Press Kit - Kids' Entertainment

Mermaid
T heatre of
Nova Scotia
Autumn 2008
DEBUT TOUR FOR GOODNIGHT MOON & THE RUNAWAY BUNNY
Struan Robertson,
Production Intern,
is surrounded
by bunnies-inprogress.
There are
almost two dozen
in Mermaid’s latest
production.
(Photo:
Margo Ellen Gesser)
Mermaid’s production studios are busily at work
creating the puppets, props and sets which will
animate the staged version of GOODNIGHT
MOON & THE RUNAWAY BUNNY. The muchanticipated
double-bill adaptation of Margaret Wise
Brown and Clement Hurd’s beloved bedtime classics will
have their inaugural performances at the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts on December 27th, 2008.
The seventeen-performance residency in Washington, DC
will be followed by a five-month tour to fourteen American
states and six Canadian cities. More than one hundred and
seventy performances will be presented, with further touring
anticipated in future seasons.
Following in the steps of its acclaimed interpretations of the
works of Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, Berkeley Breathed and Sam
MacBratney, the show will incorporate innovative puppetry,
striking scenic effects and evocative original music to
provide very young audiences with an effortless introduction
to the performing arts and the excitement of reading.
1
Few writers have been as attuned to the concerns and
emotions of childhood as Margaret Wise Brown (1910–
1952). Brown, a former teacher, believed that very young
children could be fascinated by the simple pleasures of the
world around them. Few authors had previously attempted
to write specifically for children aged two to five. Brown
created some of the most enduring and beloved children’s
books of all time as well as developed the concept of the first
durable board book.
Clement Hurd (1908–1988) graduated from Yale
University and studied painting in Paris in the 1930s with
Fernand Léger and others. His engaging semi-abstract
style became world-famous with the publication in 1942
of RUNAWAY BUNNY and GOODNIGHT MOON in
1947 - collaborations with Brown that became two of the
Twentieth Century’s best-known children’s books.
GOODNIGHT MOON is a celebration of familiar
nighttime rituals, while THE RUNAWAY BUNNY’s
Continued Page 2

Goodnight Moon (Continued)
pretend tale of leaving home evokes reassuring responses
from his loving mum. Both tales feature endearing rabbit
characters, and the soothing rhythms of bunny banter and
dream-like imagery never fail to infuse young readers with
a reassuring sense of security and peace. Mermaid’s staged
adaptation will bring a new sense of appreciation to stories
that have delighted several generations.
Jim Morrow, Mermaid’s Artistic Director, will direct the
new production and serve as Production Designer. Steven
Naylor, Mermaid’s Artistic Consultant for Music and Sound
Design, will create the soundscape. Videographers Daun
Windover and Bob Williams are charged with special scenic
effects, with Deborah MacLean and Jon Ford participating
as associate designers. Kids’ Entertainment of Toronto will
undertake national and international booking arrangements.
Company members for the debut tour include performers
Suzy Crocker, Jesse MacLean and Stuan Robertson, with
Christine Oakey returning to the company as Stage Manager.
Homecoming performances are scheduled for Monday, June
8th, 2008 at the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre
in Windsor, NS (under the sponsorship of Sepracor Canada
Ltd.) and on Tuesday, June 9th, 2008 at the Rebecca Cohn
Auditorium, Dalhousie University, in Halifax,
NORTH & SOUTH ACTIVITIES FOR MERMAID YOUTHEATRE
Now in its eighteenth season, Mermaid’s dynamic
Youtheatre continues to explore the challenges
of the contemporary adolescent scene. Under
the direction of Chris Heide, a diverse slate of activities
has engaged youth both in Nunavut and Nova Scotia.
While a temporary resident of Pangnirtung in the Canadian
Arctic, Chris continues his work in overseeing a multifaceted
pilot program called MAKING CONNECTIONS
FOR YOUTH. The Arctic Circle drama group, an active
offshoot of the Mermaid Youtheatre, has become an integral
component of CONNECTIONS’s activities. A memorable
event during the Fall of 2008 was Chris’s three-day video,
drama and storytelling workshop for fifteen Inuit youth at
a retreat on the shores of Cumberland Sound. They were
joined by three elders and a team of video artists headed by
talented filmmaker Qajaaq Ellsworth.
