Contact Nicholas: (647) 289-7083  +  Longstaff.n@gmail.com

ShadowD
HarbourKIDS Festival Weekend
ENWAVE THEATRE - HARBOURFRONT - TORONTO
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Saturday to Monday:
May 16, 17 + 18
11:00 to 5:00
(Facilitations at 12:00, 2:00 and 4:00)FREE ADMISSION
to this and all the other events
(including the CIRCUS!) all weekend
for the whole family!

ShadowD dazzled Nuit Blanche 2008 in its prototype form.  Now it’s remixed, reprogrammed and realized BIG at the HarbourKIDS Festival FREE in the ENWAVE THEATRE - HARBOURFRONT CENTRE- TORONTO
Saturday to Monday: May 16, 17 + 18, from 11:00am to 5:00pm

It’s PLAYFUL:
ShadowD plays with time, space and colour; a little like a game and a little like a show …in which kids AND grownups are in lights!

Looks BEAUTIFUL:
Watching these larger-than-life shadows dance before you, it is hard not to smile.  The colours reflect back onto the faces of the participants and the onlookers; the whole room is alive with light and dark shapes.

Feels ACTIVE:
People of all abilities can trigger entertaining responses from ShadowD.  It is impossible simply to stand and watch – in fact, if you leave your shadow ‘still’ for too long, it gets bored and simply fades away …until you shake around to bring it back to life.

Sounds SUPERNATURAL:
You’ve never heard a shadow speak before?  Well ShadowD sings, giggles, gulps and responds to the shapes you make on its giant screen, all with the voice talents of renowned sound poets a.rawlings, Lillian Allen and Rob Read.

Ever ELLUSIVE:
ShadowD grew out of extensive research into the ancient folkloric character of the Trickster.  There are rules governing its behaviour, but they seem to change the longer you play with it, making the whole experience get richer as you spend more time getting ShadowD.

SHADOWS have danced through my artworks and plays for years.  From my early workings-out of how silhouettes could be painted to express character, to my experiments with shadow theatre, to the darker issues on which I like to shed light through my music and storytelling, shadows have become just as important to me as the sun.

HarbourKIDS: MAY 2009

MORE ABOUT ShadowD

ShadowD puts YOU in the spotlight, and plays in ways a normal shadow could never imagine.  This delightfully devious digital shadow can do everything that you can – and MORE!

Whether young or old, short or tall, professional dancer, novice or wheelchair rider, you will love the way ShadowD make you move… for every move you make in this magical light-and-shade environment gets mimicked by your digital shadow-twin.  Soon though, your twin decides to take the lead and you discover that you can grow and shrink, twist and melt, change colour and even disappear!

You’ve never heard a shadow speak before?  Well ShadowD can, by borrowing the voice talents of renowned sound poets a.rawlings, Lillian Allen and Rob Read it sings, giggles, gulps and responds to the shapes you make on its giant screen.  You’ll be laughing along too, as kids convince parents to wiggle and shake, and to play out little scenes in light and dark for friends to watch and enjoy.

Play solo, in pairs, groups or gangs; this one-of-a-kind installation will change the way you move, expand the way you think about the dark, and light up your imagination for years to come!

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BIO:     N I C H O L A S   L O N G S T A F F

Nicholas Longstaff creates music, theatre, video and art installations that grow from collaboration and play.  His work as a director, performer, and film composer brought him awards including both the Bravest and Most Daring productions, and Best Original Music. His Kastner Award-winning work “I’s and You’s” mixed video with live performance, and he is thrilled to bring the Harbourfront Centre ShadowD: a new digital video installation in which you – the participant – are the live performer.

Nicholas brings a wealth of his work experience with young people to HarbourKIDS; he ran the ArtsCore Theatre School in London, Ontario, coordinated entertainment for the Storybook Gardens, taught for Learning Through The Arts, and has developed collaboratively more than 15 popular plays for family audiences.

Installations, radio artworks, music and plays by Nicholas travel far – from communities like Petawawa, Ontario, to Chicago, USA …but the last time he exhibited in Toronto he was just across the Harbour on Toronto Island for New Adventures in Sound Art’s festival: Deep Wireless. Now he facilitates, educates and produces across all media.  He is an Associate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, an alumnus of the Canadian Film Centre Media Lab.

