soar2017 - 2018 Season

live theatre: handcrafted with care

David MacPhersonArtistic Director I am excited to be able to share

the outstanding professional

theatre that Story Theatre brings

to thousands of children each

year. For our 2017-18 season

Story Theatre is working with

both emerging professionals

and alumni to craft fresh material to bring our

audiences the entertaining and educational work

that we are known for. We’re sending out a new

cohort of theatre professionals to present our

unique style of theatre to young people across

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Story Theatre Company

Now more than ever it is vital to ignite

children’s imaginations; to help them to

unplug, to dream, to create, to imagine.

Since 1981, Story Theatre has been bringing

relevant, vibrant, educational theatre to

elementary school audiences and their

families across Canada. Through our use of

simple costumes, sets, and props we invite

our audiences to express themselves both

creatively and socially. Our mandate has

always been to produce theatre that involves

www.storytheatre.ca Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you anywhere. – Albert Einstein

our country and we are thrilled to announce

the world premiere of Erin Macklem’s Blue

Beads and Blueberries as one of our touring

shows. We commissioned her to write this

engaging show exploring her Metis heritage

which I’m sure you and your students will love.

I am also excited to introduce Deaf storyteller

Denise Read and performer Ingrid Moore and

our new workshop introducing ASL and Deaf

culture to students. Kirsti Hack, who toured

with the company for a number of years, has

created theme music for Rhymes, Reason

& Rascals. This mix of tradition and innovation

continues to make my job an adventure.

the audience in stories and allows

them to experience words come to life

through action.

Story Theatre is the antidote to

technology. The Story Theatre style is

interactive, and as the stories, games, and

music unfold, the audience is invited to be

part of the imaginative experience.

We give children the tools and the

ability to express themselves in creative

ways and encourage them to explore the

world of imagination.

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For ages 5 -12, 50 min

OUR WEBSITE IS A GREAT RESOURCE

Download teachers’ guides, classroom activities, look for links, and find out more about Story Theatre. www.storytheatre.ca

Rhymes, Reason & RascalsA simple blacksmith’s apprentice became one of the

greatest kings in history. GHENGIS KHAN lived over 800

years ago but the question still remains: Do you know the

price of everything but the value of nothing?

This 50 minute presentation of Rhymes, Reason & Rascals

draws from many cultures and uses the archetype of the

wise one to solve problems in unexpected ways and to

discover what is truly of value. Genghis seeks the greatest

treasure on earth and three knights set off on a quest to

bring it back. What can they find for the man who has

everything?

On their quest they encounter wisdom from many lands

in the form of stories and, in the end, realize that treasure

comes in many forms.

Creative problem solving and critical thinking skills are

just two of the many valuable takeaway lessons from this

captivating production.

Great to see students

enjoying the fun with

language and finding the

relevance in their own

lives. ..truly combined

entertainment with

education.”

– Parmjit Armstrong, Chair Kamloops Young People’s Concerts

“

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Blue Beads & Blueberries

What do Cinderella and King Lear have in common?

They were both inspired by the folktale Cap O’ Rushes.

French-Irish-Métis playwright Erin Macklem infuses this new

adaptation with music and mischief, disguises and dancing.

When the king asks his daughters how much they love her,

his youngest answers “Like pemmican loves blueberries.”

Outraged, he banishes her from his kingdom and she must

use her wits and her creative gifts to find her way back to

his heart.

Filled with music and mischief, disguises and dancing

– this Métis retelling of the classic story will delight

audiences of all ages.

This is the WORLD PREMIERE of Blue Beads and

Blueberries, commissioned by Story Theatre.

The truth about stories is, that’s all we are. – Thomas King

For ages 5 -12, 50 min

BOOKING IS EASY!

BC schools, go to www.artstarts.com

All other bookings www.storytheatre.ca

They are bursting

with magic energy,

and you will all

be sure to come

out of it so happy to

be alive.”

– Brody Slater, Monday Magazine

“

World

Premiere

2017!

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Flash LiteracyImagine...there is a knock at the classroom door, and

SURPRISE, three actors enter the classroom, present a quick

story and demonstrate how to play some Interactive word

games. The class is then divided into three groups, and each

actor works with a group on the storytelling games explaining

some of the ‘best ways’ to make them work. The class tells

a group story and then the actors and some of the students

share making up and telling some stories. Just as suddenly,

the actors leave, the door closes…and you never know when

another Flash Literacy visit will occur.

Designed to encourage the playful use of language and to

share the fun at home, Flash Literacy promotes the confident

use of verbal word play in even the most reluctant student.

