Medium is the message

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This article was published 29/10/2018 (2789 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Medium Lisa Scrivens, who says she has wait lists of up to two years to see her personally for readings and uses a lottery system to decide who gets her next appointments, is holding a Dec. 15 event at the Radisson Hotel Winnipeg called Heaven for the Holidays.

Instead of paying several hundred dollars for a private reading from the local medium, people can play $49.99 for a regular ticket and take a chance at receiving a message from a close friend or family member who has died. Or, they can pay $99 for a VIP session. There’s more information on events at lisascrivens.com. 

Scrivens says she likes to do an open show at this time of year. “Christmas is such a hard time of the year for so many people,” she says.

Scrivens says she walks around the room until she comes to a person for whom she feels she has a message from above, and then she stops and talks to them. “People are quite excited when I am walking around, wondering where I will stop.” The soft-spoken young Winnipegger says it makes for a warm and entertaining evening for everyone. Most of her group meets are small — as few as 14 people — and sell out quickly.

FOR PURISTS: Regular Halloween enthusiasts went to parties last weekend, but purists want terror and tingles as near to Halloween as possible.

People who like their fright served with a side of startling chainsaw antics are invited to come in costume to the Park Theatre’s wild ’n’ crazy Evil Dead: The Musical. This musical based on the horror film series even has a fake-blood splatter zone at the front.

The story revolves around five college students who go to an abandoned cabin in the woods and accidentally unleash a force that turns them into demons. Housewares employee Ash Williams, the now-demon-killing hero, is played by comedian Ryan Ash; he must try to use his snarling chainsaw to save the day. 

Improv guru Robyn Slade plays Annie Knowby and the cast includes Cheryl Williams, Elena Howard-Scott, Sam Kowaluk, Teela Tomassetti, David Fox and Dan De Jaeger, with a special appearance by Kane David Greene. Music is provided by the Deadite Four Live Band with musical director and band leader Renate Rossol, and an opening performance by Undead Elvis. 

This popular show has been staged in 150 cities around the world, including Winnipeg in 2014. Tickets are available at the Park. Regular admission is $28, splatter zone seats are $40 and VIP booth tickets are $165. Call the Park at 204-478-7275 or visit Ticketfly.com

CHRISTINE FELLOWS & GANG: Want to go to a cool house concert, in an old-fashioned house with a halftime party? That’s happening Saturday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. at 1025 Grosvenor Ave., at the Studome. Folk pop singer-songwriter Christine Fellows is entertaining with Alex McMaster on cello, Jason Tait on drums and bassist John K. Samson, the former Weakerthans frontman who is also the opening act. Fellows is releasing her seventh CD, Roses on the Vine (Vivat Virtute) that week.

The Studome is the home Stu Reid, host of CKUW 95.9 FM’s Twang Trust. Snacks are provided, and people bring their own booze. There’s also a big veranda where you can often chat with the performers during the breaks.

Tickets are $20 and available from Reid at the music desk at McNally Robinson’s Grant Park location, where he works the day shifts. Can’t make it? Fellows and the group are also doing a CD launch at the Good Will Social Club on Nov. 15. 

CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS BAND: One of the most beautiful introductions to the Christmas season will be the Winnipeg Steel Orchestra’s winter concert on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m., at the St. Boniface University Auditorium. Ruthven Nimblett, who is in his 44th year of leading this spectacular pan band, has nabbed CBC’s popular drive-home host Ismaila Alfa as MC. 

Tickets are $20, with snacks and goodies provided at the break.

Want to be in the band instead of just watching? Nimblett says if you join right away, you’ll be able to learn to play in a few songs before the concert date. No auditions necessary, he says.

“We always get people who say they don’t know how to play, or don’t have rhythm, or have extremely bad memories, but it turns out fine.”

They learn to play so fast, the audience never knows how they started out.

More info and tickets, call Nimblett at 204-952-6172 or Agnes at 775-8825.

Got tips? Exciting events happening in your world? Been rubbing shoulders with the stars? Email Maureen’s Tips at mscurf@shaw.ca.