Things To Do: 7 can't-miss Vancouver arts events this week, May 18 to 24

by The Georgia Straight Staff on May 18th, 2016 at 6:00 PM

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Editor’s choice

Billy Elliot: The Musical

With its off-the-hook dance numbers, songs by Elton John, and story of a boy’s journey from boxing ring to ballet studio, Billy Elliot: The Musical is a show that sends you out of the theatre with a big, stupid grin on your face. You can’t resist it—mostly because the production based on the hit 2000 movie sets its feel-good tale against the grit of County Durham’s 1984 miners’ strike. Of course, it all comes down to who plays scrappy Billy himself, but Nolan Fahey—a kid with mad ballet, tap, and gymnastic skills whom we’ve seen in a bunch of local musicals leading up to this—seems like he’s up to the task.

Billy Elliot is at the Arts Club’s Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre until July 10.

Billy Elliot: The Musical, London trailer

Guest pick

Symphony At The Annex

Our guest pick comes courtesy of Owen Underhill, artistic director of the Turning Point Ensemble, which presents Tasting Notes, a concert and dining night, at SFU Woodward’s and L’Abbatoir on June 5. Here’s the show he’s most looking forward to this week:
“Don’t miss the Vancouver Symphony at the Annex program The Elusive, Imaginary Future [with maestro Gordon Gerrard, shown here, at the podium]. With a new commission by Gabriel Dharmoo and music by some of my favourite composers (Edgard Varèse, Melissa Hui, and Julia Wolfe), it will be a visionary experience.”

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents The Elusive, Imaginary Future at the Orpheum Annex on Sunday (May 22).