*** Complementary to our storytelling shows. Half and full

day workshops are available on their own or in conjunction

with one of our touring shows. Useful in the classroom or can

be adapted for all kinds of professional development and

corporate uses.

For ages 5 -12, 20 - 30 min

OUR WEBSITE IS A GREAT RESOURCE

Download teachers’ guides, classroom activities, look for links, and find out more about Story Theatre.

www.storytheatre.ca

The kids and

staff loved the

performance. The

Pokemon song was

a big hit!”

– Shelly Johnson, Principal Salt Spring Island School

“

discover a different way to look at what is valuable...

For ages 5 -12, Full day

BOOKING IS EASY!

BC schools, go to www.artstarts.com

All other bookings www.storytheatre.ca

Literacy Day Is your school focusing on literacy this year? Need an

antidote to technology? Story Theatre will have your entire

school buzzing with this FULL-DAY OF LITERACY related

activities.

Start this special day off with a performance for the

entire school of your choice of one of Story Theatre’s

current touring shows. This is followed by a full day of

in-class workshops where students learn to play an

improvised storytelling game and how to assemble their

ideas into a performance. Literacy Day culminates with

everyone back in the gym for a special presentation with the

Story Theatre troupe presenting highlights from the day and

celebrating the day’s accomplishments.

Suitable for grades K-7, we invite you to celebrate the

arts and encourage every student to participate. Guaranteed

to have everyone talking and reading and writing and

excited about learning. Call now to book a day that works

for your school.[ 9 ]

Our students were

lucky to have such

enthusiastic and skilled

performers entertain

and educate them. I will

certainly share this with

my colleagues.”

– Joe Leibovitch, PrincipalJames Ardiel Elementary

“

Flash Literacy ASLTwo performers enter the room and, using only American

Sign Language, tell a story. Then in two groups they teach

the participants to recite a simple Nursery Rhyme using ASL.

The experience of communicating in a second language is a

powerful one. More powerful still is the sense of at first not

being able to understand what is being communicated and

then making your own discoveries about language.

This simple and effective workshop explores differences

and connections and language and communication all while

empowering young people to bridge communications

and communities.

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face

of someone who with their soul encourages another person

to be brave and true. – Charles Dickens

For ages 8 - Adult, 20 - 30 min

OUR WEBSITE IS A GREAT RESOURCE

Download teachers’ guides, classroom activities, look for links, and find out more about Story Theatre.

www.storytheatre.ca

Not a sound in

the room as the teller

signs her story and

teaches small hands

to sign the alphabet

and a nursery rhyme.

The children are

rapt.”

– Christine Dunsmoor, Education Specialist

“

LETTERS HOMEB.C. Remembers WW1 The war in Europe is progressing, and in this sequel to The Call Went Out we look at experiences on the front from the perspective of nurses from BC who went over to do their duty.

Royal BC

Museum

Nov 11/17

Interested in improving communication and creativity in your office or business? Story Theatre will create presentations that represent you, using our unique, professional style.

We can come to you with workshops to aid with team work, creative thinking, and productivity. Workshops can be done with groups of most sizes and will leave everyone engaged and revitalized.

DIY Theatre

This year our Story Theatre will be working with Craigdarroch Castle to create theatrical

story-telling events that capture the adventures of earlier times

and explore the amazing characters that have populated our local history.

Join us at the castle as our troubadours use

magical storytelling and song in

these Minstrel Stories. Please check our website for performances as they are

announced.

Story Theatre serenades Craigdarroch Castle

Contact Story Theatre for information on these and all our shows www.storytheatre.ca

Rumpelstiltskin... and other tales

Jeff Leard, Storyteller, sparkles in this very active, new telling of the Grimm’s tale of Rumpelstiltskin.

It deals with the origins of Rumpelstiltskin, how the

daughter becomes the victim of her father’s

bragging and then is trapped in a web of spinning straw into gold. it answers a number of questions often left out of the story.

“The Brothers Grimm would smack their lips over some of Leard’s encounters.” – Liz Nicholls, Edmonton Journal

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today”. – Robert McKee

We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia. Thank you, private donors, for your support.

The Story Theatre Productions Society is a non-profit, charitable organization # 89892 8296 RP0001 governed by a board of directors. Story Theatre is a member

of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres. We gratefully accept donations which may be made directly to Story Theatre or through Canada Helps.

We gratefully acknowledge our public funders.

McLean Foundation

Stewart Fund at the Vancouver Foundation

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Our Teachers’ Guides have ‘how to’ help

Story Theatre Company

1291 Gladstone Ave

Victoria, BC V8T 1G5

Tel 250-383-4140

1-800-353-0001

Fax 250-385-6336

info@storytheatre.ca

www.storytheatre.ca