PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 29, 2005
Media Contacts: Jessica Fresolone, Communications Manager
Administration: (425) 392-1942 x124
E-Mail:
Frank Stilwagner, Director of Marketing
Administration: (425) 392-1942 x129
E-Mail:
Website: www.villagetheatre.org
TTY: 1-800-833-6388
VOICE: 1-800-833-6384
EWAJO CENTRE’S CHRIS DAIGRE DANCES VIVID LIFE INTO
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND AT VILLAGE THEATRE
Issaquah and Everett, WA – Village Theatre is delighted to open the 2005-2006 Season with a fantastic journey to a magical island in Ahrens and Flaherty's eight time Tony Award-nominated musical, Once On This Island. This Caribbean-flavored twist on the timeless tale of The Little Mermaid features choreography by locally known head Chris Daigre, of Ewajo Dance Center. The show is told primarily in song and dance, so Director David Bennett brought Daigre in to add authenticity to the movement. Daigre is Artistic Director of the Ewajo Dance Workshop. He studied Afro Latin Jazz and Modern dance under the teaching and guidance of Edna Daigre. His choreographic credits include Madrona Youth Theatre, Eastside Moving Company, and Ewajo’s Collective Ensemble. He is currently teaching at the Northwest School and developing outreach programs and workshops with Pacific Northwest Ballets Discover Dance Program and Seattle Theatre Group’s Dance This… and Ladies Musical Club Inc. Music in the Schools program. Daigre is well known throughout the Puget Sound for combining many different types of dance together. For Once On This Island, he will be using a combination of African, Latin, and Caribbean influenced dance. To add an element of theatricality, he will also add elements of jazz, modern, and ballet. “The origins of dance for people in the Caribbean Islands are rooted in Africa,” said Daigre. “The movements are done close to the earth, isolating several parts of the body.The music is percussive and polyrhythmic.When the African root combines with the indigenous sounds and movements of the Latin and Caribbean cultures, the result is a unique, rich and infectious style music and dance.”
Daigre explained how he determined what styles of dance to use in creating the movement for the show. “Since the show takes place on an imaginary island in the Caribbean,” he said, “I felt it was essential to capture the essence of the people who actually live there now. Dance is a part of their everyday lives.Movement and dances often represent how people harvest and prepare food; celebrate birth, death and courtship; revere the natural elements of nature.All the movement in the show, simple or complex, must symbolize the lifestyle and beliefs of the people.”
To indicate the cultural differences between the two groups represented in the show—the “grande hommes” and the poor peasants—Daigre has chosen different movement styles for the two groups. Explained Daigre: “The grande hommes movement is based on straight body posture with very little movement above the waist.Everyone dances on the same beat and with a very dignified and uniformed look (ballet and waltz influences). The peasant dances are based on a full range of movement with encouraged self-expression and dancing on and off the beat (African and Latin dance influences).”
The all black cast features Lisa Estridge* as Ti Moune, Timothy McCuen Piggee* as Agwe, Charlie Parker* as Erzulie, Marlette Buchanan* as Asaka, Ty Willis* as Papa Ge, Faith Bennett Russell as Mama Euralie, T. Edwin Pettiford* as Tonton Julian, David Devine as Daniel, Jarvis Antonio Green as Armand, and Karen Ann Daniels* as Andrea. Alexandria Gray and Madison Willis share the role of Young Ti Moune.
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Based on the poem “My Love, My Love” by Rosa Guy
Directed by David Bennett
Choreographed by Chris Daigre
Musical Direction by Faith Seetoo
In Issaquah:
Location: at the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027
Dates: September 14-October 23, 2005
Times: Selected Tuesdays and Wednesday through Saturday evenings: 8:00 PM
Sundays and selected Saturdays: 2:00 PM and selected Sunday evenings: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $24-$48
Student Rush: ½ price 30 minutes prior to curtain for any available seat. Group discounts available for groups of ten or more. For information, call the Box Office.
Box Office: (425) 392-2202
In Everett:
Location: at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
Dates: October 28-November 13, 2005
Times: Wednesday through Saturday evenings: 8:00 PM, Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 2:00 PM, and selected Sunday evenings: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $20-$44
Student & Military Rush: ½ price 30 minutes prior to curtain for any available seat. Group discounts available for groups of ten or more. For information, call the Box Office.
Box Office: (425) 257-8600
About Village Theatre
Village Theatre is a leading producer of Musical Theatre in the Pacific Northwest. What began in 1979 with the vision of a small group of dedicated theatre artists has grown into one of the region’s best-attended resident theatres, with over 16,000 subscribers to the current season and 165,000 projected total attendance, performances on four stages in the Seattle area, youth education programs serving over 53,000 young people annually, and a nationally recognized program, Village Originals, that has enabled the development of over 50 new musicals.
Mission of Village Theatre:
To be a regionally recognized and nationally influential center of excellence in family theatre
To promote a season of top quality productions.
To commission and produce new musicals that achieve national exposure.
To train young people in theatre skills for career opportunities and enriched lives.
To develop a broad based appreciation for live theatre.
To promote positive values through art.
Village Theatre’s 2005-2006 Mainstage Season Sponsors ares The Boeing Company and Continental Airlines. Village Theatre is funded in part by grants from: 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax Revenue, ArtsFund, ArtsUnited, Bellevue Arts Commission, City of Everett, City of Issaquah,Issaquah Arts Commission, Lombardi's, The National Endowment for the Arts,Northwest Suites, PONCHO, The Shubert Foundation, Snohomish County Hotel/Motel Tax Fund, Standing Ovation, and the Washington State Arts Commission.
# # #
* Denotes Member, Actors' Equity Association