5) A presentation of the Confederation Centre of the Arts

Experience Canada’s rich multicultural diversity at FACES OF CANADA, an exciting 4-day festival presented by the Confederation Centre of the Arts in partnership with the Government of Canada and the P.E.1. Multicultural Council.

Free activities throughout the festival include the Government of Canada Exhibit, and the Art Gallery's video series AitShift.

Check out our website for more details at www.confederationcentre.com

WAVE IN CONCERT Popular Canadian pop music band Wave, famous for the hit song California, will rock the Mainstage! Tickets: $24 : :

8 pm, Art Gallery MIR

will bring down the hoe Tickets: $24-35 ($2 discount ie students and seniors)

10 pm, Memorial Hall

Featuring the acclaimed pop band Mir - BOIS - JOLI in a rare, intimate, “unplugged” cabaret- Licensed 19 years + style setting. Tickets: $12 plus taxes Dance the night away to the great Licensed 19 years +. Acadian beat of Bois-Joli. Tickets: $10, $2 discount with Natalie FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 MacMaster ticket stub. 9 pm, Memorial Hall - : REGGAE NIGHT SUNDAY, MARCH 2 FREE FUN DAY!

WITH AFRO-MUSICA Sponsored by Patterson Palmer Gather up your friends and join us for the hottest night of the year!

Tickets: $10. Licensed 19 years +

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

/ the Studio Theatre. Join us!! 2 pm, Mainstage

VINOK WORLDANCE vena sronsors he Guardian

Experience dazzling costumes and high- ‘ spirited international dances! Tickets: $8 ROE Maslegs xe:

11:30 am - 3:30 pm

Multicultural Brunch/Bazaar featuring foods and crafts from over 15 different countries in Memorial Hall (nominal fee for culinary delights!); Free Performance of the play “The New Canadian Kid" in

adults, $4 seniors, students & children

eR Us ee eee Lees

Fiddling Superstar to Play in Charlottetown

By Mari ve MacGREGOR |

On Saturday, March | at 8: 00pm, Natalie MacMaster will be playing on the Confederation Centre of the Arts main stage. She will be performing as part of the Faces of Canada Festival, which celebrates Canada's diverse multicultural music and dance.

Even though she will be in British Columbia and California the week before her performance here, and back to Ontario the day after, she still feels the importance of getting back to her roots. Natalie grew up in Cape Breton, but spent many sum-

“mers lounging on PEI's beaches. It's been a

while since Natalie's last visit, and she will suffer the 6 hour flight from California for the chance to play PEI again.

When she's in the Maritimes, she still has the freedom to join in the kitchen party atmosphere, to be herself and to be treat- ed like anyone else. Celebrity is no special virtue when she's home, it's just another cir- cumstance.

Natalie has been singing since age three, dancing since age five, and playing fiddle since age nine. She used to be able to do the splits when she was 16 years old in her serious dancing days. When she travels, she likes to invite local dancers to join her on stage. Natalie plans on having either the Judy MacLean dancers or the College of Piping dancers join her on stage during her visit if she can get them.

Her success is something she doesn't take for granted. She's always felt lucky to be able to do what she loves for a living. Natalie always believed that some- one should have something to fall back on if their dream doesn't work out.

In university she had planned to become a teacher. "I would have taught elementary school," says Natalie, "but I don't think I could have taught music. I __ teach a week-long workshop for chil- ren in the summer and by the end of t I am just so exhausted. I don't think - teaching elementary would be as tir- ‘ing, as difficult for me." Natalie finds she has too close a connection and § understanding for music to be able teach it.

_ Last October Natalie tied the knot with 1/10 of the Leahy clan, Donnell

‘Leahy. Natalie says that eventually

_ she and he will do some touring, play-

F ing venues together. Before the mar-

F riage Natalie had only two brothers.

- Now with the Leahys, there are plenty

F of siblings to go around, and she loves it.

When it comes to starting a fami- y of her own, it won't happen for a while et. I asked her if her first child will learn ancing, singing, or fiddling first. "Oh, I'm sure he can do whatever he wants to do," laughs Natalie, "We won't make him do anything he wouldn't want to." Yeah, like her children won't be born with fiddle -. bows in their hands and step shoes on their feet. Tickets to Natalie's show are from $20 to _ $30. She's coming home just for us, let's give her the welcome she | deserves.