With all those things kids know and love like bubbles, balloons, spray bottles and a kite, this performance fills us with wonder from beginning to end. Rhyming couplets frame the action of two young people as they dance their way through their day. The talent of these dancers is of the highest caliber, and together […]
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Ssst! Simple Secrets of Theatre
It was our third show of the day, and I was pushing it with my two little boys (2.5 and 5). They said they wanted to go to a “movie screen show” and when we were finally let in, they were restless in their seats… But then the piece began and voilà, their minds took […]
I’m so glad we KNOCKed at this door!!!
I was so grateful how relaxed the vibe was when we arrived. The actors were there, chatting with the young audience, and they felt welcome from the start. Trickery, teasing and taunting from the top through physical play aroused excitement from the young crowd who found joy in these silly but familiar games. And when […]
Mémoires de Mokofina
Les pots, du sable, le son. Un langage fabriqué que les enfants semblent comprenait. Un seul acteur sur la scène à livrer des surprises qui sont venues avec le rythme de cette pièce qui a continué de capturer l’attention de l’audience dans chaque moment. Tout sur la scène avait un ton, soit des instruments simples […]
Les Choses Berçantes sont magiques pour les petits!
“Qu’est-ce que c’est ça?“, la question que mon fils a répétée avec curiosité pendant la duration du spectacle. En entrant, il y avait une grande boule blanche en devant d’une petite maison, enfermer avec de la laine rouge. On a commencé avec une actrice qui est entrée dedans les petits spectateurs et puis nous avons révélé qu’il y avait […]
On Tweet Tweet and Circles
We bring kids together in schools, in daycares, in libraries to connect on a carpet. To take a moment to sit as equals around something that holds value. The value inherent in TWEET TWEET! (Femme du Feu, Toronto) is subtle at first, and then grows. My first thoughts upon walking into the theatre are, […]
A New Friend for Baby Norah
A plastic cereal bowl. Keys. Wooden spoons from the kitchen. A tiny shaker. The list above may seem eclectic, but I assure you it is anything but. Everything from this list, when handed to my eight-month-old baby, will buy me about three minutes to get something done. Consequently, you will find random wooden spoons […]
Sowing seeds of reconciliation in the Biinoojiinyag Gitgaanmiwaa
I’ll start this piece by acknowledging that I am a second generation Canadian of European decent, living on Turtle Island. I give thanks to the nations, both recorded and unrecorded, that were on this land before my ancestors, and I respect and honour their legacies. Today I wrote myself a letter. It will be […]
“The two loves of my life: my career and my kids.”
Today I was honoured to be part of a Parenting in Theatre Forum, hosted by Lisa Marie DiLiberto (Fixt Point Theatre) and the WeeFestival. The circle was comprised of theatre makers, performers, administrators, presenters and funders. Despite the inclusive language in the title, the circle was filled only with women – except for one […]
Teaching our kids the joy of waiting
Waiting is something my three-year-old does not want to do. This fact is expressed to me very bluntly on a daily basis, in his most logical voice, as if expressing a profound and surprising insight into his psyche: “Mommy – I don’t like to wait.” I hide a smile and always reply, “Oh?” Theatre […]
A Child’s Right to Arts and Culture
A lot can happen in two years. Your world can expand from one child to two, ushering you into the role of “Parent” in a more complete way than you ever thought possible. Say goodbye to tossing your one, pre-verbal baby into a carrier and hitting the town. Say hello to dueling nap schedules […]
Micro-Universes and Tabletop Tales: Canadian Theatre for Early Years
Over the last seven days I have learned about how to create a safe space for parents and children; I’ve learned how to trust my child to roam; I’ve learned that sometimes in Theatre for Early Years, kids vomit into cellos. On a personal level, I’ve learned that my son will sit through any piece […]