Splash of Luck fundraiser a big success

Jen Draper, Billi Rigaux, and Brandi Hutchison

Toni Lucas - Pincher Spray Park Society (PCSPS) held the 'A Splash Of Luck' fundraising gala on Friday, March 17 at the Pincher Creek Community Hall. PCSPS Chair Jennifer Draper was overwhelmed with the support from the community.  "We have 250 people here.  This is just fantastic."  There were many things to make the evening entertaining.  The St. Patrick's Day date brought out a green theme, and there was much fun and frivolity in the air.  There were desserts, and live and silent auctions. Bob Westrop was the auctioneer. The headlining entertainment was Puck ‘n’ Funny comedians Brittany Lyseng, who had a humorous view of her personal experiences, and Harry Doupe, who extolled the Albertan fascination with the weather.

Livingstone School Drama Club presentations filled with actions and distractions

Livingstone School thespians

Toni Lucas - Livingstone School Drama Club put on their productions of 'The Internet is a Distract-Oh Look! A Kitten!' and 'Action News: Now with 10% More Action' on Thursday May 26 and Friday May 27. Directors Mary Krizan and Sharon Halibert were very pleased with the performances of the students, who have been working on these two productions since February.

2015 Alberta Culture Days events in Pincher Creek

Toni Lucas

Alberta Culture Days was held on Friday, September 25 in Pincher Creek .  There were a wide range of events showcasing some of the artistic and cultural experiences available in the area. Organized by the Pincher Creek and District Municipal Library with the cooperative efforts of Pincher Creek Allied Arts and the Napi Friendship Association, the event had a programme that focused on visual arts, music, storytelling, and the Blackfoot culture. Each segment of the itinerary was an exploration of sights, sounds, imagination, and sharing. The day was made possible by a grant from Alberta Culture and Tourism.

St. Michael's School Elementary Choir at Vista Village

St. Michael's Elementary Choir walking back to school after Vista Village performance

Chris Davis

The St. Michael's School Elementary Choir finished their school year off with Senior Sing Along concerts at Crestview Lodge on May 22 and at Vista Village on June 12. The choir, under the direction of performed favourites including Skinnamarink, She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Home on the Range, and several other selections (complete with theatrics) for appreciative audiences, under the direction of Mrs. Alexander and Mrs. Cooley.

CNP Symphony and guests deliver great performances to Pincher Creek audience

Jerry Lonsbury and the CNP Symphony
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas

The Crowsnest Pass Symphony and Friends in Sync gave their last performances of the season at the First Baptist Church in Pincher Creek on Thursday, May 14th in front of over 100 people. The symphony also performed the night before in the Horace Allen School in Coleman. Conductor Jerry Lonsbury led the 31 performers in the symphony through a well presented evening, 'The Gang' quartet, and vocal group Friends in Sync.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser #2

Star Wars.  J.J. Abrams.  Christmas release.  Enough said.

Big News from Grand Rock a warm Canadian comedy

Writer/Director Daniel Perlmutter at the Fox Theatre

Chris Davis

Writer/Director Daniel Perlmutter was in attendance to answer questions about his movie Big News from Grand Rock, which was shown at the Fox Theatre on Monday evening April 15 as the last Pincher Creek Allied Arts Council (AAC) presentation of the season.   AAC volunteer Janet Costa managed to secure Perlmutter's attendance in December when she was booking movies for the AAC's regular Monday evening showings.  "It's our last film of the season, and our 14th year of doing this," she explained.

Warning: Spoilers ahead

Director to attend 'Big News from Grand Rock' showing at Fox Theatre

Toni Lucas

The last Monday Night at the Movies for the season will come with something different this time.  The director.  "It's called 'Big News from Grand Rock', It's Monday night at the Fox Theatre at 7:00," said Allied Arts Council volunteer Janet Costa, who is very excited that the screenwriter and director of the movie Daniel Perlmutter will be in attendance to answer questions after the film.  "When I was booking the films back in December for this season they said  'If you wanted to get this movie in April, he's (Perlmutter) going to be touring with the film'."

