Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street wields his bloody blades once again in Elope Theatre’s musical take on 19th century hairstylist and fusion cooking pioneer Sweeney Todd. The titular character has just returned to London after being exiled by a crooked judge intent on pursuing Todd’s wife. Instead of setting up in a shop and returning to his former trade, he’s got vengeful plans in mind that include helping the proprietress of a failing pie shop with a new cut of meat that has Londoners lining up for a taste. Steampunk and Sondheim mix in this adaptation, which also promises a food truck serving much more conventionally made meat pies at every evening performance.
When: Thursday, May 4 to Saturday, May 13. All performances at 7:30 p.m., except for Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m. No performances on Monday or Tuesday.
Where: Westbury Theatre, ATB Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.
Admission: $30, adults; $25, seniors and students. Available at the door or from Tix on the Square
Info: tixonthesquare.ca
Wine seminars
Northern Lands Wine Show seminars take place at the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy and Shaw Conference Centre, May 4 and May 6.
The third edition of Northern Lands is well under way, and while many of the events are sold out there are still a few open seminars for wine lovers to sign up for. The festival celebrating Canadian wine is presenting a talk on wine and health at the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy on Thursday, followed by morning and afternoon seminars at the Shaw on such topics as the yumminess of aged Riesling, the future of Syrah in B.C. and the delicious wonder that is Pinot Noir. Check the Northern Lands website for info on dates, times, and admission, as well as other Northern Lands events.
When: Thursday, May 4, and Saturday, May 6.
Where: Edmonton Clinic Health Academy Room 2-490, 11405 87 Ave., on Thursday at 6 p.m., and Shaw Conference Centre, 9797 Jasper Ave. on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.
Admission: $5 to $25, available from the Northern Lands website
Info: northernlands.ca
Bonnie and Clyde, May 5 to 21 at the PCL Studio.
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Parker didn’t realize it when she was sending poems to the newspapers while on the runner with lover and fellow outlaw Clyde Barrow, but she was really setting their life story up for the musical it would eventually become. Northern Light Theatre’s production of Bonnie & Clyde, The Two Person, Six-Gun Musical presents the couple’s story as the mash note to crime it was, complete with shoot outs and heists, revolving around the performances of Amanda Neufeld as Bonnie and Matthew Lindholm as Clyde. Trevor Schmidt takes on the helm of this production, while Nicolas Samoil has the musical director reins.
When: Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 21. All performances at 7:30 p.m., with extra matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Sundays. No performances on Mondays.
Where: PCL Studio, ATB Financial Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.
Admission: $20 to $30, available at the door or by calling 780-471-1586
Info: northernlighttheatre.com
Arturo Denim Co., at the Royal Bison, May 5 to 7 at the Cosmopolitan Music Society.
Royal Bison
The spring edition of this year’s Royal Bison Art & Craft Fair promises a mix of new and veteran vendors, selling wares that cover just about every need you might have. Looking for art to decorate your walls? Well, you can choose from a number of different printmakers and illustrators, including Wilfred Kozub, Emily Chu Illustration, and the folks from SNAP Gallery. Bath needs? Take a look at Libertine Fragrance or Boreal Folk Apothecary. Clothing? Be sure to check out Nokomis, Cinder + Smoke, or the Arturo Denim Co. Don’t forget to stop by some of the food vendors, including the ridiculously creative and delicious Moonshine Doughnuts.
When: Friday, May 5, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Cosmopolitan Music Society, 8426 Gateway Boulevard
Admission: $3; kids get in for free
Info: royalbison.ca
Pro Coro performs Stimmung at Studio 96 on May 5 and Holy Trinity on May 6.
Stimmung
Ready for something a little more musically challenging? New Music Edmonton and Pro Coro team up for a very rare performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Stimmung, presented in two different venues on Friday and Saturday. The avant-garde masterpiece is billed as a “tonal meditation (that) will take you through a spectrum of mood, colour, and repetition,” as well as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When: Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Studio 96, 10909 96 St. on Friday; Holy Trinity, 10037 84 Ave. on Saturday.
