I was walking outside in the sunshine this weekend and felt the anticipation of spring. And you know what comes after spring… Summer! Summer is a busy time with performances inside and outside, in the sun and even the rain. Summer is about kids’ high fives with Magrau, dancing on the grass with Kamilla, and sitting on blankets under the trees or in cool theatres.
Mindy the Mermaid and Shelly the Seashell are getting ready to travel to VentFest in Spencer, Indiana in June; and then there is Uncle Artie, Magrau’s uncle who showed up for a visit and never left. Magrau asked if his uncle could join the show, like I had a choice? Of course he’s in the show, he’s family!
I’ve been in the studio recording original music with the help of my brother Rafe Haines, an incredible musician and music teacher. I love writing songs to sing in between the puppets’ shenanigans. Speaking of music, it’s music to my ears to hear the sound of little kids laughing and rolling over with the giggles. I can’t take all the credit though. After all, the puppets are the main attraction, and I accept that.
Not to get ahead of ourselves, it’s still winter, and we are thrilled to perform for BC Family Day on Feb 18th at 11:15am for “Kids Take Over UBC” in the Frederick Wood Theatre at the University of British Columbia. You can also see A Birdy Told Me So on Saturday April 13 at Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam, BC at 3:00 pm! Woot! https://evergreenculturalcentre.ca/events/a-birdy-told-me-so-2024
Next up: A Birdy Told Me So will be on tour in the spring visiting 35 schools in the Central Okanagan Public Schools District. Most days will have us doing two shows, and Magrau and I are hyped!
Later, we head up to Fort St. John for more touring of our show A Space To Play then on to the Quesnel Children’s Festival on June 1, 2024 with our show Laughing Out Loud. I will be on stage and off, roving with Magrau the bird and Kamilla the frog. In the past we’ve done Spring Break Puppetry Camps as well as performances in Quesnel and we love seeing the kids who we’ve met on previous visits. They grow up so fast it’s hard to keep up! The puppets love meeting new friends.
Cue the summer and join us for the Ha Ha Ha Kidz Fest in Penticton BC, June 6 to 8, where we will be headlining on the stage and doing puppet making workshops. https://www.hahahakidzfest.com/performers/ How cool is that!?
We will be back at Confederation Park in Burnaby again In July and August to perform! Dates and times to be announced. Come meet us after our shows and say hi.
In between performing, I have several students who I teach the art of ventriloquism to on Zoom. The adults and children who I teach give me so much practise as a ventriloquist, and their questions keep me on my toes and get me researching to find the answers. Ventriloquism is an ancient artform and I am always learning more about the craft.
Some more exciting news! I am taking the puppets in tow to perform at the International Ventriloquism and Arts Festival in Spencer Indiana USA on June 28, 29 and 30 https://ventfest.org . This opportunity is a dream come true because I will be performing with many greats in the art of ventriloquism including legends Ronn Lucas and Willie Tyler who I grew up watching.
We would love to perform for YOUR summer event. We custom tailor our shows to provide the best performance for each individual group. Thank you to everyone for your support and kind words. I have two great stage managers and co-creators who help me get onstage and I appreciate them very, very much. I also want to give a shout-out to the other entertainers out there who are gearing up for a great spring and summer 2024!
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
