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This wonderful monthly roundup is compiled by arts enthusiast Jessica Ruano.
For more February events, don't forget to check out our Events Listings!

FEBRUARY 2010
Greetings arts fans! I’ve had the most amazing month traveling across Canada and researching theatre festivals.

My travels have brought me to Edmonton, to Calgary, and to Vancouver. If you’re interested in following along, please check out my blog entitled “the most exquisite moments” and feel free to partake in some of the ongoing debates, or just post a comment to say hi! I’ve been updating more frequently lately, and I’d love your feedback.

I’ll be back in Ottawa after this weekend, and I’m looking forward to attending all these fabulous events lined up. I’m especially excited about being asked to play a judge in the Great Canadian Laugh-Off: I have a feeling one of my sneaky comedian friends got me involved in this…

Here goes!

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD

February 6
Capital Slam featuring Kay’la “Kiki” Mahy
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=261531761980&ref=ts

February 7
Dusty Owl Reading Series featuring PrufRock
http://www.dustyowl.com/whatsnew.htm

February 9
Voices of Venus featuring Kathryn Hunt
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=82921239343&ref=ts

February 11
Bill Brown’s 1-2-3 Slam featuring Festrell

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=307424880929&ref=ts

February 12
Urban Legends Poetry Slam
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=270941814755

THEATRE, VISUAL ARTS, FILM, and MORE!

February 2
Canteen Gallery presents Picturama! (February Edition)
http://canteenlife.com/home.html

I would have loved to have been part of this event! Last month Canteen asked all aspiring photographers to send in their 4×6 photos to display at the gallery: your friends, your pets, your camel trek in Mali, your street art, your child’s shadow puppets and those adoring photos of your bike. Tomorrow the results will be in and Canteen will display the photographs and handle sales at $1/piece. Get some inexpensive local art for your walls!

February 3
Yuk Yuk’s Great Canadian Laugh-Off
http://www.yukyukslaughoff.com

Every Wednesday this month, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club is holding the preliminary rounds of the Great Canadian Laugh-Off in Ottawa. Local celebrity and media personalities (including yours truly!) will act as judges for the Ottawa series. The Laugh-off contest is open to all comics amateur and professional, and the Ottawa winners will go on to compete in Toronto. If you think you’ve got a funny streak, I dare you to sign up – and be subjected to my harsh, harsh judgment. Mwahahaha.

February 5 to 27
Spins & Needles presents Urban Cozy Project at Winterlude 2010
http://www.spinsandneedles.com/winterlude2010

Spins and Needles will be doing a series of events this year at Winterlude including craft & DJ parties, weekend warm-up workshops, public arts&crafts installations, and more! Get involved by visiting the website, or simply showing up at the numerous Winterlude locations. All events and workshops are free! Also, you can contribute to the Winterlude 2010 Urban Cozy Project by creating various warm coverings, or cozies, wrapped around trees, lampposts, and other elements on festival grounds.

February 10
The boxcART Film Festival presents “EAT MY SHORTS”
http://www.boxcartfilmfestival.ca/home.html

Last month, filmmakers received an envelope with the top secret criteria and were instructed to come back 72 hours later with a short film. Participants of the film challenge will have an opportunity to screen their short films at the Film Festival that takes place at the Lieutenant’s Pump. Stop by for a pint and help celebrate local film making!

February 4 to 14
Third Wall Theatre Company presents As You Like It
http://www.thirdwall.com/

You know, the one that takes place in a forest. No, not with the fairies, the other one, the cross-dressing one. No, not with twins… with that Rose girl, the one who says “Men have died from time to time and worms have eaten them, but not for love.” I guess that was just my way of sharing my favourite quote. Directed by Charles McFarland, this production features an array of talented local actors, including Kristina Watt as Rosalind and Jordan Hancey as Orlando.

February 12
Painted Lips and Lolly Licks: Mayfair Theatre’s Annual Sexy Short Film Festival
http://mayfairtheatre.ca/movies/?movie_id=580

Sounds like my kind of festival! My friend Nathan Ings is acting in one of the films called Valentine’s Night, written by Thierry Papineau.The story centers around Val, a single gay man, dating and partying, just trying to get through life and do a little shopping. He is torn between an internet hookup with someone totally inappropriate and a young friend with benefits. Naturally, Nathan is playing the totally innappropriate one…!

February 13
Cube Gallery Salon featuring Sterling Lynch
http://cubesalon.ca/

Supported by singer-songwriter John Carroll and spoken-word artist Kel Parsons, local mover-and-shaker Sterling Lynch and his gifted cast of actors will be presenting a staged reading from his (recently award-winning!) play entitled “Home in Time” for the Cube Salon audience.

February 17 to March 6
The National Arts Centre English Theatre presents Mrs. Dexter and Her Daily
http://nac-cna.ca/en/theatre/index.cfm

I’m looking forward to this next show; I really enjoyed Glass’ last play Trying that premiered at the NAC. “Mrs. Dexter and her maid Peggy must part ways after Mrs. Dexter’s divorce. As the women reflect on their lives we are privy to their journey, their losses, and their laughter. Join us as two of Canada’s most celebrated actors—Fiona Reid as Mrs. Dexter and Nicola Cavendish as her ‘daily’ Peggy —bring Joanna McClelland Glass’ endearing new drama to life under the direction of Former NAC English Theatre Artistic Director Marti Maraden.”

February 26 to 27
V Day Ottawa presents The Vagina Monologues
http://www.ottawavday.ca/

The vaginas are coming! (Sorry, sorry… that’s a recycled joke, but I couldn’t help using it again.) I’d say we all need a little feministing this month, especially after a certain irritating article that was recently posted in the National Post. Boy, the parodies were too, too easy. Also, this is a great chance to catch my friend Lauryn Kronick onstage; moaning her pretty little head off, no less!

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If I’ve missed anything, please post information about your event on my blog: http://jessicaruano.wordpress.com. Thanks for reading!

Artistically yours,

Jessica Ruano

If you have any more events to add for this month, please post a comment on my website: http://jessicaruano.wordpress.com/blog

Check out my website www.jessicaruano.wordpress.com/blog for somewhat regular updates through the month. And if I have missed any events, please do not email me, but rather feel free to write a comment with all necessary information under the post on my website.