Ladies party at Fifty Shades of Grey premiere

Fox Theatre's Edith Becker 

Toni Lucas

The Fox Theatre in Pincher Creek hosted a special gala event to premiere the controversial 'Fifty Shades of Grey' movie on February 12, two days before Valentines Day. It was a ladies only event. Before the film was shown in both cinemas the theatre lobby was filled with ladies enjoying appetizers from the Cast Iron Grill and perusing the wares from Passion Party Small Town Diva Jessica McClelland, while sipping on champagne.

Puck 'n Funny entertains at local events

Comedians Mike Dambra (right) and Drew Bhem with Pincher Creek Rotary President Scott Korbett

C. Davis photo

Chris Davis
(updated)

Puck 'N Funny comedians Comedians Mike Dambra and Drew Bhem travel western Canada performing at fundraisers. On January 16 and 17 they were at the Pincher Creek Community Hall, entertaining at a Pincher Creek Rotary fundraiser for the Los Amigos project on Friday evening and then for the Old-Timers Tournament dinner on Saturday evening. "It's the best job in the world," said Behm, a 5-year veteran of Puck n' Funny.  Dambra has been performing comedy for almost 30 years.  Dambra and Behm both call Edmonton home.  Puck n' Funny operates out of Saskatoon.  "They were crazy, they were awesome," said Dambra of the Rotary crowd.  "They were so laid back and cool.  They really were.  Usually we're getting yelled at halfway through."

Dambra also won the 50-50 at the Rotary event.  Now that's funny!

Southwest Alberta Rotary Clubs are again joining forces to bring reconditioned ambulances to Mexico, a project dubbed "Los Amigos".  See also: Pincher Creek Ambulance 1099 arrives at new home in Mexico

Local author portrays authentic ranch life in Poll Haven mystery

submitted

February 2, 2015. Local author Locke Marshall has recently published his first novel. It is a work of fiction, a mystery set in southwestern Alberta and, more specifically, the Poll Haven Community Pasture. The central figure is a young rancher who finds himself the target of something sinister after discovering his partner killed in what first appears to be an accident.

Trickster helps Livingstone School develop character(s)

Trickster Theatre's Brett Gartley (centre) in "The Great Adventure"

Chris Davis

Trickster Theatre provided Livingstone School students in grades 1 through 8 with an unforgettable experience last week, guiding them through the process of creating and presenting an original theatrical production in just four days. Titled "The Character in Me", audiences at two shows were treated to dynamic skits connected by an encompassing theme. The theatrical becan with a black light "Lost in the Forest" skit by grade 5/6 students, and from that starting point we were treated to many memorably funny moments. The scripts were witty, and the action was relentless as the presentation flowed from scene to scene, using minimal props, some of which were created by the students, some provided by Trickster, and "found" objects such as a large gym mat. The lampooning of teachers and administration included many gentle in-jokes. The dynamism of Tricksters Jamie Northan, Brett Gartley and Natalie Buckley was contagious throughout.

Trickster-led theatrical to be held at Livingstone School Jan. 8/9

Sometimes the acting bug just creeps up on you - Trickster Theatre at Livingstone School
K. Jorgenson photos

• The first performance of "The Character in Me" at Livingstone School is on Thursday January 8 at 6:30 pm and a second production will follow on Friday morning January 9 at 10:15 am.

Kim Jorgenson

Trickster Theatre arrived at Livingstone School on Monday, January 5th. Trickster is a Calgary based company established 25 years ago that goes to schools in Alberta and spends a week working with elementary students to create magical performances.  The ideas come from the students. At Livingstone School Tricksters Jamie Northan, Brett Gartley and Natalie Buckley enhanced the thoughts of the students through conversation, and then incredible skits emerged. Trickster provides lighting, sound, curtains, costumes and props in addition to performing artists and direction. Their enthusiasm and energy is transmitted to the kids, and it is an amazing process to watch and be a part of.

