A Wee Lot of Good for Parents, Artists, Educators and Caregivers

by Lauren Brotman

It’s just around the corner! Get ready for WEE!

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Lynda Hill about Theatre Direct’s extraordinary WeeFestival which begins this month, and to hear about the insanely inspiring INTERNATIONAL activities and events that celebrates quality theatre for children under the age of 6 and their families in a completely stress-free way.

As an artist and new mother myself, I am always looking for ways to stimulate my child’s imagination and curiosity and to provide him with a rich understanding of art and the world in which we live. Theatre Direct has always provided young people with sophisticated, engaging, stimulating programming and the WeeFestival is no exception. It is truly a feast for babes, parents, care givers, artists and educators. It is rich in content and volume, with an amazing international line-up of performances, conferences, activities and events for all. And with the explosion of offerings, I encourage you to start planning your schedule now.

Yesterday I had a sneak peak at one of the shows that will be featured during the festival, Old Man and the River, a new puppetry work created by Lynda Hill and Thomas Morgan Jones with puppetry by the astonishing Mike Petersen and Eric Woolfe with Kira Hall and Seanna Kennedy. Of course I’ve seen puppetry but have never had the opportunity to watch the process of creation. The show is absolutely magical with gorgeous, detailed, inspired storytelling and craftsmanship, full of nuance and play. Watching the level of focus and connection required to negotiate this form of storytelling was inspiring to watch. I was left feeling refreshed and very moved by the experience. It was fully sophisticated and utterly engaging.

Theatre Direct has never underestimated and always understood the importance of providing high quality art to young people…and that even our tiny, wee babes deserve and need to be exposed to stimulating, joyful, engaging activities. It doesn’t matter whether your child is 4 months old, 6 years old or whether you are a parent, caregiver, artist or educator. There is a massive volume of rich sensory experiences, events, shows, lectures, and activities that celebrates this very important audience- what a wonderful, inspiring opportunity for us all.

Due to the sheer volume of activities, I have separated the programming in the following ways:

SCHEDULE of SHOWS

CONFERENCES

FAMILY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

For more information, description of shows, how to buy tickets and a GENERAL look into the WEEFESTIVAL.

I so look forward to connecting with you all, your babes and all the fantastic artists and guests from around the world.

WEEFESTIVAL Theatre and Culture for Early Years RUNS May 12th – 19th, 2014 at:
Wychwood Barns, Alliance Française de Toronto, Tarragon Extra Space and the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse at U of T.