An opera singer (William Vickers) and his daughter (Amy Lee) have different ideas of what music really is in Here to Hear.

Watch the new Carousel Players Here to Hear video clip with scenes from the play and interviews with the director. A few dates in March are still available for schools to book.

Children in Grades K to 3 from over 50 schools are seeing the full-length play at their schools from January to March 2012. See some pictures from the road and a record of the schools on our blog.

Jen Balen in Peg and the Yeti (2010-2011)

Reviewer James Wegg awarded the Carousel Players production of Peg and the Yeti by Monica Dufault with a “Best of 2011 Award”. He says it’s one of the best works he’s seen, heard and written about over the past twelve months. About 6700 children saw one of 55 performances of Peg and the Yeti (adapted from the popular children’s book by Kenneth Oppel) as it toured to schools and theatres from March to May 2011. Visit www.jamesweggreview.org for his review of Peg and the Yeti.

An opera singer (William Vickers) and his daughter (Amy Lee) have different ideas of what music really is.

The reviews for Here to Hear from the media, schools and family audiences are in!

Send us your comments and see more photos on our Facebook page.

“It’s hard to imagine anyone but William Vickers playing Len. His performance is a comedic tour de force that ought to find its way into the Canadian Theatre Hall of Fame (if only such a thing existed).”

“Here to Here was a fantastic, exciting and interactive show that held everyone’s interest, young and old.”

“Thank you for that wonderful play that you put on. It was great. I liked it even more than spectacular. My favourite part was when the little globe got bigger and bigger until it was huge. My favourite person was the girl’s dad because he was super funny. Can I please see another play another time? All of the plays that you have made have been very fantastic.” 6-year old Student

“I know that I join everyone in Niagara in our admiration for all of those involved with Carousel Players for the long hours of preparation, commitment, effort and energy involved to produce such a superlative theatrical performance that can be shared with the entire community.”

Pablo Felices Luna and Debra McLauchlan with Nancy Gill (middle)

Carousel Players is pleased to announce that Nancy Gill, a Grade 8 and visual arts teacher for Grades 2 to 8 at Power Glen School, is the 2012 winner of the Norah Morgan Memorial Award.

Established by Carousel Players, the award celebrates the contributions and achievements of elementary school teachers who have made a strong contribution to the arts in Niagararegion schools. On January 10th at the District School Board of Niagara meeting, the Norah Morgan Award presentation will be made to Ms. Gill by Debra McLauchlan, Chair of the Carousel Players Board of Directors. One of the benefits of the award is that Ms. Gill’s school will receive a free performance on Tuesday April 17, 2012 at 2pm by Carousel Players of the play Spelling 2-5-5 for Grades 4 to 8 students. The play promotes a greater understanding of children diagnosed with autism and the issues they face at home and school

This is the seventh annual presentation of the award in memory of drama education pioneer Norah Morgan pictured here. Previous winners of the award include teachers Laurie Crain-Anez (2011), Sharon Hellinga (2010), Anneliese Burke (2009), Jerome Black (2008), Barb Hennessy (2007) and Tim Mallory (2006). The Norah Morgan Memorial Award alternates from year to year between the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board.

School principal Candi Sitko who nominated Gill said, “Nancy is an outstanding teacher, an artist herself who is very passionate about the instruction of the visual arts. On any given day, at any given time, art is happening in Nancy’s classroom, whether it be using a mirror to draw a self-portrait in Grade 7, creating a dragon in Grade 4, or learning about the importance of lines in Grade 2. Once a year, Nancy organizes an “Art Gallery Opening” for her intermediate students that includes a detailed written passage about the process, the thinking and the reasoning behind each student’s artwork. She cares about her students being the best they can be in all areas of their lives. Visual arts is the vehicle she uses to accomplish this.” Nancy Gill also works with groups of Niagara teachers in Visual Arts Learning Groups to share her ideas and arts resources to integrate the Visual Arts in their classroom activities. For over six years, Ms. Gill has been a member of the Elementary Arts Council and Elementary Arts Showcase committee and helped to develop curriculum and visual arts resources for teachers.