Simultaneously, the Youtheatre continues to be active
in Nova Scotia with the launch of a new initiative in the
Annapolis Valley. In a project conceived by gifted IWK
therapist Lorraine Lazier at the Hants County Community
Hospital, the Youtheatre has undertaken the creation of
a series of scenes that aim to enhance the resiliency and
independence of youth with ADHD through interactive
popular theatre. With funding from the Gordon
Foundation for Children and Youth, the project will deliver
information about the illness, medication management, nonpharmaceutical
options and other challenges of managing
life with ADHD. Kaleigh Heide and Dustin Harvey will
lead the project on behalf of the Youtheatre, joined by a
student team.
During the 2007/2008 season, the Youtheatre was actively
involved with presentations in conjunction with the
South Shore Regional School Board and South Shore Safe
Communities. A series of vignettes called THE FIT was
introduced to high schools and conferences as a suicide
prevention pilot project that included workshops and
student discussions related to issues such as bullying, sexual
harassment and building self-confidence. The tour was
directed by veteran Youtheatre colleague Natasha MacLellan
with workshop facilitation by Shirley Burris.
FAR-FLUNG ACTIVITIES FOR MERMAID’S YOUTHEATRE
Arctic Circle members in Pangnirtung take a break from
rehearsal. Seen (L to R) are Roselynn Akulukjuk, David Alivaktuk
and Paulette Meetuq, clowning around to a “thumbs up”
from Youtheatre Director Chris Heide. (Photo: Chris Heide)
2
Recently THE FIT was filmed by the Nova Scotia
Department of Education for possible inclusion in
the school curriculum. The production has earned the
prestigious designation of National Ambassador for Safety
Community Service for the Youtheatre. Chris will accept
the award on behalf of the group at the Safe Communities
annual conference in Winnipeg, MB in November 2008.

MIPAC LAUNCHES A DIVERSE SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS
The Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre
(known as MIPAC) plans a diverse program of
attractions during the Winter and Spring of 2009.
The Centre hopes to attract spectators of all ages from
surrounding communities as well as from the urban region.
The 400-seat facility on Gerrish Street in Windsor, NS was
acquired by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia in 2003, and is
currently undergoing final renovations. The venue has had a
storied history both as a cinema and live performance space.
Famed performers, including the great Portia White, and
Country and Western ‘greats’ Hank Snow and Wilf Carter,
provided popular entertainment beginning in 1914.
The seven-event program will include comedy, theatre
for family audiences, and music to please a variety of
tastes. Visiting artists from Vancouver to Halifax will be
featured. Mermaid Theatre performances will be the first
and final presentations, with a “sneak peak preview” of
GOODNIGHT MOON & THE RUNAWAY BUNNY on
Saturday, December 20th, and a “welcome home pyjama
show” on Monday evening, June 8th, 2009. A full schedule
is available at www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca/imperial/events.
shtml/
Once the lobby and other decorative upgrades are
completed, MIPAC will actively showcase community
talent as well as enable the Town of Windsor to join the
Province-wide circuit of venues which welcome touring
artists. There is no other such centre within a hundred
kilometer radius available on a year-round basis, and few
of its age and personality in Nova Scotia. The adjoining
premises also house an intimate 60-seat Theatre Loft, which
is already in use for workshops, coffeehouse-style concerts,
informal readings and presentations, and by Mermaid’s
Youtheatre, a vital outreach program for the region’s
adolescents.
Over the past two seasons, MIPAC has hosted more than
two dozens events, including a cross-section of outstanding
musicians including George Canyon, Matt Anderson, Jenn
Grant, Don Ross and Gordon Stobbe. The new series is
designed to build upon growing audience loyalty as well as
provide unique showcase opportunities.
JOIN US!
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia invites you to join us,
and celebrate almost four decades of achievement.
Become a member of our nonprofit society, and keep us “on
the road” at home and abroad. To date we’ve performed for
more than four million spectators on four continents – with
your help we’ll augment our worldwide circuit, as well as
visit every corner of Nova Scotia. We welcome inquiries
about corporate partnerships and participation in
community activities.
The Imperial Theatre, Windsor, NS - 1943
The Windsor Concert Party was formed primarily to entertain troops
from No. 1 Army Transit Camp and R.C.A.F. Commonwealth Air
Training Station at Stanley, NS, but was equally popular with civilian
audiences. Made up entirely of local talent, the group provided a high
caliber song and dance program which was performed several times in
the Imperial Theatre as well as at military bases at Halifax and Debert,
always to full houses. (Photo and commentary: Dr. Garth Vaughan)
3
To learn more, please contact:
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
P.O. Box 2697, Windsor, NS, Canada BON 2T0
Tel: 902 798 5841 Fax: 902 798 3311
email: puppets@mermaidtheatre.ns.ca
website: www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca
Charitable registration number: 11903 8768 RR 0001

From the ongoing chronicles of THE V
OUTSTANDING SUCCESS IN SEOUL
Mermaid’s first visit to in South Korea during the Summer
of 2008 attracted close to 9,000 spectators at the elegant
Baekham Art Hall in central Seoul.
