School Holidays are just around the corner! Like most parents, I too am trying to find different ways to keep my kids entertained during the break. Act 3 International, one of Singapore’s leading Arts company for the young, has launched a new festival for kids ages 2 to 12 which is definitely worth checking out!
The new Act3i Festival for Children will take place from 24 May to 5 June 2016 at the Drama Centre in Singapore. The Festival is packed with original works and artfully curated visual arts theatre performances from Singapore, Italy, Sweden, Argentina, the U.K. and Canada. Tickets are now available and can be purchased from Sistic.
Here are some of the highlights of the various Act3i Festival for Children performances and a super awesome TICKETS GIVEAWAY at the end of the article…
All On A Summer’s Day
By ACT 3 International with Vicky Ireland, Singapore and United Kingdom
- 24 to 28 May 2016, daily performances, 1 hour, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10am and 3pm | Saturday: 10:30am
- For 7 to 12 year olds
2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. All On A Summer’s Day is a tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the Shakespearean classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Originally commissioned and produced by The New Shakespeare Company, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London in 2015, All On A Summer’s Day is an ingenious way of introducing Shakespeare to children as it has both familiar and brand new characters, music, dance and a blend of Shakespearean and modern language.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
By Omar Alvarez Titeres Puppetry Arts Company, Argentina
- 24 to 29 May 2016, daily performances, 1 hour, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10am | Saturday and Sunday: 11am & 3pm
- For 4 to 12 year olds
A true classic by Hans Christian Andersen, the story revolves around a distinct and peculiar toy soldier with only one leg. Ostracized from the others, he meets a paper ballerina in a pirouette and immediately falls for her. Out of sheer jealousy, a jack-in-a-box pushes the soldier out of the window which then brings him on a journey right back to the girl of his dreams and ultimately, to his final destiny. This atmospheric piece is a beautiful tribute to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic through the mastery of puppetry by renowned Argentinian puppeteer Omar Alvarez Titeres. In this beautiful and magical interpretation, the solo puppeteer and his puppets transport the audience back into time as they weave, spin and bathe in gorgeous lighting on a fine set to the powerful narrative of adventure, courage and love.
Snow White
By DuffleBag Theatre, Canada
- 24 to 29 May 2016, daily performances, 1 hour, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10am | Saturday and Sunday: 10.30am and 2pm
- For 4 to 8 year olds
There is never a dull moment at a DuffleBag production, where new adaptations of fairy tales and Shakespearean classics meet plenty of humour and with a dramatic twist at the end. Audiences are always invited to join in the action and feel the excitement of living a fairy tale. Armed with an original script that is sharp, well-paced and full of surprises, the talented actors are very adept at changing characters and engaging a young audience.
Marmalade
By Claire Parsons Co, Sweden
- 31 May to 5 June 2016, daily performances, 40 minutes, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10:30am | Saturday and Sunday: 10am and 4pm
- For 2 to 6 year olds
A deliciously tactile performance that blends poetic movements with circus-based actions, Marmalade is the first collaboration between choreographer Claire Parsons and juggler Viktor Gyllenberg. The characters look at the world through the five senses as they invite audiences to feel, taste, and think about what marmalade can be.
Hanà e Momò
By Principio Attivo Teatro, Italy
- Created and directed by Cristina Mileti and Francesca Randazzo
- 31 May to 5 June 2016, daily performances, 1 hour, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10am | Saturday and Sunday: 11am and 3pm
- For 3 to 8 year olds
A beautifully constructed piece surrounding two friends – Hanà and Momò – named after the Japanese word for ‘flower’ and ‘peach’ respectively – and the development of their relationship, which begins as rivalry and culminates as friendship. Using simple and natural materials such as sand, paper, wood and bamboo to symbolise different characters, the actresses invite the audience into their childhood world. All will be mesmerised at how so much can be related with very little, and how actors, movement props and audience meld within this performance. Freely adapted from the book Fairy Tale of Love by Hermann Hesse, it hints on the importance of happiness when doing things together.
Awake LOVE Orchestra
By Awake, Sweden/United Kingdom
- 31 May to 5 June 2016, daily performances, 1 hour, no interval
- Tuesday to Friday: 10am | Saturday and Sunday: 11am
- For 4 years old and up
With a commitment to making “lovely music about love with love for lovely people”, the Awake LOVE Orchestra is a talented ensemble made up of vocals and a variety of instruments such as string and percussion to transport audiences on a musical journey across Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and the U.S. Composed with passion and love, the pieces are a fusion of haunting folk melodies enlivened with a contemporary groove. This is a brilliant avenue for children to learn about the beauty and diversity of the Arts, and a new way of viewing the world.
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In addition to the theatre performances, the Act3i Children’s Festival will also be offering some workshops. Here are the highlights…
Conviviality Sessions
- At the Drama Centre, 25 May to 5 June 2016
- From $30 per parent-and-child
With the many visiting artists and practitioners coming with their productions for the Festival, there will be workshops as well organized for parent-and-child groups on weekends. The artistes of the productions will lead the sharing-and-learning sessions and will use their know-how from their chosen art form and practice to conduct workshops on creative parenting, empowerment through artistic engagement, and how to value add to child development through the creative process. There will be eight workshops for parent-and-child groups and all will be held at Drama Centre.
Sweet
- ION Art Gallery, ION Orchard
- 28 May to 5 June 2016, 10.30am to 12.30pm OR 3.30pm-5.30pm
- For 4 to 8 year olds
A visual arts sense-sibility exhibition, workshop and storytelling session, held in conjunction with ACT 3i Festival for Children is Sweet, an interactive drop-off workshop comprising an art exhibition, art making activities, a show, as well as drama workshop and art making activities. The program is a great learning process for the child as it ignites the imagination, inspires a multi-sensory creative process, as well as encourages artistic expression and participation. Inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweet will feature elements of storytelling, improvisation and even gelato-making. While the session is about using desserts to inspire art-making and to teach the values of kindness, it also highlights the importance of eating in moderation.
Extra Special GIVEAWAY for SuperMommy readers…
One lucky SuperMommy reader will WIN a Family Pack of 4 tickets to see “All on A Summer’s Day” on 28th May, 2016 at 10:30am at the Drama Centre in Singapore!
Easy Steps to Enter:
- Log in via Facebook or by email
- Visit the SuperMommy Facebook page (please Like, Share or Comment – optional but appreciated)
- Click “I visited” on the bottom of the Rafflecopter page
- You are now entered into the contest!!
Good Luck & Hope you have a fabulous time at the show! 🙂
-xoxo-
SuperMommy