I haven’t yet fully recovered from the show - nearly 200 people per hour from 7:30PM to 12:30AM, then it slowed to 150/hour till 3:00AM and leveled out near 100/hour until 5:00AM!

Pictures are starting to roll in - here are the first few:

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DOCUMENTATION OF FIRST PROTOTYPE:

shhaahohh_3m30s-low

demonstration of a first prototype for an interactive, responsive and delightful shadow projection artwork called “shh aah ohh” by rea mcnamara and nicholas a. longstaff. it was developed at the canadian film centre through the telus interactive art and entertainment program and features the tremendous voice talents of sound poets a.rawlings, lillian allen and rob read - who, each in her or his own way, gave voice to the Trickster, who lies at the bottom of it all.

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Created in summer 2006, and built on the shoulders of The Theatre School ( a 28 year old arts education institution in London Ontario) ArtsCore’s Mission was to instill the practice of creative investment, exploration and expression in students, community leaders and audience members to create a better world.

ArtsCore used the arts to alter and enhance societal views and practices for the betterment of humanity and its harmony with the natural world.

Our method was to inspire participants in our programs to position themselves at the centre of their own learning process. That meant project and course objectives almost always developed the participant’s ability to self-motivate,

Certainly we taught core skills in the various realms of theatre, music, movement, visual and radio arts, and self-representation. At ArtsCore, these skills were not just tools of the artistic trades, but became vehicles for each participant’s personal creative, emotive and expressive journey.

ArtsCore brings Arts Education to the FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL 2007 by coordinating the workshop series with internationally recognized theatre and music professionals.

CLICK the image below for the timetable and registration information.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL FOR FRINGING…
Come and be part of the fun at the TENTED outdoor Covent Garden Market venue! ArtsCore is contributing site coordination, theatre events and fun to this new Fringe family-friendly hot spot!

AND…
Keep your eyes peeled for:
Nicholas Longstaff as Pirate Captain William Arnold
He’ll have tickets, sweets, and loads of booty for the bravest of passers-by

ImproVis-à-Vis 2007 winners announced!
Congratulations to all the participants and their families for a very successful first-annual event, and thank you for your support and participation.

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PRIZES FOR TOP-SCORING TEAMS
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SUPER TOP PRIZE OF ALL: 5Vis
2007> Pineapple Pat and the Fruit Salads
Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School

THE GRAND PRIZE
2007> Ivory Thunder
Central Secondary School

“MY NAME IN LIGHTS” PRIZE
2007> ASTBA
Independent

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DISCRETIONARY PRIZES
Selected by the Senior Adjudicators.
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CLOWNIEST CLOWNY CLOWNS
2007> Incognito
H.B. Beal Secondary School

ROOTINEST TUNERS OF ALL
2007> Thomas
Lord Dorchester Secondary School

AD HOC IMPROVISOPRIZE
2007> The Misfits
Independent

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PRIZE DESCRIPTIONS
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SUPER TOP PRIZE OF ALL
(FIRST Place)
* Showcase performance in the
LONDON FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL 2007
* Preparation, Training & Dramaturgy with
ArtsCore

THE GRAND PRIZE
(SECOND Place)
* Tickets for the whole team tothis year’s season topper,
Wingfield’s Inferno.
~courtesy of The Grand Theatre

“MY NAME IN LIGHTS” PRIZE
(THIRD Place)
* A Grab-Bag of legible, thrilling, theatrical delights, & (for giggles)a self-inflating whoopee cushion.
~courtesy of City Lights Book Shop

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DISCRETIONARY PRIZES
Selected by the 2007 Senior Adjudicators.
Jeff Leeson and Joel Read
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CLOWNIEST CLOWNY CLOWNS
For the most consistently funny team
* One eatable Banana Cream Pie
* One splatable Banana Cream Pie
~courtesy of The Pastry Garden

ROOTINEST TUNERS OF ALL
For the most convincingly
musical team. We encourage
all teams to use music in their
Improv, whenever possible.
* A Grab-Bag of Musical Delights
~courtesy of BelleAir Music

Written: Tuesday, February 27th.
Tom (16)

The script team today consisted of Darryl and Lily, the two major players in the script department. Everyone in the company has contributed in one way or another to the script, and to the script-writing process, but these two have spent the most time on it.

Lily made it her duty to type up onto the computer, the scenes that she and Darryl wrote (based on notes on improvisations, and on rough work by other company members) during the bulk of the recent rehearsal times, to be later included in the yellow-draft and first draft.

