May 10 – June 9, 2024

 

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Works-in-Progress/Show & Tell

Thursday, May 15, 2014
#DigitalKids

11:15 – 11:45 (closed) & 1:30 pm for delegates registered attendees
Digital Kids, a new work in progress by Véronique Bossé (Québec)
performed by Jean-Yves Doiron and Véronique Bossé

About #DigitalKids: A 6 year old child, with his faithful Raplapla under his arm, enters a room filled with recognizable objects and games, including the always enchanting Ipad. Without warning, this computerized device ferociously begins to vacuum up objects, making them disappear. When Raplapla itself is swallowed by the machine,the child ventures into the virtual world in search of his beloved toy. The child passes through the screen where, on the other side, a fantastic, sometimes startling, world awaits.

Véronique Bossé: #DigitalKids was born out of a series of questions that I was asking myself, as a parent, in regards to touchscreens and children. Is the use of electronic tablets harmful to toddlers or does this technology possess virtues that we do not yet understand? Is the virtual world detached from reality in the mind of a 3 year old child? Do digital kids have access to a wider world where the line between truth and fiction no longer exists? Rather than choosing between these two universes, the new generation will have the opportunity to combine them. And if the key to answering all of these questions is hidden in an adventure like no other, would you take part?

Theatre Direct is pleased to support the presentation of this new work in progress

BIOGRAPHIES

Véronique Bossé, Director & The child
Véronique Bossé graduated from the Theatre Program at Sorbonne Paris III, with a specialisation in Directing (2012). Before studying in France, Véronique founded Calliopé, a professional theatre company primarily focused on producing theatre for young audiences (2005). Following her time at Cégep St-Hyacinthe, her directorial debut was an adaptation of Tu peux toujours danser by Louis-Dominique Lavigne. In 2009-10, Véronique worked alongside Diane Cormier, Director of École du Théâtre Parenthèse in Montreal. While in Paris, she assisted Gérald Garutti, the Artistic Director of C(h)aracteres, on projects in Paris and London (2010-12). Upon her return to Montreal, Véronique worked closely with Michel Lefebvre, Artistic Director of Youtheatre, as Assistant Director (2013). Recently, Véronique was invited to take part in an international conversation on taboo topics in the field of theatre for young audiences as a representative of ASSITEJ Canada at Taboo Workshop 2013 in Uruguay. She is currently working on developing a production for young adults that explores grief as experienced through social networks, entitled Iseult and Evaelle, as well as a new work for the very young, entitled #Digitalkids, which will be workshopped in May 2014 at Toronto’s WeeFestival.

Jean-Yves Dorion, Magician

Jean-Yves Dorion is a born magician. He managed to capture the attention when he enters the stage; he mesmerizes and fascinates children and adults with his tricks, his jokes and expressions. When he looks at you, hard not to laugh… because with a face like his, he does not need a mask, he is the man of a thousand faces. Jean-Yves is juggler, musician, singer… he also does fancy makeup, sculpture and drawing. After more than 15 years experience in festivals animation, conferences and children’s parties, he launches today in#DigitalKids to mystify minds and create the magic of Virtual, in the most effective way!

Thursday, May 15 3pm
Dulse- a digital interactive installation by Helen Yung & Tom Kuo

Tarragon Rehearsal Studios

Dulse is a wall-sized, digital interactive children’s picture book installation designed for pre-verbal and pre-school children and their families. Approaching this wall-sized storybook, the children touch the screen. Each contact creates a new creature which transforms as it journeys across the ‘page.’ Like bedtime stories, which are imaginative experiences shared between child and parent, the storybook is a prop, a tool, a premise or platform for a shared moment, an engaging bonding experience, with the mutual creation of meaning – reinforcing natural curiosity and exercising imagination for young and old.

Join Helen and Tom for a preview of their ideas for this unique installation, scheduled for production this summer.

Dulse was conceived of with the help of Theatre Direct and will be presented in Dubai, UAE this fall as part of the 2014 International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA).

TOM KUO / FOUNDATION CREATIVE STUDIO
Launched in 2003, based in Toronto, Canada, FOUNDATION CREATIVE STUDIO produces projects led by Tom Kuo with selected collaborators. With some 20 years of experience in the art, music and marketing worlds creating digital, physical and multi-platform experiences, Tom consistently moves between scenes, trends and subcultures: From electronic music to audio-visual design, to new media installations, experience design, and more. Folks he’s worked with include: FITC, Pixel Gallery, Digifest, Entrinsic, Capital C, Draft FCB, WSIB, Interaxon, Sick Kids Hospital, Christie Digital, Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab, Greg Hermanovic (Derivative/Side Effects), Julian Bowron (Vector Praxis/Feature Factory), Dr. Stefan Müller (Digital Arts Week), Dr. Stephen Gibson (Northumbria University, UK/Interactive Futures), Alex Kurina (OKAK/Expensive Shit), Markus Heckmann (Derivative/Raster-Noton), David Bouchard (M.I.T./Ryerson University), and Arthur Kroker (C Theory).

HELEN YUNG
Interdisciplinary Canadian artist Helen Yung makes interactions, installations and interventions that combine cultural mediation, dramaturgy, designed environments, secrets, mystery, joy, wonder, participation/relational aesthetics, group work, technology and sound. Past ​and​ upcoming​ ​presenters include: International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), Performance Space and Artshouse (Australia), Harbourfront Centre, Dreamwalker Dance Company, Critical Path Choreographic Research Centre (Australia), Oboro, Festival Accès Asie, Centre d’art Marnay Art Centre (France), Gladstone Hotel, Dasein Dance, and Puppetmongers Theatre.