UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
INGONISH: August 19th, 2023, 3 pm & 7 pm
Two performances only!
Cape Breton Highlands National Park FISHTIVAL
North Bay Beach Day Use Area
Salar on video:
Tickets available for purchase at:
https://stageview.ca/salar/
To book a live performance, please contact us at:
[email protected]
902-293-9348
“Salar” is inspired by the Atlantic Parks Salmon Recovery Project currently underway in five Atlantic region National Parks to protect and restore at-risk Atlantic Salmon. This 50-minute interdisciplinary performance weaves together stories, myths and science through language, movement, live music and puppetry
By employing methods in knowledge translation and exchange, this transformative experience fosters a greater understanding of this fascinating creature’s importance to peoples across the northern hemisphere over the last 25 000 years and highlights the connection between ocean and forest, and our shared human responsibility to the environment.
Ensemble members, working with experts in conservation, among others, draw on their passions, talents, skills, interests and improvisational whimsies to weave a textured, eclectic tapestry that appeals to the audience on many levels. Percussionist Benn Ross has created and performs an original sound score, accompanied by musician Cathy Porter, Kersti Tacreiter is the principle creator, storyteller and puppeteer, Alexis Milligan is the co-creator and puppeteer for the production and Mary Louise Bernard, a Mi’kmaw elder and celebrated storyteller has created an original poem entitled "N'in na Plamu" for this production.
Our design team includes: Bonnie Deakin who has designed a multifaceted costume, while Steve Lucas has designed the set pieces. Jamie Jordan has painted renditions of the palaeolithic art represented and Alexandra Montagnese has been our puppet construction consultant. We are also pleased to have connected with Dr. Neil Banas, origami artist and ichthyophrenologist, who designed and guided the crafting of the head of our giant ‘Salar’ puppet. He also happens to moonlight as an ecological modeller with Scotland’s Atlantic Salmon Trust. The whole creative process has been as fluid as a salmon stream and a true labour of love.
This project is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, under a Concept to Realization grant, and supported by Parks Canada. We are currently pursuing further funding opportunities and sponsors.
By employing methods in knowledge translation and exchange, this transformative experience fosters a greater understanding of this fascinating creature’s importance to peoples across the northern hemisphere over the last 25 000 years and highlights the connection between ocean and forest, and our shared human responsibility to the environment.
Ensemble members, working with experts in conservation, among others, draw on their passions, talents, skills, interests and improvisational whimsies to weave a textured, eclectic tapestry that appeals to the audience on many levels. Percussionist Benn Ross has created and performs an original sound score, accompanied by musician Cathy Porter, Kersti Tacreiter is the principle creator, storyteller and puppeteer, Alexis Milligan is the co-creator and puppeteer for the production and Mary Louise Bernard, a Mi’kmaw elder and celebrated storyteller has created an original poem entitled "N'in na Plamu" for this production.
Our design team includes: Bonnie Deakin who has designed a multifaceted costume, while Steve Lucas has designed the set pieces. Jamie Jordan has painted renditions of the palaeolithic art represented and Alexandra Montagnese has been our puppet construction consultant. We are also pleased to have connected with Dr. Neil Banas, origami artist and ichthyophrenologist, who designed and guided the crafting of the head of our giant ‘Salar’ puppet. He also happens to moonlight as an ecological modeller with Scotland’s Atlantic Salmon Trust. The whole creative process has been as fluid as a salmon stream and a true labour of love.
This project is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, under a Concept to Realization grant, and supported by Parks Canada. We are currently pursuing further funding opportunities and sponsors.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
canadacouncil.ca
canadacouncil.ca
Creative Team
The extraordinary artists joining us on this journey
Mary Louise BernardMary Louise Bernard is a Mi’kmaw elder, self-published author, and former Chief from Wagmatcook First Nation Community. Mary is going on her fifth season as a Mi’kmaw Interpreter at the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Mary’s signature program at the park is “Sweet Discovery” which she created from her children’s book Sismoqnapui’skwe’j/Sweetwater Maiden: The Legend of Maple Syrup. Another popular event she developed is the Grandmother Moon Ceremony, a woman empowering ceremony, which she conducts throughout the park and beyond during the full moon. When not in the Highlands, you could find Mary visiting her family, friends and searching for that famous mouth-watering fish chowder. |
Bonnie DeakinBonnie is honoured to be involved in this beautiful production. She is a Costumer Designer and Creator and has experience in Puppet making, Wigs, Makeup, Corsetry and Dyeing. She was one of the first graduates from Dalhousie University’s Costume Studies Program.
Bonnie apprenticed at The Vancouver Playhouse and CBC Vancouver. During her career she has headed wardrobes and designed for theatres across the country. Her love of teaching took her to El Salvador to work with endangered youth, offering them an alternative to life in gangs through the arts. |
Steve LucasSteve has designed award winning sets, lighting and projections for more than 500 productions of Theatre, Opera, Dance and Performance Art. His work has been seen all across Canada, the United States, UK, Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Australia, and Asia.
Steve’s work in theatre has mainly been focused on new and original plays; he has designed the world premieres of hundreds of shows. Steve has received four Dora Awards for his set and lighting designs. He has also been nominated for several of Canada’s most prestigious awards including 33 Dora Award nominations. For more info visit stevelucasdesign.ca |
Alexandra MontagneseAlexandra Montagnese is a Toronto-based puppeteer, actor, and theatre creator. She has worked with the Shaw Festival, Theatre Rusticle, Watermark Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Theatre Kingston, Wee Festival, Shadowland, The Other Theatre, and Infinitheatre. She has performed at SummerWorks, Rhubarb, Luminato, and Fringe Festivals across Canada.
