into ballsy burlesque queens. But don’t worry; she’s not trying to up-end gender equality by turning you into a sex object; she’s all about honouring your inner feminist by focusing on female empowerment. Ready to say buh-bye to your inhibitions? Catch The Art of the Tease: Burlesque Style Chair Dancing, starting at 6:15 p.m. For more details or to sign up, call 604-684-9542.

Discover Up-and-coming Burnaby Artists – April 8-10
Burnaby has birthed some big names — Michael J. Fox, Carrie-Anne Moss and Michael Bublé, among them. But is there room at the top for one more? Could be! That’s why it might be worth taking a peek at the works of local up-and-coming artists at the Burnaby Artists’ Guild Show and Sale, held from April 8 to 10 at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby). Focusing on “Birds, Bees, Butterflies & More” the exhibition showcases original pieces in a variety of styles and mediums, plus gives you a chance to chat up the artists, watch demos and maybe even win a raffle for a painting. For more info on this free event, taking place on Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., call 604-291-6864.

See The Trespassers – until April 16

Written by award-winning playwright Morris Panych, The Trespassers takes a “poignant, thought-provoking and sharply sardonic” look at the relationship between a 15-year-old boy and his unconventional grandfather. Whether he’s urging the boy to pilfer the neighbour’s peaches, teaching him the finer points of poker or arranging his sexual initiation, it all plays out to the horror of the teen’s born-again Christian mother. Check out this acclaimed dramedy, a co-production with the Belfry Theatre in Victoria, at the Vancouver Playhouse (Hamilton & Dunsmuir) from March 26 to April 16, excluding Sundays. For tickets, priced from $41 to $59, call 604-873-3311.

Stay at a Dude Ranch – anytime
Big comforts, small footprint. That sums up the style of Siwash Lake Ranch, one of Canada’s most upscale eco retreats. Located in the B.C. foothills near Kamloops, this “wildly remote” dude ranch is also one of the greenest places to stay in the country, thanks to its outdoor recycling stations, rooftop herb garden and exclusive use of solar power. But don’t think you’ll be roughing it, this luxury lodge boasts country-chic suites outfitted with Egyptian linens, plush robes and elegant antiques, along with cozy common areas like a log-house library and candlelit dining hall. Equally cool, you’ll also be assigned your own horse for unlimited riding in the rugged wilderness surrounding the Cariboo Mountains. For details call 250-395-6541.

Visit the Vineyard Cookery School – now
Hainle Organic Vineyard and Trepanier Manor Hotel in Peachland have teamed up to create the Vineyard Cookery School, where a fervor for fine wines meets a passion for perfectly prepared cuisine. Beyond the cooking classes helmed by culinary connoisseurs, your best bets include shadowing a chef for a day or enjoying dinner in an exhibition kitchen where you can soak up the ambience while indulging in an eight-course tasting menu.

Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.