Extensive media coverage and bookstore seminars insured
widespread exposure for the company’s fifty performances,
which were offered in both English and Korean. As
principal spokesperson for the Theatre, Jim Morrow
undertook a busy schedule of personal appearances yet
found time to enjoy the city’s vibrant cultural life. Touring
company members included Mermaid veterans Jesse
MacLean and Jeff Schwager, and stage manager Alexie
Lalonde-Steedman.
The Korean-language version features the voice of Sin Ae-ra,
who ranks among Korea’s most popular performers. Often
in the headlines for her diverse media and film activities,
she and her celebrity actor husband Cha In-pyo are known
for their philanthropy, usually related to the well-being of
children. She attended the show with her family.
Immediately upon the company’s return in mid-August,
negotiations began for a return engagement at the invitation
of Phoenix Arts Management.
MERMAID CATERPILLAR MILESTONES
• Mermaid Theatre will participate in celebrations marking
the Fortieth Anniversary of THE VERY HUNGRY
CATERPILLAR’s publication with special appearances at
two major US children’s festivals. The company will offer
performances at the Seattle International Children’s Festival
and the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival in
St. Paul, MN during May 2009, as well as visit the Myles
Reif Performing Arts Center Theatre in Grand Rapids,
MN for the first time.
• First published in 1969, THE VERY HUNGRY
CATERPILLAR has sold more than 29 million copies
worldwide, and has appeared in 47 languages.
• Simultaneously, Mermaid will celebrate the Tenth Anniversary
of its collaboration with Eric Carle Studios. THE
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR & THE VERY
QUIET CRICKET had its debut performance at the Kids
On the Waterfront Festival in Dartmouth, NS in May
1999.
CATERPILLAR RETURNS TO SINGAPORE
Colourful banners and posters appeared throughout
Seoul to promote Mermaid’s month-long
engagement.
The Caterpillar will return to Singapore for a third
engagement under the auspices of Act 3 International,
producers of the highly respected Prudential First
International Children’s Festival. The company will
present fourteen performances at the elegant Victoria
Theatre during November 2008. Company members
include Mermaid veteran performers Suzy Crocker and
Jesse MacLean, and Mermaid’s senior stage manager, Lisa
Cochran.
4

ERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR…
TWELFTH USA/CANADA TOUR
Following a repeat engagement in Vancouver, BC under the
auspices of Axis Theatre, Mermaid’s compilation of Carle
stories embarked on a fourteen-week tour in October 2008.
The company will return to many major venues, and present
one hundred performances in six Canadian cities as well
as ten American states ranging from Maine to California.
Company members include performers Kevin MacPherson
and Emma Slipp, and stage manager Patti Neice.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
• On tour continuously since 1999, Mermaid’s compilations
of five Eric Carle stories have generated remarkable statistics
and earned considerable praise on several continents.
• More than 1750 performances have been presented to
1,200,000 spectators. Thus one out of every four Mermaid
audience members (now totaling more than four
million) has seen THE VERY HUNGRY
CATERPILLAR.
• The show has traveled throughout the United States,
Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, Holland, South Korea,
Vietnam, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Performances
have been presented in English, Spanish, Dutch and
Korean, with French and Mandarin to follow shortly.
2008 Company (Photo: Margo Ellen Gesser)
RECENT COMMENTS
“… In-the-know parents go nuts for Mermaid
Theatre productions. Even if you’re not a Caterpillar
fan (but who isn’t, really?), the blacklight
aspect is nifty.”
- New York Magazine, USA
“… The show presented by the Canadian
troupe is so beautiful that there were occasional
cries of amazement from the children;
it was as if the images were really alive.“
Ángel Sánchez Borges, Milenio,
Monterrey, Mexico
“ . . . I attended the show with two of my
daughters and three grandchildren, and I
watched them as much as I watched the
stage. They were mesmerized. So was I!
Thank you for bringing children’s books to
life as beautifully as you did.”
- Mother/Grandmother, Lake Worth,
FL, USA
“Just wanted to send you a quick note to say
how wonderful your performance was. I took
my three-year-old son to the Very Hungry
Caterpillar and other Eric Carle stories today
in Maple Ridge. . . It was absolutely wonderful
and my son was spellbound, absolutely
mesmerized.”
