Stage Door News
Stage Door News
(Toronto) - NIÁGARA ~ A Pan-American Story, is inspired by the true story of a twenty-year old poet-revolutionary, who spoke out against slavery and was exiled in 1824 from his native Cuba. The internationally-renowned
Veronica Tennant directs this visually stimulating and original theatre production with the stellar cast; René Millán, Paula Rivera and pre-recorded Brent Carver.
NIÁGARA ~ A Pan-American Story engages the audience in an emotionally-charged journey to the edge of an enormous precipice on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls where José María Heredia wrote his cathartic poem which immediately immortalized him as "The First Poet of the Americas" – indeed, the father of Romantic poetry in the Spanish language.
Niágara, is studied and cherished to this day by every Cuban and generations of Latin Americans, who (along with the rest of the world), are compelled to visit Niagara Falls as a first stop in North America - taking on an almost cultural pilgrimage! Today, there is a plaque dedicated to Heredia on the rock-face of the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
“Our piece theatrically explores the story of a man of astonishing courage,” says Veronica Tennant, Director.
“Think of the rush of emotion we all feel on our first sighting of Niagara Falls. One can only imagine how dangerous and untamed it was two centuries ago. Heredia describes how he heard the roar and saw the mists from five miles away! His cathartic story with its magnitude of regret and wonderment of nature gives us a rich canvas to explore dramatically.”
NIÁGARA ~ A Pan-American Story is a LIVELY experience, fusing Guillermo Verdecchia’s dramatic text with our stellar cast in a surreal dreamscape. José María Heredia's story will flash-back and flash-forward, in many vocabularies – exploring imagery, song and movement. Niagara Falls in Heredia's time was a gargantuan force of nature, far more wild, crashing and overpowering than today's remnants (which, even so, draw 12 million visitors a year). José María himself will come alive; he spoke of "terror and awe", and described how the very rock where he'd sat, hurtled into the chasm as he rose to leave. In the poem's last line he also predicted that he would die "in a few years", and hoped some "kind traveller" might one day look upon Niagara and think of him! The extraordinary truth is that both, came to pass! Poverty-stricken, Heredia died of tuberculosis in Mexico at the age of 35, while José María Heredia’s poem Niágara is to this day, a seminal part of Cuban culture. This deep connection is a barely-known fact for virtually all Canadians.
What more apt time or place for these discoveries to be blazoned in an imaginative artistic experience - than during the Pan-American Games - Arts and Culture program, PANAMANIA in Toronto, July 2015?
NIÁGARA ~ A PAN-AMERICAN STORY
WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCES IN TORONTO JULY 23-26 DURING PANAMANIA, THE 2015 PAN AM/PARAPAN AM GAMES ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL
Directed by Veronica Tennant, NIÁGARA ~ A Pan-American Story Stars René Millán, Paula Rivera & (the voice of) Brent Carver Script by Guillermo Verdecchia
WHAT: NIÁGARA ~ A Pan-American Story commissioned for the TORONTO 2015 arts and culture festival PANAMANIA, presented by CIBC, is inspired by PANAMANIA TO2015's theme of 'Aquaculture', celebrating the culminating year of the United Nations International Decade for Action - "Water for Life.”
WHO: Conceived and directed by Veronica Tennant, on-stage cast features: René Millán and Paula Rivera. Brent Carver’s ethereal voice will be a highlight of the soundscape.
Bios at: http://www.niagarapoem.com/artists.html
Additional specially created video participation by LA COLMENITA – Cuba’s outstanding children’s theatre company led by Carlos Alberto Cremata.
Multi Award-winning creative team includes: Guillermo Verdecchia, Writer; Astrid Janson, Scenery and Costume Designer; John Gzowski, Composer and Sound Designer; Jock Munro, Lighting Designer; Cameron Davis, Projection Designer; Peter W. Lamb, Producer; Leslie Haller, Producer, and Peter Gentile, Producer
Bios: http://www.niagarapoem.com/creative-team.html
WHEN: July 23 – 26 July 23: 8pm; July 24 8pm; July 25 2pm & 8pm; July 26 8pm WHERE: Ada Slaight Hall — Daniels Spectrum | 585 DUNDAS ST. EAST, TORONTO, ON
TICKETS: $38 per ticket available for purchase online: http://www.niagarapoem.com/tickets and by phone 416.866.8666
Photo: Plaque to José María Heredia at Niagara Falls. ©2015 John Gundy.
2015-06-24
Toronto: "Niágara" has world premiere in Toronto as part of Panamania July 23-26