by Vern Thiessen
A Co-Production between Concrete Theatre and L’Unithéâtre
For the first time, Concrete Theatre and Edmonton’s amazing francophone theatre L’Unithéâtre will be joining forces on an exciting world premiere production by Governor General Award winning playwright Vern Thiessen (Einstein’s Gift, Bird Brain, Shakespeare’s Will). Offered in either English or French by the same bilingual cast!
Little Bern, a young farm boy, is taken in by his aunt and uncle after his parents pass away. Feeling ignored by his busy adoptive parents and their large brood of children, and struggling to keep up with a pile of chores and a new school, Little Bern pines for the life he used to have. One day, on his way to school, he sees a mysterious ramshackle house, and is told it is the home of Old Nettie, who everyone in the town fears and calls a witch. But when a huge snowstorm hits, and Little Bern is lost, he is saved by none other than Old Nettie. Terrified at first, Bern must face his fears and confront the person he is most afraid of. And much to his surprise, discovers she is not at all the person he thought her to be! And as it turns out… much more like him than he ever imagined. Based on stories from the Mennonite Ukraine of the 1920’s, Bello is set in a fable-like world, performed with rhythm and rhyme where hard times and struggle are part of daily life, but where the healing powers of humour, love and family ultimately flourish. A beautiful, poetic and charming parable of overcoming our fears of others who are not like us.
Credits
French Translation by Brian Dooley
Directed by Mieko Ouchi*
Stage Managed by Corben Kushneryk*
CAST:
Onika Henry*
Julia Seymour*
Zak Tardif*
Production Design by Patrick Beagan
Seamstress Betty Kolodziej
Sound Technician and Tour Sound Advisor Bobby Smale
La Cité Venue Technician Amanda Robinson
Poster Image istockphoto
Poster Design Rat Creek Design
Media Relations Tonia LaRiviere
Photos by Epic Photography Inc
We are very grateful to the Allard Foundation for generously funding a week of rural shows in Alberta for the Bello tour.
*Concrete Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
Resources
Curriculum Ties:
Health and Wellness: understanding and expressing feelings, respect and caring in order to establish and maintain healthy interactions, recognize and accept individual differences within groups,
Social Studies: demonstrate sensitivity to the personal and emotional aspects of identity, respecting differences and fostering inclusiveness,
Language Arts: look at how new ideas and information have changed previous understandings, connect situations portrayed to personal and classroom experiences,
Drama: acquire knowledge of self and others that results from reflecting on dramatic play.
Interested in theatre in schools?