- Mother, The ACT, Maple Ridge,
BC, Canada
5

INNOVATIVE PUPPETRY AT THE THEATRE LOFT
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia launched its
Theatre Loft project in the early Spring of
2008, thanks to support from two Canada
Council for the Arts programs – the Supplementary
Operating Funds Initiative and the Artist in Residence
Program. Housed in the Mermaid Imperial Performing
Arts Centre, the Loft is a 60-seat professional development
space dedicated to the pursuit of puppet excellence. The
intimate space is also available to the community and to
visiting artists for small-scale theatre and music events.
Further support from the Canada Council’s Artist in
Residence program will bring Mermaid veteran Zach
Fraser to the Loft early in 2009. Initial plans call for Zach
to explore the concept of homeland, and to create a piece
of puppet theatre accessible to audiences of many cultures,
languages, and nationalities.
The Mermaid Loft’s inaugural project featured Brian
Fidler, an outstanding Yukon theatre artist with an unusual
approach to puppetry. Following his residency at the Loft
in January 2008, during which he worked with Mermaid
production and artistic staff, he performed his innovative
one-person stage piece, CAM AND LEGS to outstanding
critical acclaim at Calgary’s Fringe Festival this past summer.
Negotiations are underway for regional and national touring
for the show, which the Calgary Herald called “a tiny, beautiful,
funny piece of theatre”.
COMMUNITY AWARD FOR JIM MORROW
Jim’s many contributions to Nova Scotia’s arts community
were recognized on September 28th, 2008 at
the Deep Roots Music Festival in Wolfville, NS. Bill
Carr (above left) presented his long-time friend with
the 2008 Valley Arts Award. Both began their professional
careers with Mermaid Theatre in the late
‘seventies. They are joined by Mermaid veterans Liette
Legere and David Carmichael – as well Trash, Puss and
Opus.
(Photo: Wendy Elliot)
6

FURTHER EXTENSIVE TOURING FOR LIONNI PRODUCTION
Mermaid Theatre’s whimsical adaptation of
Leo Lionni’s SWIMMY, FREDERICK
& INCH BY INCH will return to
the United States in the Fall of 2008, following
extensive earlier tours which have delighted close to
173,000 spectators. The eight-week engagement will
feature forty-five performances in eleven states.
Following his immigration to the USA from Holland in
1939, Leo Lionni embarked on a highly successful career in
the worlds of both graphic and fine art. He subsequently
earned worldwide popularity as the author and illustrator of
more than thirty children’s books, many of them translated
into numerous languages. Among other honors, Leo Lionni
was a four-time winner of the prestigious Caldecott Honor
Book award. He died in Tuscany in 1999 at the age of 89,
leaving a remarkable legacy for future generations.
Caldecott Honor books Mermaid has chosen are strikingly
beautiful, and their texts are whimsical yet wistful. Swimmy
is a tiny insignificant fish in the vast ocean who uses ingenuity
to fend off danger. Frederick, a poetic mouse, makes
everyday life an artful experience. A lovable inchworm
displays his facility for measuring absolutely everything.
Mermaid’s adaptation has been directed and designed by Jim
Morrow, while the evocative soundscape is the work of composer
Steven Naylor. Suzy Crocker contributed her expertise
as puppetry coach, while Jesse MacLean served as Assistant
Director. Touring company members include performers
Rhys Bevan-John and Andrea Lee Norwood, with Skye
Perry returning as stage manager.
International touring for SWIMMY, FREDERICK &
INCH BY INCH is under negotiation, with engagements in
Singapore and Japan anticipated during the 2009 season.
Leo Lionni’s exquisite collage works are ideally suited to
Mermaid’s unique approach to stage adaptation. The three
(Photos: Margo Ellen Gesser)
7

ELEGANT KIOSK INSTALLED
Mermaid Theatre’s ongoing revitalization project met
another target recently with the installation of an elegant
kiosk dedicated to the promotion of community arts and
recreation activities.
Once a feature of the W.A. Stephens Ltd. department
store, now the site of Mermaid’s spacious headquarters,
the outdoor display case had been removed in the ‘sixties.
The new version recreates the stylish lines of the original
structure, thanks to the craftsmanship of Brian MacAdoo,
contractor for Mermaid’s façade improvement project.
Generous assistance from the Windsor Business Enhancement
Society enabled Mermaid to undertake design and
construction.
