Stage Door News
Stage Door News
October 25, 2011. Toronto, ON - Join some of the world’s finest storm fools, yarnspinners, word-dancers, First Nations mythtellers, beatboxers, troubadours, griots, and storylovers for a celebration of the arts of voice and story at FOOL – festival of oral literatures. Known for its unique mix of traditional and experimental storytelling, FOOL runs from Thursday, October 27 through Sunday, October 30 at the Mercer Union Gallery, Alliance Française and Artscape Wychwood Barns. Event prices are $10, Pay-What-You-Can, or Free.
Intimate and thrilling urban storytelling: Lean in, listen, lend your ears, your heart, and your imagination at the third annual FOOL – festival of oral literatures. The 2011 festival is a joyful, artful collaborative celebration of community and connection. The connection between storyteller and listener, between the ancient and avant-garde is embodied in the exuberantly eclectic storytellers gathered for this year’s festival: Lauded modern dancer, Peggy Baker; celebrated playwright and comedian, Diane Flacks; longtime storyteller, Michael Wex; Luigi Rignanese, creator of a contemporary form of storytelling that’s a mix of music, voice, text and performance … These “storm fools”, among many others, travel any weather to bring stories to hungry listeners.
The afternoons at Mercer Union (4pm-6:30pm) are devoted to the oldest stories in the world, with Louis Bird and Ron Evans telling myth and traditional stories from Omushkego and Métis traditions. Dancers Meagan O’Shea, Ann-Marie Bastien, and Spirit Synott, along with fiddler extraordinaire Jaron Freeman-Fox, add movement and music to the mythtelling. Epic storyteller Lynda Howes hosts all four days.
At Mercer Union at night, musician Brian Katz and FOOL Director Dan Yashinsky co-host four urban campfires (8pm-10pm). Featured performers include Luigi Rignanese from France, Pat Braden from Yellowknife, Ouanani (Jean Arsenault and Sadio Sissokho, from Québec and Senegal), Louis Bird, Ron Evans, joined by Toronto‐based performers Peggy Baker, Erika Batdorf, Mariella Bertelli, Eddy da Original One, and Rainos Mutamba.
Long before our stories were written, they were spoken, passed from person to person, created and re-created with each telling. This is how communication began, and this is how it continues at FOOL - a series of gatherings where artists and tradition-keepers rediscover how to tell new stories for our times; through dance, puppetry, spoken word, dub, recitation, hip hop, and theatre, they explore our collective dreads, dilemmas, and dreams.
This weekend, come gather in FOOLish splendour with us!
For more information, and a full schedule of storytellers and events, please visit www.foolfestival.ca
FOOL – festival of oral literatures
FOOL at Mercer Union - Mercer Union Gallery, 1286 Bloor Street West (Just East of Bloor & Lansdowne)
Oct 27-30 (Thursday-Sunday)
4pm-6:30pm (Mythtelling) and 8pm-10pm (Urban Campfires)
FOOL at The Barns - Artscape Wychwood Barns farmers’ market (Just South of St. Clair & Christie)
Oct. 29 (Saturday) 10am-12 am
FOOL en français - Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Road (One long block north of Bloor)
Oct 28 (Friday) 7:30pm
2011-10-25
Toronto: The Tellery presents “FOOL - A Festival of Oral Literatures” October 27-30