Puppeteers representing Canada at home and abroad
Kevin Barnes, a managerial assistant and summer student at Mermaid, says the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia is well-respected internationally not only as a production company, but also as an ambassador for Canada.
“It’s really one of the only places in all of Canada that does the kind of things it does,” Barnes said.
“There aren’t a lot of people out there adapting popular children’s book and using puppets to tell the stories.”
Mermaid’s road crew just finished performing “Goodnight Moon & the Runaway Bunny” in Hong Kong and Macau. In the fall, the team will tour Ireland and North America, performing “The Very Hungry Caterpillar & other Eric Carle Favourites.”
“It really adds an international flavour to a small town like Windsor,” Barnes said.
Mermaid will host a showing of Leo Lionni’s “Swimmy, Frederick and Inch by Inch” at the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre Oct. 2, at 2 p.m.
Mermaid’s Culture Days’ events
At 10 p.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., knowledgeable Mermaid staff will guide visitors through their “magical kingdom,” introducing them to the well-travelled puppets used as characters in plays of the past and present. At the same times, guests can visit the theatre to watch a sneak preview of the internationally-performed “Swimmy, Frederick and Inch by Inch.”
Instructors from Mermaid’s Institute of Puppetry Arts will be hanging out in the Loft of the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre to show kids how to make their own Thanksgiving-themed puppets. Smith encourages interested families to register for this event online as space is limited to 25 children per session. Sessions will run from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia will be accepting freewill donations to Camp Brigadoon - a year-round recreation facility for children living with chronic illness - at all Culture Days’ events.
To learn more about upcoming and ongoing performances, Culture Days’ and booking tickets visit www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca.