Mermaid Theatre staff
Artistic DirectoR
Managing Director
Director of Youtheatre
Administrator
Office/Tour Manager
Artistic Consultant for
Music and Sound Design
Logistics Coordinator
Production Manager
Head Seamstress
Shop Manager
Technical Director
Assistant to the Managing
Director
Production Intern
Board of Directors:
2008/2009
CHAIR
VICE CHAIR
TREASURER
SECRETARY
DIRECTORS
Mermaid Theatre of
Nova Scotia
is represented by
general information
NEWSLETTER DESIGN
AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Jim Morrow
Sara Lee Lewis
Christopher Heide
Cathy White
Karen Gasser
Steven Naylor
Peter Smith
Deborah MacLean
Sarah Jane Hart
Jonathan Ford
Torin Buzak
Lisa Cochran
Struan Robertson
Alex Jurgens
Ed MacDonald
Gary Johnson
Beverly van’tKruis
Scott Geddes,
Wanda Joudrey,
Pamela Kinsman
Linda MacDonald
Jon Oulton
Maura Ryan
KIDS’ ENTERTAINMENT
For booking information
please contact :
19 Charlotte Street, Suite
404, Toronto,Ontario,
Canada, M5V 2H5
Tel: 416-971-4836
Fax: 416-971-4841
email:
info@kidsentertainment.net
www.kidsentertainment.net
MERMAID THEATRE
OF NOVA SCOTIA
P.O. Box 2697, Windsor,
Nova Scotia, Canada BON 2T0
Tel: 902-798-5841
Fax: 902-798-3311
puppets@mermaidtheatre.ns.ca
http://www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca
Margo Ellen Gesser
www.margoweb.com
(Photo: Margo Ellen Gesser)
8

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia will add to its acclaimed repertory of outstanding
children’s productions with an innovative double-bill adaptation of Margaret Wise Brown
and Clement Hurd’s beloved bedtime classics, GOODNIGHT MOON and THE
RUNAWAY BUNNY.
GOODNIGHT MOON is a celebration of familiar nighttime rituals, while THE
RUNAWAY BUNNY’s pretend tale of leaving home evokes reassuring responses from
his loving mum. Both tales feature endearing rabbit characters, and the soothing rhythms
of bunny banter and dream-like imagery never fail to infuse young readers with a
reassuring sense of security and peace. Whimsical puppetry and evocative original music
will bring a new sense of appreciation to stories that have delighted several generations.
Ages: 2-7
Grades: pre-K - 2
Goodnight Moon © 1947 by Harper & Row Publishers Inc. Text © renewed 1975 by Roberta Brown
Rauch. Illustrations © renewed 1975 by Edith Hurd. Clement Hurd, John Thatcher Hurd and George
Hellyer, as Trustees of the Edith & Clement Hurd 1982. Trust. Used by permission of HarperCollins
Publishers.
The Runaway Bunny © 1942 by Harper & Row Publishers Inc. Text copyright renewed 1970 by Roberta
Brown Rauch. . Illustrations ©1972 by Edith Hurd. Clement Hurd, John Thatcher Hurd and George
Hellyer, as Trustees of the Edith & Clement Hurd 1982. Trust. Used by permission of HarperCollins
Publishers
INSERT KIDS LOGO AND ADDRESS, website, email

Did you know...
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s unique adaptations of children’s literature have
delighted more than three million young people on four continents.
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia ranks among North America’s most respected
theatres for the young, and plays an important ambassadorial role for Nova Scotia and for
Canada. The company launched its thirty-fifth season in the Spring of 2007.
• Mermaid Theatre has represented Canada in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Australia,
England, Northern Ireland, Holland, Scotland, Wales, Hong Kong Macau, Vietnam, Taiwan and
Singapore. The company has earned Export Excellence Awards from both Nova Scotia (2001) and
the Government of Canada (2001. 2005) in recognition for contributions to the Province’s culture
and economy and an award for Best Performing Group from the Canadian Arts Presenting
Association.
• Mermaid Theatre’s Institute of Puppetry Arts offers mask and puppetry instruction at
both community and professional levels. In addition to in-house sessions at its Windsor base,
Institute staff provide outreach courses, which are tailored to the specific needs of educators,
art galleries, recreation leaders, theatre schools and industry. Mermaid’s Youtheatre provides a
dynamic outreach program for the region’s adolescents, and its exchange programs have
broadened the horizons of participants at home and abroad.
