Kelowna's Bumbershoot Theatre has a busy month ahead and has just completed 43 performances at 31 schools in the Central Okanagan School District.
The children's theatre troupe performed Little Red Riding Hood, written by Mike Kenny with lead roles played by Colin deBourcier and Tracy Ross.
During its in-school residency programs the company becomes part of a school's programming to help teachers achieve their goals. Constable Neal Bruce School proved particularly rewarding for the Grade 8 students. "Some of the students were disengaged at first," artistic director Tracy Ross said, "however the transformation was amazing." Afterward one student wrote: "I learned a lot from you during this. I learned not to apologize for my work, but be proud of what I did. We have grown a lot."
"It isn't just about the theatre," Ross said. "It is about these kids believing in themselves and knowing that other people believe in them too."
Coming up is a DoorStep Sound performance by local musicians at the Bumbershoot Theatre, at 125- 1295 Cannery Lane in Kelowna on Saturday, Feb. 28, organized by local young artist Antony Knight.
Bumbershoot will once again collaborate with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, this time in their Your Story at the Symphony family matinee taking place on Saturday, March 7 at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
Prior to the OSO show, Bumbershoot will present a SoundPlay experience in the neighbouring Black Box Theatre. Part performance and part workshop, at SoundPlay the audience will be immersed in performance, then create art through story and soundscape. This will be a hands-on instrument time for parent and child available as an add-on to their Your Story at the Symphony ticket.
As a local non-profit organization, Bumbershoot is also active with its own productions, including the upcoming presentation of Ivy & Bean: The Musical in mid-March at their theatre.
Full information on this and other Bumbershoot activities can be found on their website: www bumbershoottheatre com.