Every year an eagerly awaited Powell River cultural event begins in late February.
Powell River Festival of the Performing Arts starts Saturday, February 24, and continues through to Friday, March 9. In 2019, it will mark 75 years of existence.
“As a young Cranberry Lake Elementary School student, I remember participating in the festival,” says Joyce Carlson, who chairs the event and serves as emcee for the Grand Concert. “Being chosen to play the triangle was the highlight of my musical career,” she adds with a laugh.
Festival sessions are held at James Hall in Powell River Academy of Music, Max Cameron Theatre in Brooks Secondary School and Evergreen Theatre in Powell River Recreation Complex. They are open to the public and free of charge.
While dance has only been part of the festival for four years, its history in Powell River goes back nearly a century. One of the first dance teachers was Frieda Marie Shaw, who moved to Powell River in 1931 because her husband had found employment at Powell River Company’s pulp and paper mill.
Frieda started a dance studio in the family home basement on Harvie Avenue with 26 students enrolled. Three of her students went on to much acclaim. Anna (stage name Onna) White, won an Oscar in 1969 for her choreography in the musical Oliver! Joyce Gray (née Hill) was a founding member of the National Ballet of Canada and Norman Thompson danced with the San Francisco Ballet and New York’s Ballet Theatre, among other companies.
“I know there are young dancers currently performing in our festivals who will go on to dance careers,” says Carlson.
This year’s dance adjudicator is Geraldine Potter (née Furrer), who grew up in Powell River and graduated from Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She has performed with professional ballet companies and taught in Canada and Europe.
“I remember watching Geraldine dance and am thrilled she is coming back to her hometown to inspire our local dancers,” adds Carlson.
In the early years, Knights of Pythias and Pythian Sisters organized the festival and that continued until 1987. For the past 15 years it has been organized by the Rotary Club of Powell River with assistance from community volunteers interested in the performing arts.
Carlson and other Rotarians are on a committee that also includes community members. One of those volunteers is Jan Grants (née Bowes).
“In the 50s and 60s, the festival was a big deal to me,” says Grants. “Others played sports; I played music. Sports had competitions all year long but music had only one yearly competition held at Dwight Hall. It was great fun and a great training ground.”
Grants was one of three generations of her family involved with the festival. Her mother Margaret taught piano and voice to hundreds of students and was an early recipient of the David Pike Memorial Trophy that recognized outstanding contributions to the arts and festival. Grants’ daughter Jennifer also performed in the festival.
“I still love to watch the festival half a century later and it’s a pleasure to pay it forward as a volunteer,” said Grants who, as an adult, reached the highest grade in Royal Conservatory singing and studied the flute privately for many years.
For nearly two weeks performers in six disciplines: piano, strings, vocal, speech arts, dance as well as band and instrumental, will display results of many hours of practice under the tutelage of dedicated teachers and, for the younger ones, parents committed to escorting them to rehearsals.
Adjudicators recommend top performers to Performing Arts BC provincial festival, which will be held this year in Victoria from May 29 to June 2.
Selected performances also are recommended for the Grand Concert. It takes place at 7 pm on Friday, March 9, in Evergreen Theatre. Tickets are available at Powell River Academy of Music and at the door for $15, or $10 for seniors and children under 16.
For a full schedule of times and venues, go to powellriverperformingarts.org.
