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Victoria festival that offers prospect of funding through prize worth $17,500 receives entries from far and wide

IN CONCERT What: Joy of Life Festival with Daniel Lapp, Stephanie Cadman, David Vest, Folkestra, the Joy of Life Choir and the BC Fiddle Orchestra Where: Alix Goolden Performance Hall, 907 Pandora Ave. When: Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4, 7:30 p.

ON STAGE What: Shrek The Musical Where: McPherson Playhouse, 3 Centennial Sq. When: May 3 through May 12 Tickets: $21.75/$42/$54.50. Tickets are $3 less for students and seniors. Available at rmts.bc.

What: Victoria Symphony (Explorations): Bondarsphere When/where: Saturday, May 4, 8 p.m., Dave Dunnet Community Theatre (Oak Bay High School, 2121 Cadboro Bay Rd.) Tickets: $25, students $20. Call 250-386-6121 or 250-385-6515; online at rmts.bc.

Nanaimo’s David Gogo, Salt Spring Island’s Raffi and Victoria’s Steve Bays lead a small contingent of artists with ties to the Vancouver Island area who received Western Canadian Music Award nominations.

The latest work from Sooke author Jim Bottomley has been nominated at the annual Arthur Ellis Awards for excellence in Canadian crime-writing.

Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Vancouver Island took centre stage Tuesday in the live-action trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog, the first big-screen adaptation to star the beloved 1990s video game character.

REVIEW What: Pacific Opera Victoria: Countess Maritza, by Emmerich Kálmán When: April 27 and Friday, May 3, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 5, at 2:30 p.m. Where: Royal Theatre Tickets: $27-$144. Call 250-386-6121; online at rmts.bc.

At least one actress called it a Hamlet for female actors. Playing Winnie in Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days is a monumental challenge in a myriad of ways. The role is absolutely immense — the two-act play is essentially a 90-minute monologue.

ON STAGE What: Countess Maritza Where: Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St. When: Tonight through May 5 Tickets: $27-$174 from rmts.bc.ca , by phone at 250-386-6121, or in person at the Royal McPherson box office Information: pov.bc.