Vancouver International Children's Festival
Image courtesy of Vancouver International Children’s Festival
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| Country and Region | Canada — British Columbia |
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| Type of Festival | Dance, Drama, Music |
| Location of Festival | Granville Island, British Columbia, Canada |
| Festival Contact Information | Vancouver International Children’s Festival |
| Festival Description | The Vancouver International Children’s Festival (VICF), presented by Coast Capital Savings, is setting the stage for its 35th annual event, taking place May 29 – June 3 on Granville Island, with “Celebrate Our Stories” - a focus on storytelling as this year’s theme. Professional performing artists from Taiwan, Italy, UK, USA and Canada will be performing 15 shows, in eight Granville Island venues, including five indoor and two outdoor Festival venues, and one free outdoor stage. In addition, the festival hosts hands-on arts activities such as face painting, sock puppet workshop, circus skills, the Twist & Toddle play area, claymation workshop, a Soundscape and much more. Highlights of this year’s Festival includes The Puppet & Its Double Theater, a renowned Taiwanese company that is travelling the furthest distance to perform at the Festival; the North American premiere of The Itch of The Golden Nit - the Tate Movie Project created for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad; three evening “Pyjama Night” performances (a first for the Festival!); and a special Strawberry Shortcake Cooking Class with Edible Canada. |
| Festival Dates | May 29 - June 3, 2012 |
| Festival Links | http://www.childrensfestival.ca/ |
Festival Events:
Programming 2012:
- STORYTELLING
- Pete the Cat, by Eric Litwin - The wildly popular star of the #1 New York Times bestseller Pete the Cat, I Love my White Shoes, is brought to life in this lively show that’s created especially for preschoolers. Author Eric Litwin is a guitar strumming, book writing, harmonica blowing, banjo picking, song singing, five-time national award winning, folksy fun type of guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUubMSfIs-U&feature;=player_embedded
- Pete the Cat, by Eric Litwin - The wildly popular star of the #1 New York Times bestseller Pete the Cat, I Love my White Shoes, is brought to life in this lively show that’s created especially for preschoolers. Author Eric Litwin is a guitar strumming, book writing, harmonica blowing, banjo picking, song singing, five-time national award winning, folksy fun type of guy.
- ANIMATION
- The Itch of The Golden Nit – Created for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Tate Modern with Aardman Animation (Wallace & Gromit), this remarkable project involved more than 34,000 UK school children to create the artwork and conceive the storyline for this hilarious 30-minute animated film. North American Premiere, BAFTA winner and Guinness World Record holder!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzyuMbH8Bq0&feature;=player_embedded
- The Itch of The Golden Nit – Created for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Tate Modern with Aardman Animation (Wallace & Gromit), this remarkable project involved more than 34,000 UK school children to create the artwork and conceive the storyline for this hilarious 30-minute animated film. North American Premiere, BAFTA winner and Guinness World Record holder!
- CLOWNING
- Quack Attack! – a one-of-a-kind clown adventure story that takes place in, around, and on the Granville Island duck pond. This hilarious and engaging show features attack ducks, pond sharks and even a heroic rescue. It’s up to the audience to save the day!
- THEATRE & PUPPETRY
- ZooZoo – Masterful performers don amazing masks to become penguins playing musical chairs, a cat trapped in a giant paper bag, hippos with insomnia, anteaters as waiters and more in a madcap revue of Cirque du Soleil-esque acrobatics, illusion, comedy and fun.
http://www.youtube.com/user/imagotheatre - Under the Stars (Å la belle étoile) – With humour and simplicity, actors use puppets to tell the Brothers Grimm story of the famous brother and sister duo, Hansel and Gretel. Performances in English and French.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO2XinZrod0&feature;=player_embedded - The Happy Prince – brought dynamically to life by one of Taiwan’s most renowned puppet theatre companies using delicately beautiful rod marionettes, the skilled puppeteers portray this Oscar Wilde story with reverence and grace. All performances in Mandarin with English narration.
http://www.youtube.com/user/puppetdouble - The Little Elephant (L’elefantino) – This inventive show from Italy tells the story of a young boy who transforms the job of washing his family’s socks into a jungle adventure, using only a clothesline, a few clothespins and a basket of laundry. Performances in English, French and Italian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kacdXkHWmxY&lr;=1
- ZooZoo – Masterful performers don amazing masks to become penguins playing musical chairs, a cat trapped in a giant paper bag, hippos with insomnia, anteaters as waiters and more in a madcap revue of Cirque du Soleil-esque acrobatics, illusion, comedy and fun.
