Recent Projects
ward's island fire parade & parktopia
Welcoming the island community and city visitors, we shared PARKTOPIA as part of our annual Fire Parade, August 4.
PARKTOPIA was a theatrical exploration and shadow puppet show that celebrated parks as essential community spaces offering tranquil respite from urban intensity.
Chris Wilson, Jim Bish and the A'Rhythmics provided live music, Shadowland's interns and community participants performed the show, and hundreds joined us with hand-made lanterns for the parade.
PARKTOPIA was performed again on Ward's Island and at R.V. Burgess Park, in collaboration with the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee.
Thank you to our many volunteers and participants!
Photos by Hannah Mittelstaedt.
Sculptural Lantern Masterclass
with myra Rasmussen
Shadowland brought accomplished lantern artist Myra Rasmussen, of Polka Dot Dragon Arts Society, to share a unique lantern-making technique, which she learned from master artist Chiba Sakuryu at the Aomori Nebuta Lantern festival.
Workshop participants designed and created special lanterns which added light and beauty to the Ward's Island Fire Parade.
Photos by Hannah Mittelstaedt.
'Walk With Amal Toronto' was produced by The Walk Productions and Luminato Festival Toronto in association with Handspring Puppet Company.
On Friday, June 9 we collaborated with the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee and the Luminato Festival to welcome Amal!
Amal is a 12’ high puppet of a ten-year-old Syrian refugee girl who has travelled the world in search of home and family, bringing awareness of the journey of those who have fled their homes across the globe.
"Scents of Home" started at the Thorncliffe Library where a book about the world’s most fragrant rose – the Damask Rose sparked a familiar memory of Amal's Syrian home. Led by a hummingbird, birds and butterflies, Amal went on a journey through the community to find the elusive scent of her homeland.
Thousands of community members, schoolchildren and enthusiastic participants joined us in this parade.
Artistic Directors: Anne Barber & Brad Harley
Stage Manager: Maddy Smart
Creative Team & Artists: Cindy Dzib, Madeleine Gagnon, Joanna Grace, Rose Mohammadi, Brenna Nanie, Aryana Rizvi
Balaklava Blues Musicians: Mark Marczyk, Marichka Marczyk, Oskar lambarri, Anna Arkhipchuk
Syrian Musicians: singer Rahaf Alakbani, percussionist Samih Tarris, Buzuk player Esmaeel Abofakher
Members of The Waard Ward Collective and The Garden Representatives: Hanen Nanaa & Shoruk Alsakni
Toronto Public Library staff Karl Nicolas and Carrie Dawber, SEW TO, Sabina Ali and the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee
Stilt walkers: Holli Butrimas & Nat Lister
Volunteers: Amin Bhanji, Betsy Canfield, Angela David, Vijaya Gowri Mohan, Emma Rooney, Moddasir, Bibi Fatima, Bibi Fathia, Anipa and the many children and youth from the community
Photos and videos captured by Martin Lister, Christopher Tyrrell and Shadowland Staff.
thank you to our designers, makers, artists & volunteers
Scents of Home
walk with amal Toronto
AS YOU LIKE IT
Shadowland designed the set, props, costumes for Anand Rajaram’s production of As You Like It for Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Park. We brought the pastoral comedy to life with a multitude of flora and fauna in a garden of earthly delights.
Show Photos by Dahlia Katz
Design Drawings & process shots by Brad Harley