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Lexi Bainas column: ‘Spamalot’ coming to Brentwood, three Adage dancers to Joffrey, call for Joeys and more

Always so much A&E going on in the Valley, even at summer’s end
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Wayne Montgomery has a busy weekend in the Cowichan Valley. He’s playing both the Chemainus Country Jamboree and Special Woodstock. (Lexi Bainas/Citizen)

STOP PRESS: Edna Widenmaier from Brentwood College has just let me know that the school’s blockbuster musical this coming winter is Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Naturally, huge excitement all around. Watch this space for more updates as I get them.

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Adagé Studio is over the moon this week as three of their dancers — Mara, Kyra and Brittany — have been accepted into the four-year trainee program at Joffrey Ballet in New York.

“We are so unbelievably proud,” they posted on Facebook.

“Kyra was accepted to both the Jazz and Contemporary program as well as the Ballet program.”

Announcing Mara’s acceptance, the studio said, “It is with great sadness and joy that we announce she will be moving to New York this fall to pursue the next adventure. We are so proud of what you have accomplished this year and can’t wait to see what you accomplish next! Go make our little town proud!”

The studio owners also told Brittany, “Your hard work has paid off! Keep pushing!”

All I can add is: Wow! Go girls!

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Cowichan Valley author Teresa Schapansky will read from one of her books on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Saywell Park in Lake Cowichan, as part of the Town of Lake Cowichan’s 75th Anniversary huge celebrations this weekend. So, if you didn’t have any other reason to visit the Lake this Saturday and Sunday — and there are plenty— take this opportunity to meet the award-winning writer of Memoirs of a Pakhtun Immigrant, Dager of the Tasman Empire and Imogene of the Pacific Kingdom. She’ll be in “Imagination Lane” at the park that day.

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Tickets are on sale now for “The Magic of the Six Mountains: Tzouhalem, Prevost, Richards, Maple, Sicker, Stoney Hill” at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on Oct. 2, starting at 7 p.m. They’re $11 each.

Suzanne Simard and Andy McKinnon will present how trees communicate, nurture, share, protect each other through root systems and underground constellations of fungi. Qwiahwultuhw (Robert George) will talk about the interconnection of people and the forest.

This event is being organized by the Where Do We Stand group.

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The sixth annual Joey Awards are putting out a call for nominations and if you know someone who should be entered, you’d better get on the ball.

Submissions must be sent no later than Sept. 3, 2019.

There’s a big change for 2019, according to the Joey website.

“For 2019, we are accepting only one submission per category, per nominee. If you have been in three movies of the week, two leads and one supporting, you may choose your best lead and one supporting role to submit. If you have been in five commercials, you must choose the best one to submit.”

This idea holds true for all categories.

Check https://www.joeyawards.com/nomination-submissions for submissions.

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The Chemainus Valley Country Jamboree is being held this Saturday, Aug. 17, at Waterwheel Park in Chemainus, starting at 2 p.m., with a dance to follow.

Looking at the lineup, it sounds like a real winner to me. On deck are Sweet Potato Brown, Mary Egan and Mayhem, Wayne Montgomery and Montgomery County, The County Line, and more.