Musical production featuring famous Laurier speeches coming to cities coast to coast
CHARLOTTETOWN, Oct. 25, 2016 /CNW/ - As Canada prepares for the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, one of the country's most celebrated prime ministers - Sir Wilfrid Laurier - will be the focus of a creative new production presented by Confederation Centre of the Arts. This cross-country theatre production is sponsored by CN.
The Laurier Project celebrates the 175th birthday of the iconic prime minister through a dance-theatre production that transforms famous Laurier speeches into a musical celebration of Canadian identity. The performance, set to music composed by violinist Deanna Choi, and choreographed by Kerry Gage will highlight the transformative words of Laurier in a bold new way.
Prime Minister Laurier led Canada at a time of major cultural change, ushering in the era of bilingualism, multiculturalism, and the collective Canadian identity that we cherish today.
The production is directed by Thomas Morgan Jones who created The Laurier Project to reflect on how Canada's past has shaped our cultural identity.
"The foundation of Canadians' collective identity is tied directly to the words and actions of Laurier," said Jones. "He led Canada during a period of rapid economic and social change, and despite all this upheaval, helped fashion the country into a model of diversity and inclusion."
The premiere performance for will take place this Friday at Confederation Centre. This highly physical performance is a mix of dance and physical theatre set to the inspiring words of Laurier himself.
Confederation Centre of the Arts was founded in Charlottetown, P.E.I. as the national memorial to Canada's founding fathers, and has a long history of original productions celebrating our cultural heritage. This major tour will take the production to cities across the country: Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, Kamloops, and Whitehorse, with both student and public presentations.
"We are thrilled to bring another original musical to Canadians from coast-to-coast," said Jessie Inman, CEO, Confederation Centre. "We are proud that our production not only reflects Canada's culture and heritage, but is also performed by a diverse, multicultural cast."
2017 will be a year of celebration and reflection on the past, present, and future of Canada. The Laurier Project hopes to spark a conversation that leads to a greater understanding of our collective cultural history.
The Laurier Project invites Canadians from across the country to follow the discussion at lauriertour.ca and share their thoughts on what Laurier and Canada's cultural identity means to them on social media using the hashtag #lauriertour2016.
Laurier Project in brief
As Canada prepares for the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, the country's first francophone prime minister, and champion of the Quebec-Canada partnership—Sir Wilfrid Laurier—will be the focus of a creative new production presented by Confederation Centre of the Arts.
About Confederation Centre
Confederation Centre is Canada's national memorial to the Fathers of Confederation and the ongoing evolution of the nation, located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Home to The Charlottetown Festival and the long-running Anne of Green Gables-The Musical™ and a major Canadian art gallery, this living memorial welcomes more than 250,000 visitors each year. First opened by HRM Queen Elizabeth II in 1964, Confederation Centre continues to present the finest in Canadian visual and performing arts, heritage, and arts education to visitors from across Canada and around the world.
SOURCE Confederation Centre of the Arts
Image with caption: "Byron Abalos and Christy Adamson are two of the five company members performing across the country in The Laurier Project (Heather Ogg photo/TechnoMedia) (CNW Group/Confederation Centre of the Arts)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161025_C6838_PHOTO_EN_803727.jpg
Media contact: Fraser McCallum, Communications Manager, Confederation Centre of the Arts, T: 902.628.6135 (office), E: [email protected]; facebook.com/confedcentre | #lauriertour2016 | Twitter/Instagram: @confedcentre, For more Centre news: confederationcentre.com
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