Theatre Festival Celebrates New Work for Canadian Theatre

Online, January 30, 2013 (Newswire.com) - A rolicking musical about Goats? A Dragon who lives in a tree? A Golden Statue that talks? And an electric bass playing dancer? All these things and more can be discovered in the innagural Family Theatre Festival hosted by Kaleidoscope Theatre. Escape to a world of imagination, fantasy, and creativity with performances over the new Family Day Weekend at the Berwick Theatre February 8-11, 2013.

Victoria's beloved theatre company for young audiences has been refreshed, revamped, and refocused under the artistic direction of Roderick Glanville. With this comes a new vision of creating and supporting local theatre for young audiences while adding fourfold to the national repertoire of Canadian Theatre for Young Audiences made in Victoria.

This exciting new project for the 38 year old company features a daily cycle of four shows over the new BC Family Day weekend, Feb 8-11, 2013 at the Berwick Theatre. Each show has been specially commissioned by Kaleidoscope, uniting four of Victoria's most dynamic theatre companies: Suddenly Dance Theatre; Puente Theatre, Urban Arts, & Kaleidoscope. This inaugural festival features a line-up of artists set to deliver an unprecedented mix of family entertainment appropriate for all ages.

For the price of a movie, families can experience live theatre with the low $10 ticket price. Tickets can be purchased through the Royal McPherson Box Office #3 Centennial Square 250.386.6121. A limited amount of 4-Show passes are available through the Kaleidoscope office for only $30.00

Kaleidoscope's festival takes place at The Berwick Theatre in Royal Oak, part of the Berwick Royal Oak Assisted Living Community. Directions to the Berwick Theatre

The Family Theatre Festival is the second presentation in Kaleidoscope Theatre's 38th season, following December's PAN. This season continues with the premiere of Glanville's War of the Eagles, in May 2013 at Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites of Canada and the Gala production of Singin' in the Rain directed by Pat Rundell in April 2013 at the McPherson Playhouse.

The inaugural program feature four world premiere plays:

Puente Theatre's GRUFF is a rolicking musical by acclaimed children's author Judd Palmer and Puente Theatre's Mercedes Bátiz-Benet. The Troll had been under the village bridge for as long as anyone could remember. He filled the Great Gorge with his bloated and oily body, stuck there like an enormous wad of chewing gum, his mouth gaping fanged and gulchy, and no goat could clip-clop across the ancient stones spanning the monster's maw, for the Troll ate all who passed, and the village was forever divided between the side of grass, and the side of stones. But there was one young goat named Gruff who dreamed of crossing.

Suddenly Dance Theatre's KIKI is an original dance-play by David Ferguson, starring Jung ah Chung with songs by Miles Lowry. Adults mistake her for a punk and for being lazy. They don't understand: Kiki just loves to hang-out in her favourite chair where all her ideas are born. Most of all, she dreams of having a big sister to sing with and to dance circles around. When Kiki feels lonely, she plays electric bass - and her best friend in the whole world shows up.

Urban Arts' WILDE is an imaginative new play by Alyshia Grace Hobday and Pat Rundell that delves into the short stories of Oscar Wilde. A modest millionaire, a devoted friend, and a Happy Prince; all characters brought to life in Urban Arts' latest play that explores three of Oscar Wilde's most heart warming short stories. Blending traditional story telling with a modern flair, Urban Arts' WILDE uses puppetry, mask, and good ol' fashioned fun to introduce young audiences to the themes of friendship, giving, and philanthropy.

Kaleidoscope Theatre's THE DRAGON'S HANDBOOK by Roderick Glanville combines puppetry and imagination for a magical theatre experience. "Finder's, keepers," Brian says to the dragon."I won't return your handbook until you teach me a trick from it", "Oh, all right," sighs the dragon. "Pick a trick." The dragon has a trick for everything - but Brian soon discovers that a dragon's tricks can lead to dragon-sized trouble.

Since 1974, Kaleidoscope Theatre has been the driving force behind Vancouver Islandʼs most beloved theatre experiences for young people and their families, reaching an audience of over 8,000 young people each year. Kaleidoscope Theatre is sponsored in part through generous support from season sponsor Thrifty Foods and acknowledges the support of: The CRD Arts Development Committee, BC Gaming Policy and Enforcement, The Government of British Columbia, The Vancouver Foundation, BC Arts Council; Island Parent Magazine, Metropol Industries, Robert W. Cameron Law, Angel Accessibility Solutions, & Victoria Arts Marketing.