Preschool-aged kids should have some extra bounce at this year鈥檚 , which gets going Thursday (May 25) and continues until Saturday.
The event鈥檚 鈥淏e Moved!鈥� theme for 2017 includes two shows geared toward children aged 18 months to five years.
鈥淲e know that early childhood years build the foundation for life,鈥� explained Marnie Perrin, artistic director of the City of 性视界传媒-backed festival. 鈥淲hy not introduce children to beautiful experiences as early as possible to instill magic and possibility?鈥�
The seven 鈥渇eatured鈥� shows during the 13th edition of the festival, held at 性视界传媒 Arts Centre and Bear Creek Park, require a ticket for admission.
Among them, Grug and The Rainbow, a whimsical theatre/puppet production from Windmill Theatre of Australia, and Paper Playground, an interactive dance number created by B.C.-based company Foolish Operations Ensemble, are designed for kids who haven鈥檛 yet graduated to Grade 1, more or less.
Dancing, drawing and music are featured in Paper Playground, a piece created by choreographer Julie Label and commissioned by the festival. The show offers viewers a chance to experience a special moment of discovery through the eyes of a child.
Children are being taken seriously as theatre-goers, Perrin explained, and new works are being created for them.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about the preschool programming we are bringing this year,鈥� Perrin told the Now-Leader.
鈥淧roviding opportunities for our youngest citizens to engage in the arts is very rewarding.鈥�
Windmill Theatre first brought its Grug character to the festival in 2013, and the show was a hit.
鈥淔rom feedback we received, families are still enjoying the Grug experience, especially with the Grug books that were sold to accompany the performances,鈥� Perrin said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to have Grug back again this year.鈥�
Perrin also noted the arrival in 性视界传媒 of theatre/puppet show Sangja, brought to the stage by companies based in South Korea and Canada (Artstage San and Pangaea Arts). In the festival guide, it鈥檚 billed as a 鈥渂rilliant blend of physical theatre and breathtaking puppetry with an extraordinary musical score,鈥� involving a Korean-born, Canadian-adopted boy and his search for identity.
鈥漁ne of the creators of the story, who the performance was based on, will be available for Q&A after performances 鈥� a very special opportunity,鈥� Perrin said.
Circus is always popular with audiences, she said, and this year the troupe from Quebec (Les Parfaits Inconnus, in an all-ages show) incorporates musicians.
鈥淲e always try to program amazing shows from all across Canada and the world, and 2017 promises to be an excellent year,鈥� Perrin added.
Other ticketed shows this year include the band Le Groupe Swing (French-Canadian 鈥渇olktronica鈥� music), Mistatim (鈥渁 beautiful story about friendship, bravery and a horse named Mistatim) and Snow White/Blanc Neige (鈥渁 spontaneous and hilarious re-telling of a familiar tale where children get to perform a major role鈥�).
Festival site admission is free, along with selected activities. Single show tickets range from $7 to $10, and a Saturday Festival Pass is priced at $12. An arts activity wristband, valid for three days and free for adults who are supervising children, is $7 for kids.
Free activities include a storytelling tent, a Nature Play area, a Heritage Hangout, Garden Labyrinth, Music Makers zone and an Amazing Cardboard Kingdom presented by 性视界传媒-based Royal Canadian Theatre Company.
Activities requiring a wristband include the World Rhythm Dance Party (with DJ Su Comandante and Ndidi Cascade), Big Top Circus Fun, clay arts, a 鈥淐ut Move Snap鈥� animation/media arts area and the popular Nylon Zoo storytelling tent.
New this year, in celebration of Canada鈥檚 150th birthday, is the Maple Leaf Dance Hall, on Saturday, May 27. The event promises 鈥渁 good ol鈥� time at a throwback to a traditional barn dance, complete with Indigenous and Metis jigging, square dancing and, for an international twist, African dance and bhangra.鈥�
The four stages for the festival鈥檚 ticketed shows are named Studio, Leap Frog, Main and Lily Pad. For show times, tickets and more details, visit .
