Chtertainment ee aa BRAVE schedule PLAYS PROGRAM 1 Friday April 5—7:30 p.m. Sunday April 7-2 p.m. PROGRAM 2 Today —7:30 p.m. Saturday April 6-7:30 pm. Sunday April 7-7:30 pm. By JAMES MCLAUGHLIN e annual collaboration between UBC’s creative writing program and theatre department is un- derway, offering the public a motley of 12 short plays and a reading series. In its 27 year, the Brave New Play Rites Festival, running from April 3 to April 7, continues to be a training ground for amateur playwrights and aspiring actors. This year differs, however, as actors are focused on participating in more than one production. The change adds more feeling to the festival, says pro- ducer Briana Brown, because audience members can see the same actor play a variety of roles in the same night. Were tee eee AZIZ DHAMANI photo Dancers practice for the upcoming umbrella dance. Events start today and continue until April 30. On top of being the sole organizer of the festival, Brown, who will soon re- ceive her master’s degree in creative writing at UBC, has written a one- woman show and handed over her fa- miliar directing role to debut-director Caitlin Docking. Giving your work up for adoption is “one of the things you have to learn how to do as a writer of drama,” Brown said. “There’s going to be other people taking over your words at some point. That’s part of the excitement and joy of it, but it can be frightening too,” she said. Brown’s play, Wait, focuses on one woman’s experience waiting for a letter to arrive from her lover. “I like to call it a celebration of anticipation,” said Brown. BRIANA BROWN photo Asher Isbrucker and Jess Borthwick performs in a scene from Video, one of the short plays on at the Brave New festival this week. UBC's Brave New surprises Festival of short plays lives up to its name by challenging status quo “It’s about her trying to find some stillness ... to allow whatever will hap- pen to happen, but to enjoy that mo- ment of not knowing,” she said. Another anticipated play is Dig Crew, creative writing student Curtis LeB- lanc’s premiere effort. It explores the dynamic characters of three construction workers passing time as they fix a broken watermain. Leblanc hopes “that it ends up being a little unsettling [for the audience].” For theater enthusiasts, the festival’s reading series is a one-day event on April 6. The reading’s purpose is to highlight shortfalls in the script that need rewriting or reworking. “It can be painful and frightening but when it’s over there’s just no feel- ing like it,” said Bown. Cherry blossom fun Annual festival begins today at Burrard SkyTrain By JACQUELINE LANGEN Festival kicks off today around the Lower Mainland and organizers are encouraging people of all ages to come out, enjoy the festivities and stop to smell the flowers. The event begins at the Burrard SkyTrain station at 11 am. and runs daily until April 30. It kicks off with cu- linary demonstrations and a “Cherry Jam” concert showcasing local talent. “There is no stranger under the cherry tree,” said Linda Poole, founder and executive director of the Vancou- ver Cherry Blossom Festival. On Saturday, April 18, one of the big- gest events will take place when hun- dreds of dancers perform the 2013 World Umbrella Dance at the Vancou- ver Art Gallery, choreographed by Bol- lywood superstar Shiamak Davar. T: Vancouver Cherry Blossom For $25, participants will receive an umbrella designed by Vancouver based artist Anthony Redpath and spend an hour learning the dance routine from Davar’s Vancouver Performance Team. The next rehearsal is out front of the Yaletown Roundhouse Station on April 10 at 6:45 p.m. The dance is performed to Davars’ new song titled, “Shabop” which means to dance without worry and celebrate life. The festival also includes haiku writ- ing, fabric art demonstrations and pho- tography contests. “People can come out, have a picnic, think about their lives and appreciate the moment in realization that it is as fleeting as these beautiful blossoms,” said Poole. “Unplug, stop and appreciate your city,” said Poole. Check www.vebf.ca for scheduling. Young Elvis spotted in West Van French teacher turned award-winning impersonator started tour last night, will play in Penticton on Friday By HAILEY MCDONALD quette, 27, began impersonating the King of rock ’n’ roll when he was seven years old. “It’s always been about the music, the performance,” he said. “I’ve always loved the stage.” He played his first show of his Elvis The Moments tour Wednesday night at the Kay Meek Centre in West Vancou- ver. Paquette, inspired by his musician father, said it started as a fun hobby and turned into a project. “My performance has obviously got- ten better,” Paquette said. He’s been impersonating the King professionally for nearly five years. In 2010, he formed his own production company, Paquette Productions Ltd. “T formed the company so I could start doing what I wanted to and plan- ning all of my own shows,” he said. He said his Elvis shows are only the first step in what he plans to do with his company. “Eventually I want to have a Jerry Lewis inspired band and more tribute bands as it grows.” Paquette performs in Rudy and the Angels, a Toronto-based Elvis tribute band. Since 2008, Paquette has competed in the Collingwood Elvis Festival, an On- tario-based Elvis-extravaganza for the title of top impersonator. In 2006 and 2008 he won the title of Canadian Grand Champion. Paquette has a bachelor’s degree in music and noted that the musical qual- ity of his performances is what makes him unique as an impersonator. Although Paquette plans to honour Elvis’ music for as long as he can, he said that it’s only a side job because he works as a French teacher during the day. “T want people to know that you can do this and still be educated and profes- sional,” said Paquette. The next stop on the Elvis - The Mo- ments tour is in Penticton on April 5. E::: Presley impersonator Pete Pa- PAUL PUBLOW photo impersonator Pete the King. Elvis Presley Paquette on stage as