Who hasn’t been moved to tears by Sarah McLachlan’s iconic songs? Even if you were one of the three people who didn’t own a CD of hers in the 90s, you probably wept to Full of Grace after Buffy ran a sword through Angel at the end of Season 2 (spoiler alert!), or forever associate Angel with those heart-wrenching SPCA campaigns. If you can’t believe that Sarah McLachlan’s music could be even more emotionally stirring, then you haven’t seen Alberta Ballet’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy yet.

Choreographed by Alberta Ballet’s Jean Grand-Maître, who previously created ballets based on the work of fellow Canadian chanteuses Joni Mitchell and k.d. lang, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy tells the one woman’s story from first love to last heartbreak, told through the movements of five separate dancers and featuring music from the lengthy span of McLachlan’s musical repertoire– from 1988’s Touch to 2010’s Laws of Illusions.

With only three performances scheduled for next week, ballet and heartbreak-ballad fans alike should make a grant jeté in the direction of tickets before they’re gone. Ballet BC is offering a $5-off promotion here until November 15th– and those lucky enough to grab tickets for opening night (November 14th) can look forward to seeing Sarah McLachlan herself in the audience.

Alberta Ballet’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Queen Elizabeth Theatre (649 Cambie)
November 14-16, 8:00PM
Details and tickets available online. 

Follow Ballet BC on Facebook & Twitter for updates about performances.

Sad Mag is really excited to be a part of WORD on the Street in Vancouver this year! WORD Vancouver is Western Canada’s largest celebration of literacy and reading held on the last weekend of September at Library Square in beautiful downtown Vancouver. The festival promotes books and authors with free exhibits, performances, and hands-on activities for a wide range of ages and interests.

We’ll be teaming up with some Vancouver notables who made an appearance in our Mad Mad World issue, including the talented Michael de Courcy, Jesse Donaldson, and Caroline Adderson to chat about making art and writing novels in Vancouver. Mediated by Books On The Radio founder, Sean Cranbury, each speaker will be recounting stories and experiences of Vancouver and how the city has changed since they first started tromping around.

Sad Mag would like to invite you to a special photo exhibition next weekend as part of the Word on the Street festival. Word on the Street is one of the biggest literary festivals in Vancouver, that also incorporates local art! Sad Mag has the honor to show off some of our images from the Mad Mad World issue at the Moat Gallery, which is a stunning little gallery hidden on the bottom floor of the VPL.

The photography exhibit will only be up for 2 days, so we’d love for you to join us next weekend! (September 28/29). This special exhibition will feature the works of young photographers from the Red Fox Society, the Writer’s Exchange and Tracey Ayton, and of course, some of the images from the issue by Rommy Ghaly and Michael De Courcy.

This Must Be The Place:
The Evolution of Vancouver’s Cultural Landscape Speakers’ forumLocation Vancouver Public Library Square, Magazine Life Tent

Date Sunday, September 29th
Time 1-2pm
Presenters & Readers Michael de Courcy, Jesse Donaldson, Caroline Adderson, mediated by Sean Cranbury

Sun­day comics by Sara French!

Sara French received her Mas­ters of Applied Arts from Emily Carr Uni­ver­sity of Art and Design in 2011 after com­plet­ing a Bach­e­lor of Arts in Visual Arts and Art His­tory at the Uni­ver­sity of Windsor.

She is a mul­ti­dis­ci­pli­nary artist who works in draw­ing, per­for­mance art, sculp­ture and video. Since grad­u­at­ing, Sara has par­tic­i­pated in a vari­ety of group exhi­bi­tions through­out Van­cou­ver includ­ing, 221a, Gam Gallery and the Lion’s Den. Most recently she exhib­ited Bills, a solo show in Win­nipeg at gallery672 Sar­gent that dis­played a col­lec­tion of embroideries.

Cur­rently Sara is work­ing with the artist col­lec­tive Depart­ment of Unusual Cer­tain­ties, out of Toronto, on an upcom­ing exhi­bi­tion for fall 2013.

In 2014 she will engage in a one-year artist in res­i­dence for Har­court House artist run centre.

Sara resides in Edmonton.

Sad Mag’s Fantasy Fiction Deadline has been extended!! You now have until August 30th at midnight to send in your fantastical fiction submissions. The winner will receive a $250 cash prize (that’s a lot of Magic cards) and their piece will appear in the upcoming issue of Sad Mag, FANTASY, out this fall.

http://www.sadmag.ca/fantasyfictioncontest/

Sun­day comics by Sara French!

Sara French received her Masters of Applied Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2011 after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts and Art History at the University of Windsor.

She is a multidisciplinary artist who works in drawing, performance art, sculpture and video. Since graduating, Sara has participated in a variety of group exhibitions throughout Vancouver including, 221a, Gam Gallery and the Lion’s Den. Most recently she exhibited Bills, a solo show in Winnipeg at gallery 672 Sargent that displayed a collection of embroideries.

Currently Sara is working with the artist collective Department of Unusual Certainties, out of Toronto, on an upcoming exhibition for fall 2013.

In 2014 she will engage in a one-year artist in residence for Harcourt House artist run centre.

Sara resides in Edmonton.

Sad Mag is excited to announce that the Vancouver Queer Arts Festival is happening this week! There are so many events, so many activities, and so many artists involved that you, fair reader, yes, you will find something inspiring and engaging which you will feel compelled to attend. Merely click here, and enjoy!

Sad Mag wants to take it to the next level with you. We are launching our first-ever fiction contest for our upcoming FANTASY issue. 

Theme: (you guessed it) Fantasy. And not just in the Game of Thrones way.Deadline: Entries must be postmarked or submitted online no later than 11:59pm, August 30th, 2013.Entry Fee: $25 per entry. Non-Canadian entries: $32 Canadian dollars.

Each submission includes a complimentary one-year subscription to Sad Mag. Writers who submit more than one entry will get a multiple year subscription.

Prizes: 1st prize – $250. One winner will be published in the Autumn 2013 issue of Sad Mag. Honourable mentions will be featured on Sad Mag’s website.

For Full Rules & Details, Click Through!

Let’s all subscribe!

Just as pretty on the inside and with double the content, our newest issue of Sad Mag features interviews with Michael de Courcy, Debora Cohen, Mode Moderne, Humans, City of Glass, among many others. Features on “The Red Light Legacy” of Vancouver’s oldest profession and Vancouver’s historical real estate market (it’s always been this bad, you guys), as well as “Gay Incantations,” “Advice from the Young at Heart” and the “Rise and Fall of Vancouver Cinema Houses.” This amazing issue is in stores now and, if you’re extra awesome (and a subscriber) in your mailbox soon!

Sunday comics by Alannah Lee Clamp!

North Vancouver born, Alannah Lee Clamp holds a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr University. Her comics ‘New Ways to Fail’ are a fairly new undertaking and so far have been exhibited in a few shows out East. Currently, Alannah is shuffling between Toronto and and Vancouver, but she likes it here. For reals.