Heartwarming talent show at Canyon School

MCs Jaxon and Justin

Toni Lucas

Canyon Elementary School in Pincher Creek held a  'North Pole Talent Show' on Thursday, December 18. Principal Carole Goodreau was happy to hand all the credit for the performances to the students and the school's new music teacher Candice Janzen.  Janzen has been working with the students since November 1 to deliver two blockbuster performances that showcased vocal, instrumental and dance pieces.  The first performance was held in the morning, the second during the afternoon. "What you see up here is definitely all her work," said Goodreau.

Raiden 'Hid a frog in sisters bed'  - grade 1

Spirited 54th Annual Community Carol Festival packs Community Hall

Pincher Creek Community Choir
T. Lucas photos

Toni Lucas

The 54th Annual Community Carol Festival had the Pincher Creek Community Hall filled both upstairs and downstairs on Sunday evening, December 14. Master of Ceremonies Linden Wilms introduced the many performers, including the Pincher Creek Community Choir, Friends in Sync, the Canyon School and St. Michael's School Children's Choirs, and the Crowsnest Pass Community Choir.  Alexandra Morgan performed a solo rendition of 'O Holy Night'.  Instrumental pieces were performed by the Windy Horns Brass Ensemble, and Fiddlers and Friends. Cole Gerber and Emma Burnham read 'The Story of Christmas'. There were some truly spectacular performances.

Reading at Pincher Creek Municipal Library with author Edward Noel Doherty

Author Edward Noel Doherty at Pincher Creek Municipal Library

Toni Lucas

Author Edward Noel Doherty recently published 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday', a fictionalized account of living in Ireland in the 1940s to 1972. He held a reading at the Pincher Creek Municipal Library on Thursday, December 11 to a group of over a dozen people. "It's the first of a trilogy, I finished it last year," he said of the first book. "The timeline of the whole series is 1940s in northern Ireland, going until 1998. That is the full length of the trilogy. It's based on young men growing up in Ireland, and the religious and political challenges that they faced. Then as they grow into adulthood, the troubles become a major feature of northern Ireland, troubles that were to last for 30 years. This book shows how those troubles affected those young men, until Bloody Sunday, which was January 29th, 1972."

Doherty said that the people are fictional but the historical events are real.

Hard rocking band Magesty building sweat equity on Calgary scene

Magesty: Tanner Riedel, Michael Gluszak, Alem Meren P and Alex MacDonald

Chris Davis

Former Pincher Creek resident Tanner Riedel is the guitarist and backing vocalist for Magesty, an all-originals hard rock quartet now working their way into the Calgary music scene. Magesty released a video for their song 'Jack in the Bottle' in June of this year and they're working on getting as many gigs under their belt as they can. These guys write and play fast, hard, rambunctious, technically proficient rock and roll, and they definitely have their own sound.   Riedel recently agreed to an online interview about the band.

Best of the West Weekend (formerly Cowboy Poetry) closes its doors

Best of the West Weekend committee press release

The Best of the West Weekend – formerly Pincher Creek's Cowboy Poetry Gathering – has been forced to close its doors because there are too few volunteers to keep the event going. Several ways have been tried to increase the volunteer base for this popular event, but none of them yielded anywhere near the number of volunteers needed to mount an event of this sort.

Windy Horns Quintet performs for appreciative shoppers at Ranchland Mall

The Windy Horns
T. Lucas photo

Toni Lucas

The Windy Horns, a brass ensemble of 5 musicians from the Crowsnest Pass Symphony,  entertained at the Ranchland Mall on Thursday evening, December 4.  They played Christmas favorites like Good King Wenceslas, Silent Night, Away in a Manger and Jingle Bells.

The quintet will next be appearing at the Stained Glass Gallery in Blairmore on Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 pm.

St. Michael's Christmas extravaganza a huge success

St. Michael's School elementary students performing at Christmas pageant
C. Davis photos/video

Chris Davis

St. Michael's School celebrated the true meaning of Christmas with their annual pageant, this year a musical called "The First Leon" that starred elementary students, some middle school students, and Cory Dyck in the titular role.  Two performances were given, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, to packed houses of appreciative family and community members.  Approximately 210 students participated.