Have Play, Will Travel

A travelling theatre project from Cheticamp is taking the boogey-man on the road.

Le Festival International de Danse du Cap-Breton is using the richness of an Acadian folk-tale to help children overcome their fears.

The dance society was born last summer when more than 200 dancers and musicians from across Canada, as well as from Louisiana, descended on Cheticamp for a four-day festival. The premier event attracted more than 6,600 spectators.

Its success led organizers to look for other cultural projects to sponsor. Paul Gallant, artistic director with Le Festival, came up with the idea for a performance using black light puppetry and wrote a play based on Annette et les Sournachettes, a popular Acadian folk-tale about a young girl overcoming her fear of the "boogey-man."

"We're targeting French elementary schools with this production," said Michael Cormier, president of Le Festival. "The play is taking an idea that is prominent in young minds and helping to overcome it through performance."

Targeting children in Acadian and French immersion schools, Le Festival has piqued the interest of the French-language school board. "They're seriously thinking of bringing it to schools throughout Atlantic Canada," said Dr. Cormier.

The play received a standing ovation at its dress rehearsal at the end of February in Cheticamp before an audience of elementary school students.

The play may also tour to audiences out of province, in New Brunswick and as far away as Louisiana. And that, said Dr. Cormier, would be great for Cape Breton.

"People may be attracted to come see the origin of this play, and you never know, Annette could become another Evangeline or Anne."

"This is what community economic development is all about -- community members creating opportunities for themselves by building on their strengths," said Manning MacDonald, Minister of Nova Scotia Economic Development and Tourism. "The talents and cultural heritage in Cheticamp are wonderful assets to build on."

The project took about six months to prepare and involved everything from writing the script and developing the characters, to producing the props especially necessary for black light puppetry. Four people were employed during the pre-production phase and are still working with the production in administration and as performers.

Economic Development and Tourism contributed $7,000 toward project costs. Other funding was provided by Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. and Le Festival International de Danse du Cap-Breton.