thenownewspaper.com Friday, May 14, 2010
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❚ WHAT’S ON ❚MUSIC NEWS & VIEWS
Elicia goes from nun to rocker chick TheBuzz
Surrey’s Elicia MacKenzie is now rocking Toronto as the female lead in Rock of Ages, a musical comedy that opened this week at Hogtown’s Royal Tom Alexandra Theatre. ZILLICH MacKenzie plays Sherri, “the impressionable young woman who comes to Los Angeles from small-town Kansas to become an actress.” She falls for Drew (Yvan Pedneault), “the raw, young rock ‘n’ roll talent with a set of pipes from the gods.” Along the way, they encounter characters such as a quick-witted sound guy in Sunset Strip’s Bourbon Room, the club owner, the bad-ass lead singer of the band Arsenal, and “the seemingly evil businessman who wants to strip all the fun from the Sunset Strip and bring in a lifeless corporate culture.” Given the characters involved, it’s no surprise that Rock of Ages offers a partystarting blast of 1980s rock. It’s all Journey,
Foreigner, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more, and the musical has been gathering groupies since it first opened in L.A. in January 2006. In Toronto, the show is produced by the same Mirvish team that staged the now-closed The Sound of Music. Now readers might remember MacKenzie as the Sullivan Heights-schooled talent who earned the starring role in that Nazi-centric show after winning a CBC-TV contest. “I just finished playing a nun (as Maria in The Sound of Music), so I had to get in touch with my sexy side,” MacKenzie told NOW magazine in Toronto. “I took pole dancing classes at Flirty Girl Fitness.” She feels a deeper connection to this role: “Not too long ago I was a struggling actress, which was very challenging and stressful, so I really understand where my character in this show is coming from.”
Bentall solo at beach-y festival
the musical headliner at this year’s version of Alexandra Festival, a 36-year tradition that happens in and around Alexandra Neighbourhood House at Crescent Beach. The day-long event, on Saturday, May 29, is a family-friendly affair that offers food, games, vendors and a variety of entertainers. Musically, the stage is set for, among others, Crescent Beach Pipe Band, Tommy Alto (aka the Earl Marriott-schooled Tom Vander Kam), blues man David “Boxcar” Gates, party band MURP and Acoustic Groove, who gig aplenty at local bars/eateries, including Tap, The Fin, Kelly’s Pub, The Roadhouse and Washington Avenue Grill. Bentall hits the stage at around 6:30 p.m., following Acoustic Groove. Admission to Alexandra Festival is by donation — a reasonably price to pay for such a fine community event. For foodies, the day’s highlight will certainly be the Westcoast Dinner, a $20-a-head barbecue feast (call 604-535-0015 for tickets).
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Barney Bentall will be rocking it solo as
OPEN HOUSE
Surrey-raised Elicia MacKenzie, last seen as a nun in The Sound of Music, has returned to the stage in Toronto as the female lead in Rock of Ages, a musical set in the notorious Sunset Strip area of Los Angeles in the 1980s.
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AN INVITATION TO A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE FOR THE CHUCK BAILEY COVERED YOUTH PARK (at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre Opening!) You are invited to view plans for the proposed Chuck Bailey Covered Youth park during the public grand opening of the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre on Saturday May 15th. Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre is located at University Drive and 107A Avenue in City Centre.
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Date: Saturday May 15th, 2010 Time: 11:00 am. to 2:00 p.m. Location: Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre
www.surrey.ca
BBQ LUNCH Sat, May 15 11am-2pm
Well, almost anywhere.
By Donation. Proceeds to Surrey Food Bank
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Fri, May 14 8am-4pm & Sat, May 15 9am-3pm
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REFURBISHED BBQ CYLINDER 20# Refill Only 99
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Maximum: 5 bottle per customer per trip
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