NEWS RELEASE
WORLD IN A WEEKEND
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Between Aug. 1-4, Stratford will come alive with stilt-walking creatures, free outdoor barge concerts on the banks of the Avon River, and unforgettable performances by world-class puppet artists and musicians during the third annual World in a Weekend Festival: International Puppet & Music Festival, presented by SpringWorks~PuppetWorks! and Stratford Summer Music.
The festival features breathtaking puppeteers and musicians from Spain, Boston, Mexico (via Minneapolis), and all across Canada. Come explore World in a Weekend with endless free and affordable activities for all ages, including hands-on play zones, fantastical photo ops, and curious creation stations. Experience the entirety of the festival with PuppetWorks! hosting a wide array of free and ticketed world-renowned puppetry shows for audiences from young families to adventurous and thoughtful theatre enthusiasts.
Live music is also a core feature of the festival, with an eclectic program of free and ticketed events ranging from singalong children’s music to Mariachi music and a showcase of top-flight Canadian jazz artists.
The festival kicks off in the morning, Thursday, Aug. 1 with Sand Drawing Projections and Shadow Puppetry workshop with Paradox Theatre; migrating to an extraordinary night of music with Viva Mexico Mariachi, a unique multicultural phenomenon of professional, talented and enthusiastic musicians from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
The concert will be immediately followed by a Latin Dance Party, where folks of all experience levels are invited to learn basic Salsa and Latin moves, led by dance professional Mateo Torres and Stratford Dance Co. then enjoy drinks and freestyle dance until late into the evening. Opening on Friday is a highlight double bill of two fantastic puppet shows: Migraciones/Migrations, following the journey of migrating refugees, and Song/Book, unfolds musical tales through Hebrew, Yiddish and American folk songs exploring the complexities and richness of family.
Both PuppetWorks! shows are perfect for audiences looking to expand their love for puppetry and raw storytelling. Finish Friday night with Friday Night Live At Revival: SSM Jazz All-Stars, with four of Canada’s best jazz musicians. The joyous celebration of puppetry and music will continue on Saturday and Sunday in various venues along Veterans Drive and close by.
On Saturday and Sunday, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., children can explore an annual fan-favourite, the Garden for Little Souls, and other interactive play activities. On both days, visitors can enjoy free appearances of Les Kakous, 12-foot-tall stilt-walking creatures, strolling Downtown Stratford, Market Square, and Veterans Park. World in a Weekend also invites you to enjoy many free shows, including MusicBarge featuring Jazz Academy Students, and Irish Traditional music by Emily Jean Flack.
On Saturday and Sunday, visitors can join two interactive family concerts: Mr. Mark, and Pete & Anna: Music for Kids. Along with the amazing music line-up, there is a delightful free puppet show joining us from Spain: PIPA, a story about a boy who wants to play, have fun, fall in love, and live life.
Kids ticketed puppet shows:
- Cuckoo - Poor little Cuckoo bird, between his hourly cuckoo duties, singing lessons and chores, there’s no time left for fun and play. Until one day…
- Don’t Make Me Get Dressed - A gloriously silly and inventive ode to the feelings we have when we choose our clothes… and to what happens when our clothes come to life and choose us. Mature and thoughtful ticketed puppet shows (for adults - suitable for ages10+):
- Migraciones/Migrations - a unique performance that combines life-sized puppets, sand drawings, shadow puppetry projections, live music, and poetry in English and Spanish.
- Song/Book - Hear the tapestry of live vocals, piano, and recorded voices layered into a choir, as you witness delicate handmade paper-puppets, pop-up books and crankie scrolls animated on stage and projected, creating an experience that is both intimate and immersive.
Stratford Summer Music ticketed concerts:
- Viva Mexico Mariachi - Proudly the most successful and prestigious mariachi band in Toronto, appreciating and bringing Mexican traditional music to the world.
- Friday Night Live at Revival House - After a week of inspiring our young at the Jazz Academy, four top-flight musicians from sea to sea combine their talents for an unforgettable evening of jazz.
- Gregory Oh: Lessons in Failure - Embraces the taboos of classical music with delight and vulnerability. Part recital, part tell-all.
- Tio Chirinho - Exciting, energetic, soulful, intimate, nostalgic and virtuosic, choro is an infectious popular style whose universal appeal belies its musical complexity.
- Audiences will have the one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn more about all the different creative art forms used in each of the PuppetWorks! shows from the visiting master puppeteers over the entire weekend - and get a chance to try it themselves.
Join us for workshops: Sand Drawing Projections and Shadow Puppetry with Paradox Theatre; Make Your Own Song/Book with Alexandra Gorlin-Crenshaw for the artist, musician, and storyteller in all of us (No previous art experience is required), and Making Puppets Work for Children & their Grown-Ups, with Théâtre des Petites Âmes.
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