Admission: $15 to $25, available from the New Music Edmonton website
Info: newmusicedmonton.ca
Fast Romantics are at the Starlite Room on May 5.
Fast Romantics
Toronto-based indie-rockers Fast Romantics are in town for an opening slot at the Starlite Room backing Vancouver’s Said the Whale. Unabashed power-poppers with a penchant for guitar hooks, Fast Romantics also love their anthems, as proven by their latest record, American Love. The six-piece will be arriving with their sophomore Light Organ Records release, as well as most recent single, Why We Fight, which hit the top of the CBC Radio 2 charts for a few weeks in April.
When: Friday, May 5 at 8 p.m.
Where: Starlite Room, 10030 102 St.
Admission: $24.50, available at the door or from the Starlite Room website
Info: starliteroom.ca
Spirit of Spring fundraiser at the Shaw on May 7.
Spirit of Spring
McDougall House, a recovery home for women, will be the beneficiaries of this year’s Spirit of Spring fashion show over at the Shaw on Sunday afternoon. Live music, a silent auction, and new fashion from some of the city’s top local retailers will be on the agenda. As well, you’ll see guest models from local media, business, and community leaders, plus a few sports celebrities as well.
When: Sunday, May 7 at 11:30 a.m.
Where: Shaw Conference Centre, 9797 Jasper Ave.
Admission: $95, available by calling 780-863-4175 or from the McDougall House website
Info: mcdougallhouse.com
Michael Massey conducts the Edmonton Youth Orchestra at the Winspear on May 7.
Happy anniversary
The Edmonton Youth Orchestra have two birthdays to celebrate this Sunday, as a unit and for one individual in particular. Though they have no plans to retire, the orchestra will mark their 65th birthday as a going concern, while Michael Massey will be feted for reaching his 40th anniversary year in the position of artistic director. Musical selections include Pictures at an Exhibition, Vaughan Williams’ Concerto Grosso, Schumann’s Young Florestan, and Massey’s very first musical composition, The Wind in the Willows.
When: Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
Where: Winspear Centre
Admission: $15, adults; $10, seniors and students, available from Tix on the Square.
Info: tixonthesquare.ca
Japanese Children’s Day at the U of A Botanical Gardens on May 7.
Children’s Day
There are lots of reasons to be thankful for Japan; bento boxes and ramen noodles, the music of Melt Banana and The Boredoms, Akira Kurosawa films, sake, just to name a few. You’ll add yet another reason when you find out about Kodomo no hi, which is Japanese Children’s Day. On Children’s Day, families fly kites and streamers, display dolls and ornaments, make crafts, and generally just have a good time hanging out together. Over at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden they’ll be dedicating an afternoon to Children’s Day, with the added bonus of a tropical showhouse, tea ceremonies and guided walking tours of the Kurimoto Japanese Garden.
When: Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: University of Alberta Botanic Garden, 51227 AB-60, Parkland County
Admission: $3 to $13.50
Info: botanicgarden.ulberta.ca
Poet Adam Dickinson is at the Almanac on May 9.
Adam Dickinson
Brock University (St. Catherine’s, Ontario) professor Adam Dickinson doesn’t just write poetry, he often writes poetry about the intersection between poetry and science. If that doesn’t quite make sense in your head you might want to track down a copy of his Governor General’s Award for Poetry nominated book The Polymers and see exactly how he does it, and make your way down to hear him read from it as well as a few of his other books. The last event in the Olive Reading Series for this year is also as a special one, as Dickinson is one of the founders of the Olive Reading Series that is hosting this get together.
When: Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m.
Where: The Almanac, 10351 Whyte Ave.
Admission: Free
Info: olivereadingseries.wordpress.com
Ten to Do is compiled and written by Tom Murray. If you are co-ordinating an event you want featured here, email the information to arts@edmontonjournal.com. Information for the What’s On listings should be uploaded to
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/whats-on/index.html
