Ramping up

River Clyde Pageant kicks off with toy theatre show, free workshops and more

Artists and musicians from across Canada and the U.S. will be leading a series of workshops to prepare for the River Clyde Pageant this summer.

The series of workshops and performances will be offered throughout June and July prior to the pageant performances on July 28 and 29 and Aug. 3-5.

A three-show run of The Events of the Warren County Fair as Observed by a Young Astronaut, a toy-theatre performance for adults and teens, will be held in New Glasgow and Charlottetown later this month.

The show was created and performed by Cleveland theatre artists Michael Geither and Amy Schwabauer.

Performances will be held at The Mill on Saturday, June 23, 7 p.m., and at The Vessel in Charlottetown on Sunday, June 24, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online and at the door.

Toronto-based theatre artist Joanna Caplan will also lead an outdoor workshop called Dancing with the River in New Glasgow on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons from June 28 to July 22.

Participants will work outdoors to create movement patterns and choreography. Organizers said no previous experience is necessary, and all are welcome to the workshop.

Obie Award-winning theatre artist Kathy Randels, originally from New Orleans, will lead a week-long workshop called The Singing River for vocalists and musicians, July 2-8.

The workshop, which will also involve composer and multi-instrumentalist Sean LaRocca, will explore songwriting and musical improvisation inspired by the natural environment while gathering a group of musicians and singers to be part of the pageant ensemble.

Puppet builder Ian McFarlane will lead a workshop to create some of the fantastical, gigantic

puppets in the pageant.

McFarlane has worked extensively with the Bread and Puppet Theatre in Vermont and is the coartistic director of Calgary’s Mudfoot Theatre.

The puppet workshops will take

place on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in New Glasgow.

Three fundraiser lunches in support of the pageant will also be held at The Mill in New Glasgow with the remaining ones on

June 16 and 17 from noon to 3 p.m.

The three-course meal will see all proceeds go towards the pageant. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling The Mill at 902-964-3313.

SUBMITTED PHOTO The 2017 Clyde River Pageant, held in New Glasgow, P.E.I., utilized community theatre to touch on environmental issues that are important to the Island and to waterways in general. Organized by Megan Stewart and Ker Wells, the pageant was made possible...