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ENTERTAINMENT
Arts & Entertainment
Drag fundraiser returns to Anvil Centre stage
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NaveenaVijayan
nvijayan@newwestrecord.ca
Be there
For some of us, the world of drag queens and performances is often limited to a long binge of the American reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race on Netflix. But here’s a chance to see some of Vancouver’s best drag queens perform live.
Vancouver Men’s Chorus, Canada’s first LGBTQ choir (founded in 1981), is bringing its annual fundraiser Singing Can Be a Drag to New Westminster’s Anvil Centre this weekend. And unlike the usual drag performances which depend on skilful lip syncing, in this show, all the queens will, in fact, be singing live.
The last they performed in town was in 2020 — just when things were beginning to get hairy around the world.
HumphreyTam, a member ofVancouver Men’s Chorus who has previously been part of the show both as a performer and a producer, recalls the particular night as one that was “weird.”
Despite the news of the pandemic looming like a monstrous cloud, they performed to a restricted crowd of 250. In the weeks that followed, they were struck with panic, recountsTam.They anticipated calls from audience members who might have fallen ill after coming to their show.
Thankfully, none did.
Nevertheless, the chorus members called that show “the last show on earth” — for they weren’t able to perform for a long time after. In fact, this weekend’s performance will be the first in New Westminster since that eventful night in 2020.
“So, it’s a big deal for us,” saysTam.
WHAT’S NEWTHIS YEAR?
This year, audiences can expect an extra dose of glitz, glamour, and energy, promisesTam. Besides the group’s popular queens such as Aya Keane, Elaine da Nundah, Francesca Hunty Parks, Gae Ping Ho, Hedda Nipplegate, Ida Downe,Whore-ia Estefan and Wanting Moi, there will be a few newcomers as well.
According to one of the producers of the show, MikeyVan Nen, some of the new acts include those by Lady David Browning — “a star-studded composer in theVMC (Vancouver Men’s Chorus), who will sensationalize with her smooth, scintillating sound”; Julinor — a diva with a soulful sound who’ll make her debut at the show; and Anita Drive, whose heartfelt, emotional performance will have you reaching out for your tissues.
Singing Can Be a Drag started off as a tiny fundraiser about 15 years ago.
“Back then, we had to beg people to perform,” says Tam. With just a handful of queens willing to put on a show, one queen had to do more than one act to fill the one-and-a-half-hour duration.
Over the years, it has grown in terms of production size, talent, quality of costumes and the fun factor. In fact, some of the performers have even branched out to doing their own regular gigs in the community — and today, the chorus has a hard time fitting all the talent into one show.
At this Saturday’s show, as many as 18 members fromVancouver Men’s Chorus will be performing.
Tam, who has been part of the show since its fledgling days, guarantees that there will be a good mix of comedy, elegance, and outright craziness — all neatly divided into two acts with a break in between. “Just so that people can take a break, grab a drink and stop laughing for a bit.”
What: Singing Can Be a Drag 2022, presented by the Vancouver Men’s Chorus When and where: Saturday, July 16, 8 p.m. at the Anvil Centre Theatre, 777 Columbia St., New West, and Saturday, July 23, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Annex Theatre, 823 Seymour St., Vancouver. Tickets: General admission $40, patron tickets $70. See www.vancouvermens chorus.ca.
Spotlight: Audiences can expect plenty of laughs and plenty of talent when Singing Can Be a Drag hits the stage at Anvil Centre Saturday night. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED SOULSISTERS: The singers of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus return to the stage Saturday at Anvil Centre for Singing Can Be a Drag, their annual drag show fundraiser. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
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City
Greenway construction set to start this month
TheresaMcManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
Construction of the permanent Agnes Greenway is set to start this month.
Construction of Phase 1 of the permanent Agnes Greenway active transportation corridor, the section between Dufferin and Seventh streets, will get underway in midJuly 2022, the city has announced.Work on the one-kilometre project is expected to be completed in December 2022.
“This is an exciting milestone for the City of NewWestminster. The Agnes Greenway was first envisioned 10 years ago in the Downtown Community Plan,” Mayor Jonathan Cote said in a news release. “This project is part of the City of New Westminster’s commitment to sustainable transportation, climate emergency response, and the creation of accessible active transportation infrastructure that allows individuals of all ages and abilities to move around our community safely whether they cycle, walk or roll.”
The city built the first phase of an interim greenway in January 2021.
The final design is based on feedback the city received during two rounds of public engagement in 2021.
It includes a two-way protected lane for people cycling and rolling and improved spaces for people walking and sitting, according to a city press release. It will be similar in size and configuration to the existing temporary greenway.
According to the city, several of the greenway’s final detailed design will be different than the interim treatment, reflecting public feedback. These include: a raised crosswalk across Agnes Street connecting to Blackwood Street; and the closure of Blackwood Street at Agnes Street to provide space for public amenities such as seating, a water fountain, and a dog parklet.
Mike Anderson, the city’s transportation manager, said the city is contributing $800,000, the province is providing $500,000 andTransLink is contributing $1.9 million towards the $3.2-million infrastructure project.
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