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s 2006/2007 season featured extensive touring, with
the company “on the road” for more than fifty-two weeks. The company visited twenty-six states
and four provinces, as well as undertook its eighth tour of Japan and second to Singapore. Close
to 198,000 spectators applauded the company's innovative work, and learned about Nova Scotia
for the first time. Mermaid Theatre continues to make theatre history, both in Nova Scotia
and in Canada.
Inquiries are invited
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
P.O. Box 2697, Windsor, Nova Scotia BON 2TO
tel: (902) 798 5841 fax: (902) 798 3311
e-mail: puppets@mermaidtheatre.ns.ca http://www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
PROFILE OF ORGANIZATION
Legal Mandate:
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia was founded in Wolfville, NS in 1972. . The company is registered under the
Societies Act of Nova Scotia (# 1294259, September 1, 1972), and received charitable status with Revenue
Canada in March 23, 1973 (registration # 119038768 RR 0001). The Theatre moved to Windsor, Nova Scotia in
1987, purchasing a large commercial building in the Town’s centre which houses its workshops, administration,
rehearsal and performance facilities, as well as four retail spaces.
Artistic Mission Statement:
Now completing its thirty-fifth season, Mermaid Theatre makes its home in Windsor, a small town of 3500 at the
gateway to Nova Scotia’s rural Annapolis Valley. The Theatre’s focus is twofold. On the one hand Mermaid’s
energetic professional touring theatre for family audiences has won international acclaim for original
productions with a strong emphasis on puppetry. At the other end of the spectrum, Mermaid’s activist and
outspoken Youtheatre program is intensely local, having as its objective the encouragement of creative selfexpression
among the region’s adolescents. Mermaid Theatre is committed to the expansion of its local and
regional audiences as well as to maintaining its network of national and international presenters.
Mermaid’s choice of material is based on the belief that young people can benefit substantially, both in their
emotional and aesthetic development, from early exposure to literature, the arts, and the power of
imagination. The Theatre draws its scripts primarily from the rich motherlode of children’s literature with universal
appeal. These sources are either contemporary (Sam McBratney, Berkeley Breathed, Howard Norman, Eric
Carle, Sheree Fitch, Margaret Atwood, Leo Lionni for example), classics from an earlier generation (such as
Jonathan Swift, Munro Leaf and E.B. White), or traditional tales. Mermaid is best known for its unusual mix of
striking visual images, evocative original music, scripts whose language is moderately demanding, and puppets
and staging which draw young spectators into a world of fantasy and wonder. The company’s creative
ambition is to produce work which is good theatre - entertaining, informative and stimulating to all the senses.
As important is the goal of encouraging literacy and generating enthusiasm for the art of reading.
Summary of Mandate:
• To introduce family audiences at home and abroad to the excitement of innovative
theatre and the performing arts;
• To serve as cultural ambassadors for Nova Scotia and for Canada;
• To provide a touring showcase of Atlantic Canada’s artists;
• To encourage literacy and the love of reading;
• To promote the art of puppetry through live performances as well as by means of
instruction at all levels;
• To encourage creative self-expression among adolescents through the non professional Youtheatre.

Ongoing Activities and Impact:
Puppetry continues to be central to Mermaid’s philosophy of theatre. The company’s charter incorporates a
commitment to the enhancement of puppetry arts in Canada, and frequently offers workshops abroad.
Through its Institute of Puppetry Arts, Mermaid periodically offers puppet theatre residencies and internships, as
well as apprenticeship training in both puppetry production and performance that is not otherwise available in
Anglophone Canada. Mermaid Theatre plays a major role in Nova Scotia’s cultural life. The Theatre is
consulted regularly about touring issues (particularly at the international level), about how to build specialized
masks, puppets and props, and where to buy or borrow unusual theatre items.
The promotion of indigenous talent is of prime importance to the company. Mermaid Theatre’s touring
productions at home and abroad serve as a continuous showcase for the Atlantic Region’s performing artists,
writers, directors, designers and technicians, and the Theatre ranks among Atlantic Canada’s foremost cultural
employers, and is the area’s major exporter of theatre. The company has a policy of providing ongoing
royalties to the creators of its remounted productions, so that Mermaid’s support of its artists is among the most
generous in the Atlantic Region.
A brief history and recent accomplishments:
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia has performed for more three million young people on four
continents. Many of these spectators experienced their initial theatre performance, and heard about Nova
Scotia for the first time, by attending a Mermaid show. . The company’s current budget is more than one
million dollars and the organization is deficit-free. The company ranks among Nova Scotia’s major cultural
employers, and its substantial headquarters in Windsor, NS includes studios, a rehearsal hall, administrative and
production studios, and a 400-seat performance facility.
