Running On Faith

Text and video by Mike Parker

A local PhD student and author has launched a theatre company to showcase the works of Irish playwrights and to encourage other residents to explore the dramatic arts.

Patrick Toner is the founding director of An Amharclann (pronounced an ork-lan), a not-for-profit theatre company that will bring the works of Irish playwrights to New Brunswick audiences. An Amharclann is Irish for theatre.

Toner says he hopes the company will also serve to encourage others to follow his lead and stage plays in the Port City.

“Theatre is something anybody can do. In a small space. It can be outdoors. It doesn’t need a lot of stuff to make it a truly meaningful experience,” he said.

Four Events To Attend This Weekend

Compiled by Mike Parker.

There’s a ton of events to attend in the Port City this weekend – just take a peek at our listings page and I’m sure you will agree. But if you are having trouble picking, here are four that are guaranteed to put a smile on your pasty Saint John face.

An illuminating performance

Text and video by Mike Parker

Maybe it is me but it seems like Saint John is suddenly wealthy with talented people who are taking their place on center stage.

On Thursday, Jessica Rhaye launches her new CD Good Things at the Blue Olive. I’ve listened to the CD at least a dozen times since she gave me a copy a few weeks ago and it features some of the musician’s strongest work to date. So you know that the show at the Blue Olive is bound to be a memorable one.

Get out: Our listings of events

Looking for something to do this Victoria weekend? We have you covered. Check out our events listings for all the happenings around town this holiday weekend.

East coast country artist Kim Wempe performs at Sessions Cafe in Rothesay Saturday evening. The show begins at 8pm. Photo credit: Kim Wempe.

Get out: Our listing of events

By Mike Parker

Saint John singer Sean Roach performs at O'Leary's Pub on Princess Street every Friday and Saturday night (upper room). Sean, Tony Noddin and Matt Benoit also host an open jam every Sunday night at Cougar's Lounge in Market Square. Photo credit: Sean Roach.

One of the things I love about Saint John is the eclectic nature of the city. It seems something is always happening, if you are only prepared to step out of your comfort zone and embrace a new idea, a foreign culture or a new event.

Here are four days worth of events happening in Saint John. Some are new to the city – like the 54Hours Startup Weekend or the Asian Heritage Gala.  Others are popular annual events held every spring – like ACAP’s Marsh Creek cleanup or the  Gallery Hop (with the emphasis being on hops).

Get out tomorrow

By Mike Parker

Looking for something to kick off the weekend? Here are three events happening in Saint John on Thursday.

A powerful image. Moncton photographer Maurice Henri believes that photography can do more than capture an image. It can heal a war-torn nation and help bring peace. To test this thesis, Henri travelled to the African country of Sierra Leone, where he put cameras into the hands of former child soldiers and the victims of war as part of the Cameras For Healing project. Henri talks about his experiences today over lunch at Shadowlawn Inn starting at 12 noon. Admission is $10.50 and includes two specials from Sierra Leone. Please call (506) 847-7539 to confirm your attendance.

This weekend: High school musicals, Record Day and a future music icon

Text by Mike Parker

Hey! Hey! Cats and kittens! It’s Thursday and that means the end of another work week is just around the corner. With the weatherman calling for a sunny weekend and the snow finally melting, we can trade in our scratchy winter garments for something a little more festive. And what better way to show off our new spring wardrobe then by hitting the town for a little merry making?

With that in mind, here is a quick look at a few events happening in Saint John this weekend.

This weekend: art, books, film and music

By Mike Parker

The weatherman is calling for rain this weekend. But the damp weather is no excuse to stay inside all weekend. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here are a few suggestions.

Backtalk!
Tonight at 7pm the city’s arts community will gather at Inprint Bookstore on King Street for the last of the backtalk panel discussion.

Tonight’s topic is Word and Images: the influences of visual arts. The panel discussion features local painters Suzanne Hill, Gordon Jennings and Herzl Kashetsky talking about how literature has influenced their painting. The discussion will be moderated by Peter Buckland, owner of the Peter Buckland gallery.

One Week

It is a party game that almost all of us have played – what would you do if doctors said you had just one week to live? The answer might lie in One Week, a brutally honest yet quirky film by Canadian writer and director Michael McGowan. The 2008 film is being shown Tuesday night at Empire Cinemas on McAllister Drive starting at 7 pm. A Film Pix presentation.