The Big Lebowski screens at VIFF Centre
By Steve Newton
FRIDAY: screening at the VIFF Centre of The Wrecking Crew director Denny Tedesco’s new documentary Immediate Family, about the team of 1970s session players composed of guitarists Danny Kortchmar and Waddy Wachtel, bassist Leland Sklar, and drummer Russ Kunkel.
FRIDAY: the LowDown Brass Band from Chicago melds modern funk, hip-hop, reggae, soul, and pop at Guilt and Co.
FRIDAY: screening at the Cinematheque of Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky’s mysterious 1979 masterpiece Stalker. In Russian with English subtitles.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY: Liven UP–Coal Harbour is a free, family-friendly event that will see lighting installations, artists, musicians, and storytellers along a walk from Canada Place to Cardero Park. Musical performers are Bungalow on Friday and Mary Ancheta Quartet on Saturday.
Steel Panther plays the Commodore
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY: L.A. hair/glam-metal band Steel Panther plays two nights at the Commodore Ballroom.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: the work of late Trinidadian-Canadian artist Denyse Thomasos is featured in the career retrospective Denyse Thomasos: just beyond, running until March of 2024 at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: running until January 21, Canyon Lights features a dazzling Christmas-light display on the trees, bridges, and pathways of North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: Cirque du Soleil presents its production of Kooza, a 125-minute acrobatics/circus show exploring themes of fear, identity, recognition, and power. Running until December 31 under the Big Top at Concord Pacific Place.
Elf: The Musical runs at the Stanley
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: the Arts Club Theatre Company presents Elf: The Musical, based on the 2003 Christmas comedy film Elf and starring Andrew McNee as Buddy the Elf. Running until December 31 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: the annual Festival of Lights features 15 acres of trees, plants, and pathways adorned with over one-million twinkling lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: the Mom’s the Word Collective–Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard, and Deborah Williams–presents the heartwarming comedy Mom’s the Word: Talkin’ Turkey, running to December 31 at the Arts Club’s Granville Island Stage.
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: Bright Nights in Stanley Park is a family-oriented fundraiser for the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund that features rides on the Christmas train, holiday lights display, live entertainment, food trucks, refreshments, and photos with Santa. Please note: tickets for the popular Stanley Park Christmas Train are completely SOLD OUT.
East Van Panto runs at the York
FRIDAY TO SUNDAY: Theatre Replacement presents playwrights Jivesh Parasram and Christine Quintana’s family show East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, with music by Veda Hille, running until January 7 at the York Theatre.
SUNDAY: screening at the VIFF Centre of Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 comedy The Big Lebowski, starring Jeff Bridges as The Dude.
SUNDAY: New Year’s Eve at the Rio Theatre is Paul Anthony’s Talent Time, featuring the electronic one-man band McRorie, comedians Mark Chavez and Ryan Beil, and a Much Music-style video dance party.
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