“I chose to become a teacher in my thirties and I went to Brock University and graduated with 2 degrees in 5 years,” said Nancy Gill. “At Brock I received great encouragement from two mentors in particular – Derek Knight and Warren Hartman. All of my fifteen years of teaching have been at Power Glen School in St. Catharines– fourteen years teaching Grade 6 and teaching Grade 8 for the first time this year. I really enjoy incorporating all of the arts into my every day classroom, teaching my students new ways of looking at art and helping them to work to their potential. I am honoured to be nominated by my school and to receive this award.”

Norah Morgan was one of the most influential international ambassadors of drama education for both students and teachers for over fifty years. In 1972, Norah Morgan worked with Des Davis in developing a vision for Carousel Players that continues to inspire students and teachers locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. The Norah Morgan Memorial Award honours her leadership and influence in enriching the lives of young people through the arts.

 Launching Carousel Players 40^th anniversary school touring season is Here to Hear by Linda A. Carson and Cathy Nosaty, an interactive music-making play for children aged 4 and up that was commissioned three years ago by Pablo Felices Luna, Carousel’s Artistic Director. The world premiere of Here to Hear takes place at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre on Saturday, January 21, 2012 with performances for families at 11am and 2pm shows at 101 King Street, beside Market Square in downtown St. Catharines. Tickets are $12 each and available at 905-682-8326 X26.

 Here to Hear is the story of a famous singer and his daughter Amanda who can’t agree on what music really is. While setting up for Singer’s concert, Amanda, his backstage technician, gets sidetracked collecting sounds from the audience and making music with them. Just when it looks like there won’t be a concert at all, a surprise visitor turns things upside down. Together with the audience, Amanda and her father make the song that will help their visitor find the way home. Here to Hear offers young children a participatory theatre experience where the central characters collect sounds from the audience, involve children in the audience in problem-solving, music-making and play with sound and technology as part of the story. 

Forty-three schools have already booked a performance of the show at their schools from January to March 2012 and the play travels to the Grand Theatre in London (March 1 to 3,  2012) and Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton (February 24, 2012). Students in Grades JK to 3 can also come to the Courthouse on Monday, January 23^rd to see Here to Hear. An estimated 8000 children will see the show thanks to the generous support of Ontario Power Generation, the tour’s sponsor.

The play’s co-creator Linda Carson says, “people often ask me what inspires me to write for the theatre. The idea for the play Here to Hear began when I was having tea with Cathy Nosaty and her three year old son, Luka, came bouncing into the room and said, ‘Let’s make some music!’ He proceeded to play with the simplest of household items and made their sounds into music. We all had a great time playing together, even though I don’t play any instruments myself. When I was driving home I remembered a show I had been part of some ten years ago with Carousel Players called, Patty’s Cake. It was created by the Oily Cart Theatre Company of London, England to help inner city children discover that baking does not only come from the shelves of the super markets, but is something that one can make. I eventually turned the car around, drove back to Cathy’s house, and asked her to write this show with me. I am so very proud of this project and grateful to be able to work with this incredible team.”

 The cast for Here to Hear features actors Amy Lee and William Vickers; stage manager Sarah Miller and apprentice stage manager Melissa Gallant. The creative team for Here to Hear includes directorPablo Felices Luna, set & costume designer Michael Greves, composer and sound designer Cathy Nosaty, sound design intern Chris Penney and lighting & projections designer Gavin Fearon.

Jen Balen in Peg and the Yeti (2010-2011)

Introducing two new instructors at Carousel’s summer theatre camps at the Courthouse in Summer 2012 – Jennifer Balen (she played Peg in Peg and the Yeti last season) and Richard Lee (Toronto actor, sound designer and fight director). Jennifer Balen teaches an acting camp for ages 9 to 12 from July 23 to 27, 2012 and Richard Lee teaches young actors the art of stage combat and fight choreography to youth aged 9 to 12 from July 30 to August 3, 2012. Classes held Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Registration $175 for the week.