The script is now finished, and one would think their Civic Duty is done. However, script writing isn’t all that easy. Now the problem the two teens face is in editing down the script to fit the appropriate length for which the final product, our play, The Trouble with Fairies is destined.

A Robertson Davies quote I’ll paraphrase about editing novels is “it’s just like killing your babies.” Lily and Daryl are forced to cut favourite lines and change scenes that they themselves created, and took the time to write up.

In a way, they are forced to kill Little Lily and Darryl Jr.

I asked Darryl how he felt on the task, and he responded by telling me that editing a piece of writing is never easy, cutting down hard work that one contributed to, oneself.

But when it’s needed “you gotta do what you gotta do.” Darryl also pointed out that change isn’t always a bad thing. The end result of a scene may turn out to be better then they first expected.

I also managed to visit the strong Music Department, consisting of Jury , Spencer, Laura, Nicole, and their facillitator, musician and composer Richard J. Lehman.

Richard, although contributing to the shaping and finish of the music, is actually sitting back, letting the other younger four contribute the musical styles that will underscore The Trouble with Fairies.

The males of the department are all working with musical instruments, usually guitars, and ultimately, the beat and melody of the songs, while the females are working with vocals and keyboards.

Of course, these songs didn’t write themselves to start with. These four have created all the music for the show, down to the tune and lyrics. All but one song is basically in good shape, including lyrics and rhythmic drive. Currently the team is working on the melody for the “Dahlia and Choleric” song. I managed to catch Spencer, and ask him how he felt about his job in Music.

“Writing background music is hard,
basically all I do is sit with my guitar
and come up with tunes that sound
good, the only problem is I usually
forget some of the stuff I come up with,
before I have the chance to put it down.”

The last department, and the one I didn’t have time to visit Tuesday, was the Design Department. Hopefully, I will have some information up next week from them. But until then, please check out the pictures and designs posted elsewhere on this site.

I am, and still have been…
~ Tom (16)

Nicholas Longstaff,
Founding Artistic Producer
March 1, 2007
I’d like to note here, that Julia (14) is not only working on building the play, but focusing on the production’s publicity as well.

She expressed an interest in interviewing the minico members when I invited ideas towards creating material for a podcast.

In my opinion, her first set of interviews were approached with a rare blend of energy and attentiveness to her subjects’ style of communication, and delightful willingness to play.

All of the of the interviewees has received a lecture, notes and group lessons in self-representation, including interview etiquette, and have been encouraged to consider what s/he wants to communicate to the world regarding this artistic endeavor.

INTERVIEWS:
FIRST SET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
with April:
with Amber:
with Katie:
with Laura:
with Nicole:
with Spencer:

Now,
I had offered Julia praise for her many intuitive moments,
her clear responsiveness and for her ability to draw out great words
from each person while making her or him comfortable
just “being themselves.”

I also offered her an opportunity to set a formal critique.
She accepted, and we listened to, deconstructed and
analysed her first steps in the radio medium.

I am thrilled to hear how Julia has refined her approach.

SECOND SET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
with Steven:
with Darryl:
with Lily:
with Jake Levesque:
MINICO:07 Director and Music Director

FLY ON THE WALL . . . .
Fairy Song: in process

We’re all hard at work down at the Arts Project.

Here are some fly-on-the-wall photos:

Let us know, would a slideshow be better than individual photos?

MINICOMPANY HISTORY

This youth performace company has a 28-year history of producing original theatre for young audiences. It was founded at the MINI Theatre in 1979, then part of Theatre London, which later grew up into the Grand Theatre. School groups and the general public have made MINICO’s performances part of their annual tradition of theatergoing.

In 2004, when Nicholas Longstaff stepped into the director’s role at The Theatre School, MINICO continued to evolve into the innovative training program it is now; inspiring young people to see themselves as more than just performers, but as creators and artistic communicators.

The aim of this mini-company is to inspire young people to tell stories that matter to them, about themes that resonate with their daily experience. 2004’s original adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin

led to the completely original musicals
“There’s a GIANT in the Woods” (2005)
and “Captain Crow and the New World” (2006).

(more…)

The Design team has been learning and labouring to produce an overall design concept for the show. Now that we’re in-production on the costumes, here are a few images to let you in on what the company are building…