- MUSIC & DANCE
- Élage Diouf – This singer and percussionist is known as one of the finest performers of contemporary African music out there today. Élage spins stories through music in French, English and Wolof and his songs are beautiful, triumphant, and utterly contagious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v;=eStKVVXzcWc - Journey Through Sound – With its lightning-fast moves and breathtaking physicality, the awesomely talented crew from Project Soul hopes to share their love and passion for hip hop and funk styles, and the power that street dance has to connect today’s youth.
- Will Stroet & The Backyard Band – From folk to rock to pop songs about active living, sports, animals and the environment, Will’s guitar-driven music appeals to kids of all ages.
http://www.youtube.com/willstroet - Kutapira – Vancouver’s own marimba and percussion ensemble is a non-stop flurry of drumbeats and infectious rhythms that’s simply dazzling to behold.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-8glttl5dM&feature;=player_embedded - Medicine Bear – Inspired by two traditional First Nations stories about natural medicine, Medicine Bear celebrates Iroquois song, dance, storytelling, imagery and philosophy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzEo2J1GcPw&feature;=player_embedded
- Élage Diouf – This singer and percussionist is known as one of the finest performers of contemporary African music out there today. Élage spins stories through music in French, English and Wolof and his songs are beautiful, triumphant, and utterly contagious.
- VICF COMMISSIONED WORKS
- Each year the VICF commissions productions and interactive arts activities from local artists and groups, to have their world premiere at the Festival. This year’s commissions are:
- Kutz & Dawgs, from MISCELLANEOUS Productions – Using the storylines of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story as inspiration, socially diverse youth cast members created this original hip hop and world musical that’s anti-gang/anti-violence.
- Little Red and The Sea Wolf, from Ferry Tale Theatre – Climb aboard the Aquabus for a brand new adventure. In this charming adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood, big-hearted Little Red sets out on a journey to her ailing grandmother’s seaside home. Be ready to join your shipmates to protect the ship and help Little Red escape from the big, bad Sea Wolf!
- Paper-House Storeys, by artist and Emily Carr University of Art & Design sessional faculty member Vjeko Sager – As part of the VICF’s Imagination Zone, Sager will be inviting children of all ages to make, assemble and decorate scale-model paper houses to add to a VICF paper village.
- SPECIAL EVENTS
- Élage Diouf – Friday, June 1 – 8:30pm – Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Street, Vancouver. Juno-award winner Élage Diouf will rock the house in a special evening of world music. Licensed, no minors. Tickets $20 + HST & s/c.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eStKVVXzcWc&feature;=player_embedded - Variety Show - The Festival’s annual showcase on Saturday, June 2 at 6:30pm is always a highly anticipated event. Heidi Lynne Weekes (Little Red & the Sea Wolf) will host performances from some of the Festival’s top acts including Élage Diouf, Project Soul, Kutapira, Kutz & Dawgs and ZooZoo. Tickets $22 + HST & s/c.
- Élage Diouf – Friday, June 1 – 8:30pm – Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Street, Vancouver. Juno-award winner Élage Diouf will rock the house in a special evening of world music. Licensed, no minors. Tickets $20 + HST & s/c.
Other Sources:
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Podcast interviews:
- If you like this festival — listen to…
- Katharine Carol, director Vancouver International Children’s Festival
http://kadmusarts.com/podcasts/?p=1756
- Katharine Carol, director Vancouver International Children’s Festival
Practical Info:
Tickets 2012:
- FESTIVAL PRICING
- Come for a show but stay for the whole day! Your show ticket includes access to all three Activity Zones, which feature 15 interactive and creative arts activities including face painting, sock puppet making, bicycle spin-art, circus skills, theatre games and more!
- Individual performance tickets range from $9 to $18 and include access to all on-site activities.
- Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at http://www.childrensfestival.ca/, by phone at 1 877-840-0457, in advance at Tickets Tonight, Plaza Level, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver or during the Festival at our on-site box office located between Festival House and the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island.
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