Brings sprawling one-of-a-kind installation maze; New York Times Bestselling Author; world-renowned dance and theatre companies to LeBreton Flats, May 10 –15!
Ottawa (Monday, May 2, 2016) – This year’s Ottawa Children’s Festival returns to LeBreton Flats Park and the Canadian War Museum with a diverse lineup of live performances for young people, including the stunning theatrical installation dotMaze: Get Lost! and live songs and stories by “Mr. Eric” Litwin, author of the first four New York Times Bestselling Pete the Cat books. Taking place May 10 – 15, the 31st annual Children’s Festival is the only event of its kind within a 500km radius, and offers parents a rare opportunity to share the power and wonder of live performing arts with their little ones.
The dotMaze, presented by the UK’s street theatre specialists dotComedy, is an outdoor 3000ft2 hedge maze with 6.5? walls and a cast of twenty characters, including walking shrubbery, a time-lapsed 1950s family and even a minotaur! Participants can choose their own paths through the maze, encountering different scenes and characters; your actions determine the story you experience, making each 20 to 40 minute trip through the maze unique. (All ages)
This year’s performances span from Canada to Denmark to Australia. American singer-songwriter and author Eric Litwin will be playing a dozen sets, including readings and songs from his wildly popular series’ The Nuts, Groovy Joe and the original Pete the Cat quartet. Litwin’s catchy, cool tunes like “I Love My White Shoes” have become children’s music standards, and his readings sweep kids into worlds of adventure and fun. (All ages)
The Last Great Hunt, an Australian company, brings the acclaimed aquatic spectacle The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer to the War Museum. Incorporating film, puppetry and innovative stagecraft, Alvin is the story of a last ditch mission to save humanity by discovering a secret hidden in the depths of the ocean. With a mixture of wonder and whimsy reminiscent of Pixar’s WALL-e, the show thrills kids while inspiring reverence for the natural world. (8+)
Other highlights include,
- Fellow Aussies Raw Company with Raw Metal, a magnetic show; part tap dance, part street rhythm, children will delight in Raw’s deft physical comedy, while parents won’t be able to help grooving along with the medley of classic funk and soul numbers that fuel their movements. (All ages)
- Canadian Will Stroet & the Backyard Band, star of CBC’s popular Will’s Jams, a bilingual songwriter whose irresistible melodies teach kids the bare necessities of eating well, being kind and having fun. (All ages)
- The Box Brothers from the Netherlands’ Oorkaan, an infectiously funny non-verbal fairy tale told through rhythmic drumming and dance. (All ages)
- and Denmark’s Teater Refleksion’s Songs from Above, a gentle play for very young children. Taking place in an intimate, tent-like stage studded with stars, storyteller Lisa Gertum Becker opens them one by one, guiding the audience through each tiny, musical story within. (2+)
Tickets to each performance are $13, less than the price of many movie tickets, while entrance to dotMaze is only $7; they can be combined for $18. All ticketholders are also welcome to enjoy a variety of free on-site activities, including art-making, playing musical instruments, physical recreation and a roving Mad Hatter Tea Party from Orbital Talent.
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Click here to download artist photos.
For more information and tickets please visit ottawachildrensfestival.ca or contact:
Suzan Zilahi
Director of Marketing & Partnerships
W: (613) 241-2633, x. 102; email: suzan@ottawajazzfestival.com