• Mermaid Theatre ranks among North America’s most respected theatres for the young, and plays an
important ambassadorial role for Nova Scotia and for Canada. The company regularly crosses Canada and
the United States and has represented Canada in Japan, Mexico, Australia, England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales, Holland, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Vietnam and Taiwan. In recognition of its
accomplishments, the Theatre has been awarded Export Excellent Awards by both Nova Scotia (2001) and the
Government of Canada, (2001, 2005) and was the recipient of the Canadian Association of Presenters
(CAPACOA)'s first annual award for Best Performing Artists.
• Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia tours throughout Nova Scotia each year traveling with full lighting
and sound equipment, so that conventional theatre venues are not a necessity. In this way, children in rural
areas enjoy a comparable aesthetic experience to their urban counterparts. Study guides are provided.
• Mermaid Theatre is represented by Kids’ Entertainment of Toronto, a unique artist management
agency which has become one of North America’s most important promoters for family entertainment. The
longtime relationship between the two organizations has encouraged repeat business of almost 100 percent.
• Preliminary plans for the 2007/2008 season include third-time visits to Mexico and Singapore, a ninth
tour of Japan, and a first-time engagement in South Korea. Coast to coast touring in North America is also
anticipated.

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia:
A Brief History of the Last Twenty Years
2006/2007 “The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites” – Aug 2006, Singapore; Sep-Dec 2006 United
States and Canada; Apr-May 2007 “Guess How Much I Love You & I Love My Little Storybook” Newfoundland; Oct 2006-
Jun 2007 “Swimmy, Frederick and Inch by Inch” United States & Canada.
2005-2006 “Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites” – nine month tour of the United States and Canada.
“Guess How Much I Love You & I Love My Little Storybook” – four month tour of Canada and US “Swimmy, Frederick
and Inch by Inch” children’s festivals in St. Paul. MI and Winnipeg, MB. “Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle
Favourites” – two month tour of Japan.
2004-2005 “Guess How Much I Love You & I Love My Little Storybook” - nine month tour of the United States and
Canada. Very Eric Carle”- four month tour of Canada and the United States.
2003-2004 “When Dinosaurs Dine by Moonlight” - Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Ottawa. “Very Eric Carle” - tour of the
United States and Canada. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Favorites “
-Japan. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Favorite Stories” -Japan and Singapore. “Very Eric Carle” - four
month tour of the United States and Canada.
2002-2003 "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"/"The Very Quiet Cricket" -nine-month tour of the United States, Canada,
Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan and Mexico. "Goodnight Opus" - seven-month tour of the United States and Canada.
“Noah and the Woolly Mammoth” three week tour of Northern Quebec.
2001 "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"/"The Very Quiet Cricket" -seven-month tour of the United States, Canada, Japan,
Hong Kong and Macau. "Goodnight Opus" - four-month tour of the United States and Canada.
1999-2000 "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"/"The Very Quiet Cricket" -seven-month tour of the United States (twenty states,
Washington, D.C.), two-week engagement in Holland (Festival sponsored by Kunst en Cultur Noord-Holland).
1999 "Borrowed Black, a Labrador Fantasy" -ten week tour of Canada, including performances in British Columbia, Banff
Centre for the Arts, Northern Arts and Culture Centre, Yellowknife; Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse; Gas Station Theatre
1998 "Borrowed Black, a Labrador Fantasy" - nine week tour of Canada and the United States, including performances at
Maine Center for the Arts, ME; Centerpointe Theatre, ON; Suffolk BOCES Arts and Humanities Services, LI; The John F.
Kennedy Center, Washington, DC; Opera House, Lancaster NY; Clements Performing Arts Center, Elmira, NY; Waterville
Opera House, Waterville ME; Capital Theatre, Moncton, NB; Northern International Children’s’ Festival, Arden Theatre, St.
Albert, AB; and Regina International Children’s’, Festival, Darke Hall, Regina, SK.
1997 "Borrowed Black, a Labrador Fantasy" - twelve week tour of Canada and the United States, including
performances in Newfoundland; Labrador; Markham Theatre, Markham, ON; Michael J. Fox Theatre, Burnaby, BC;
Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver, BC; and Victoria Theatre, Dayton, OH.
1997 "Just So Stories" - eleven week tour of the United States, including performances at the University of Indiana; the
University of New Mexico; The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; the Broadway Center, Tacoma WA. the Bomhard
Theater, Louisville, KY; Victoria Theatre, Dayton, OH; and Flynn Theater,Burlington, VT.