Alexandra is a founding member of Montreal’s Jot & Tittle Puppetry, a core company member of Toronto’s physical theatre company Lucid Ludic, and a co-founder and curator of Concrete Cabaret, Toronto’s seasonal puppet and performing object cabaret. Alexandra holds a BA from McGill University and an MFA from York University. |
Neil BanasNeil Banas is an oceanographer and artist in Glasgow, Scotland.
Originally from the US, he has modelled climate-change impacts on salmon and their neighbours in three oceans, most recently in partnership with the Missing Salmon Alliance and Scotland’s Atlantic Salmon Trust, using computer simulations - and after 15 years as a computational artist made a pivot into large-scale origami in 2020 just in time to design a head for Salar’s puppet. He is a Reader in Mathematics and Statistics at University of Strathclyde, and on Twitter at @neilbanas. https://neilbanas.com/projects |
Jamie JordanJamie has worked for three decades as a designer and scenic painter in theatre, film and television. He was the artist-in-residence for the Acadia University Theatre Department, where he designed a number of productions. His film and TV work includes The Shipping News, Outlander, Jesse Stone, and Run Virginia Run.
He studied costume and set design at Dalhousie University and The National Theatre School in Montrèal. In his spare time Jamie is an accomplished guitarist, sound engineer and father of three. |
SPECIAL THANKS!
Canada Council for the Arts
Halifax Dance
Happy Soul Dance Studio
Jenn Jansen
Pàdraig O'Siadhail
Munju Ravindra
Parks Canada Cape Breton Field Unit
Sarah Penney, Salmon Recovery Coordinator
Emily Doolittle
Christopher Little
Amy Donovan
Jason Ayoub, Atlantic Cirque
Dawn Shepherd, Breaking Circus
Nadine LeFort, UINR
Alex and The Team at Kosmosky for crafting the magical tank drum.
Our families and friends for their wholehearted trust, support and enthusiasm, and all the wonderful coincidences that helped this project hatch so fluidly.
Halifax Dance
Happy Soul Dance Studio
Jenn Jansen
Pàdraig O'Siadhail
Munju Ravindra
Parks Canada Cape Breton Field Unit
Sarah Penney, Salmon Recovery Coordinator
Emily Doolittle
Christopher Little
Amy Donovan
Jason Ayoub, Atlantic Cirque
Dawn Shepherd, Breaking Circus
Nadine LeFort, UINR
Alex and The Team at Kosmosky for crafting the magical tank drum.
Our families and friends for their wholehearted trust, support and enthusiasm, and all the wonderful coincidences that helped this project hatch so fluidly.
Language Translations
L'Abri du Poisson (French)
There exists, in the south of France, in Hell’s Gorge, on the right bank of the Vézere river,
a cave which guards the secrets of the ages.
There, on the ceiling, we find a relief that transports us to the old stone age.
25,000 years have passed since ancient peoples made their mark on this place.
A mark that endures.
This relief of one metre, a little more, depicts a spawned out salmon,
jaw hooked, body enhanced by the colour red, the male spent from the spawn.
Paleolithic parietal art - big words.
The essence of life, of survival, of the wisdom of instinct - what could be more simple?
N’in na plamu (Mi’kmaq)
I am salmon carrying life
I am salmon must go far
I am salmon remembering my ancestry
I am salmon awakening in the river - spring
I am salmon river takes me to the ocean
I am salmon must look for medicine
I am salmon I must go far far away
I am salmon spirit leads me on
I am salmon must go back to the river where I awoke
I am salmon river takes me back deep into the forest
I am salmon carrying life
I am salmon must go far
I am salmon remembering my ancestry
I am salmon
The Song of Amergin (Old Irish)
I am wind on sea
I am ocean wave
I am roar of sea
I am a salmon in the pool
I am a word of knowledge/science/wisdom
Fish Goddess on Mount Ślęża (Polish)
Valleys, distant rivers and that forest
From this mountain I keep watch and call to you Salmon Return!
And multiply
This is your fate
To give life of your life
Testimonials
Sarah PennySalmon Recovery Coordinator, Cape Breton Highlands National Park
“The visceral and compelling way this performance carried me through the salmon’s own experience gave me a deeper feeling of connection to these incredible creatures; I felt like my mission to protect them was calling to me through this piece. It is unlike anything I have experienced in my everyday conservation work.”.
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Amy Donovan PhD researcher, environmental anthropology, McGill University
“Salar embodies the intricacy, vitality and mystery of the lives of Atlantic salmon. As an audience member, I moved with the actor as her body and narration traveled through the salmon’s life stages, a performance at once spellbinding and illuminating—effects that are heightened by visceral, haunting musical accompaniment. The ensemble have entered the psyche of the salmon, and they will bring you in there with them.”
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Munju RavindraSenior Advisor, Marine Conservation, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation
Parks Canada / Government of Canada "What a fun way to learn about the plight of our favourite fish! Informative and provocative, Salar will have you thinking long after the show is over."
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Activity Sheets
Crossword (Eng. & Fr.)
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
king_of_fish_-_crossword_puzzle_final.pdf | |
File Size: | 63 kb |
File Type: |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/pdf.png)
le_poisson-roi_mots_croisés.pdf | |
File Size: | 728 kb |
File Type: |
Word Search (Eng. & Fr.)
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