What’s up: Southeast Asian exhibition, Motown, Book of Mormon, Harry Styles painting

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/01/2024 (971 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Southeast Asian exhibition opens on First Fridays

Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees

• Manitoba Museum
• Opens Friday, runs to April 7
• Admission free today, 5-9 p.m.

Canada’s first exhibition focusing on Southeast Asian people and their journeys to the province opens at the Manitoba Museum in time for First Fridays at the Exchange.

Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees describes how Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian refugees fleeing war and genocide between 1975 and 1985 found new homes around the world; more than 60,000 of them resettled in Canada in 1979 and 1980 alone.

The travelling exhibition is curated by Stephanie Stobbe, an associate professor and chair of conflict resolution studies at Menno Simons College, and includes photographs and interviews with people from across Canada who fled the Vietnam War, the Lao Secret War and the Cambodian Genocide, as well as those who sponsored them to immigrate to Canada.

Hearts of Freedom will receive an official opening Jan. 19 but will be available for viewing Friday, when the Manitoba Museum offers free admission as part of First Fridays.

Other highlights of the monthly Exchange District event include: 2023 Cape Dorset Annual Print Collection at the Katie + Gunner Gallery (141 Bannatyne Ave.); the opening for Remold, a new show at the C2 Centre for Craft (329 Cumberland Ave.) and the opening of the Art and Soul Member Exhibition, works from the 73 members of the Cre8ery Gallery (125 Adelaide St.).

— Alan Small

Two nights of Motown magic at the Good Will

Retro Rhythm Review

• Good Will Social Club, 625 Portage Ave.
• Jan. 5-6, 8 p.m.
• Tickets: $25 plus fees at thegoodwill.ca

The new year kicks off with back-to-back nights of the sweet sounds of Motown at the Good Will Social Club, as the Retro Rhythm Review returns.

While the players may be, as the show poster notes, “kids from the ’80s,” the 10-piece band will rip through all manner of Motown hits from the 1960s and ’70s. Included in the band are the OG Satellite Sisters, as well as singer-songwriter and guitar virtuoso Ariel Posen, who will head off on a tour of Europe in February and North America in March.

Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m. The event is being co-sponsored by Kilter Brewing Co., whose brews will be featured on the bar’s taps.

— Ben Sigurdson

The Book of Mormon plays the concert hall

• Tickets: $45
• Friday to Sunday
• Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St.
• Tickets at thebookofmormontour.com

From the minds of South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the smash hit Broadway musical The Book of Mormon comes to town this weekend to proselytize, presented by Broadway Across Canada.

The nine-time Tony-winning production follows a pair of missionaries as they haphazardly preach the virtues of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the residents of Uganda. Starring Sam McLellan and Sam Nackman in the roles of Elders Price and Cunningham — originally played by Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Josh Gad (Frozen) — the musical will be directed and choreographed by Jennifer Werner, with orchestration by Tony winners Larry Hochmann and Stephen Oremus.

Amen!

— Ben Waldman

Painting in the style of Harry

Harry Styles-themed paint night

• Sunday, 5-7 p.m.
• Smitty’s Pembina at Grant, 580 Pembina Hwy.
• Tickets: wfp.to/styles
• Prices are based on the size of the canvas: large (16 x 20 inches) is $33; small (14 x 11 inches) is $27

Art aficionados and Harries alike, get your brushes out for an evening of stylish painting at Winnipeg Art Factory’s latest event as you sing and dance along to the former One Directioner’s hits.

Create artwork inspired by the Watermelon Sugar singer as the resident performing artist guides you with step-by-step instructions or unleash your creative side and go wild with colours, textures and shapes.

At the end of the night, you will get to take home your own unique masterpiece.

Everything you will need to use will be provided, including canvases, paints and brushes.

Note that food and drinks must be purchased at the restaurant. The event is open to ages 12 and up and all guests under the legal drinking age must have a guardian in attendance (one adult for every three underage guests).

Advance booking is highly recommended as seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are asked to come at least 30 minutes prior to the paint party to ensure they get the seat they desire.

—AV Kitching

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