1996 "Stuart Little" - ten week tour of the United States, including performances at Florrisant Civic Center, MO; San Pedro
Playhouse, TX; Brooklyn Academy of Music; Tribeca Performing Arts Center; Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, FL;
Flagler Auditorium, FL; and The John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.

1995 "Fish Whiskers" - co-production with Iguanodon Theatre Company of Edmonton. Two month tour of the United
States including engagements at the Flynn Theater, Burlington, VT; the Zeiterion Theatre, New Bedford, MA; Suffolk
BOCES Arts and Humanities Services, LI; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL; Annenberg Center, Philadelphia, PA; Clemens
Center, Elmira, NY; Olney Arts Center; and Silver Springs, MD.
1995 "Stuart Little" - ten week tour of Canada and the United States including engagements at the Gas Station Theatre,
Winnipeg, MB; Roxy Playhouse, Owen Sound, ON; Markham Performing Arts Centre, Markham, ON; Humanities Theatre,
University of Waterloo, ON; Oakville Arts Centre, Oakville, ON; Sullivan Theatre, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON;
Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver, BC; Gateway Theatre, Richmond, BC; Charles Baily Theatre, Trail, BC; Lobero Theater,
Santa Barbara, CA; and California Center for the Arts, Escondido CA.
1995 "Gulliver’s Travels" - four month tour of the United States and Canada including engagements at the Flynn Theater,
Burlington, VT; Zeiterion Theater, New Bedford, MA; LaGuardia College, LI; Brooklyn Academy of Music; Arts Council
Theater, Winston-Salem; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL; Van Wezel Auditorium, Sarasota, FL; Annenberg Center,
Philadelphia, PA; The John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, DC; Art and Culture Centres in St. John's, Corner Brook,
Gander, Grand Falls, Stephenville and St. Anthony.
1994 "Puss in Boots" - ten week tour of the United States and Canada including engagements at The John F. Kennedy
Center in Washington, DC; Brooklyn Academy of Music; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL; Nazareth College, Rochester, NY;
and the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON.
1993 "Gulliver’s Travels" - three month tour of Canada and the United States including engagements in Ontario (the
Orillia Opera House, the Gryphon Theatre, Barrie, and Brock, York and Waterloo Universities); in Quebec (Bishop's
University); in New Brunswick (Capitol Theatre, Moncton) and the Playhouse, Cleveland, OH; and Florrisant Civic Center,
MO.
1992 "Just So Stories" - two month tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including engagements at
Theatre Royale, Bury St. Edmunds; the Scottish, Welsh and Irish International Children's Festivals in Edinburgh, Cardiff and
Derry.
1992 "Peter and the Wolf" - four month tour of the United States including engagements at the Paramount Theater, Denver;
Playhouse Square, Cleveland; Franciscan Life Center, Sylvania, OH; Town Hall, NYC; and Listner Auditorium, Georgetown
University, Washington, D.C.
1990 "Peter and the Wolf" - three month tour of the United States, including month-long residency at the Honolulu Theater
for Youth.
1989 "Just So Stories" - two month tour of the United States including five weeks in New York City under the auspices of
the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Awarded the Citation of Excellence for Puppetry by UNIMA-USA (Union
Internationale de al Marionnette) for "Peter and the Wolf". "The Red Ball" - four-month tour of the United States and Canada,
including Festivals.
1988 "Just So Stories" and "Anna’s Pet" - represented Canada at the 1988 World Puppetry Festival (Festival Mondial
de la Marionnettte) held in Japan in the cities of Iida, Nagoya, Tokyo and Sapporo. Two-month tour of Australia and
Hawaii.
1987 "Just So Stories" - Two-month tour of the United States.
1986 "Flights of Fancy" and "Just So Stories" - performances at the Amiga Theatre, Expo 86, Vancouver, BC. "Just So
Stories" awarded the Citation of Excellence for Puppetry by UNIMA-USA (Union Internationale de al Marionnette). Oneweek
residency at the Alaska Junior Theater, Anchorage, Alaska; and three week residency at the California Theater
Center, Sunnyvale, CA.
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s Institute of Puppetry Arts
May 2007 – “CODE GREEN enhancing awareness of species at risk”, Nova Scotia schools, Museum of Natural History,
New Brunswick Museum, Mermaid Imperial Performance. Arts Ctr, Windsor
May 2006 – “CODE GREEN enhancing awareness of species at risk”, Nova Scotia schools
May 2005 – “Sunken Treasures”, Nova Scotia schools