May 9 – June 9, 2024
Factory Theatre, AKI Studio and Alliance Française (Toronto)
The Assembly Hall (Etobicoke)
Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton)
Aurora Cultural Centre (Aurora)
WeeFestival of Arts & Culture for Early Years, Toronto’s only festival of its kind, returns with live, in-person performances in Toronto, the GTA & Ontario from May 9th to June 9th.
In what will be the 7th edition since the festival was launched in 2014, the WeeFestival offers a four-week dynamic and diverse program of performances and events for children newborn to six years old features music, dance, puppetry performances in English, French, or no words at all!
WeeFestival will take place at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre Extraspace and The Spadina Theatre of Alliance Française in the Annex, The Redwood Theatre in the Upper Beaches, Native Earth’s AKI Studio in Regent Park, Small World Centre near Queen West, and Assembly Hall, next to Colonel Samuel Smith Park in Etobicoke. Finally, Theatre Aquarius with Centre Francophone Hamilton and the Aurora Cultural Centre will offer WeeFestival performances for their audiences in Hamilton and Aurora respectively.
Le Théâtre français de Toronto, returns this edition as the WeeFestival’s Francophone Programme Partner supporting efforts to reach Francophone and francophile families and students.
Full schedule/details below or at https://weefestival.ca/box-office/
For general information regarding the 2024 edition of the WeeFestival please visit www.weefestival.ca
2024 WeeFestival Programme in Chronological Order
Up! | Kristof Hiriart, LagunArte (France)
May 10 – 12 | Dance Arts Institute -Daniels Spectrum
Rising, reaching, longing, and learning – taking risks to go beyond and discover both thresholds and possibilities. A metaphor for growing up-Kristof Hiriart offers a captivating solo vocal concert for young children. (6 months – 5 years)
Bonne Nuit! | Puzzle Theatre (Quebec)
May 18 | The Spadina Theatre, Alliance Française
It’s bedtime but sleep is the last thing on this restless fellow’s mind. Besides, how can he sleep when the pillow and blankets have minds of their own and his pyjamas want to dance? Performer Csaba Raduly thrills all ages with his puppetry and physical comedy. (3 yrs +)
Plastique | Puzzle Theatre (Quebec)
May 19 | The Spadina Theatre, Alliance Française
Plastic bags, they’re everywhere we look and that’s not a good thing. But when the inventive artists of Puzzle Theatre connect with that pesky polluting plastic, they bring it to life in ways you’ve never imagined! A whole world of crinkly, stretchy, and rather “hangry” creatures fill the stage and test each other and the puppeteers themselves. (4 yrs +)
Paper Playground | Foolish Operations (BC)
May 21 & 22 | Dance Arts Institute-Daniels Spectrum
A playful and interactive dance performance where children are free to join in and explore because that’s what young ones do best!
Exploring the theme of water with boats, fish, crabs and sharks, performers present irresistible invitations for children to participate through drawing, moving, and music making. ( 8 months – 24 months)
Sonia & Alfredo | Teatro Gioco Vita (Italy)
May 18 & 19 | Alumnae Theatre
Alfredo has fled his home and is searching for refuge. None of the other birds will welcome him and tell him to go away! But one day he arrives at Sonia’s home and a beautiful friendship begins. A wonderful story about finding home, belonging, friendship, and family told through exquisite theatre and shadow puppetry. (4 yrs +)
First Words/mOts Premiers | a.k. entrepôt (France)
May 25 & 26 | Dance Arts Institute – Daniels Spectrum
Two strangers meet, each with their own distinct language of movement and words. They struggle to communicate and cooperate until they discover a new shared language through dance. A dynamic performance blending Hip Hop and Contemporary dance. (3 yrs +)
Quest for the Moon | WeeFestival (ON)
May 25 & 26 | Tarragon Theatre
Quest for the Moon follows a heartwarming and engaging story about the friendship between a young fox and the Moon – told with the magic of shadow puppetry, music, and theatre. (2 yrs +)
Walangaan | Theatre de la Guimbarde (Belgium & Senegal)
June 1 & 2 | Tarragon Theatre ExtraSpace
Walangaan tells the story of the water cycle – The water which quenches us, flows on our skin, splashes, cleanses, sings, rocks, and gushes. A Senegalese singer and percussionist go upstream, reveal its sounds and play with their voices and their bodies, from the drop to the downpour, from the splash to the waterfall. (18 months +)
Cuckoo | Graham Soul (Quebec)
June 1 & 2 | The Assembly Hall (Etobicoke)
The disciplined life of a cuckoo clock is thrown upside down when an unexpected visitor interferes with the clockwork! Cuckoo the clock bird chases after it and discovers a magical world beyond time! (3 yrs +)
Rawums (:) | Florshütz & Döhnert (Germany)
June 7 -9 | Tarragon Theatre, ExtraSpace
June 7 (PA Day)
The laws of gravity are discovered by two curious characters! Why does a feather hover gently in the air, while a bag crashes heavily on the ground? But then what about a house? a chair? or even a person? Can they fly? They’re determined to find out! (2 yrs +)
Solalie | Tigouli (Quebec)
June 8 & 9 | Tarragon Theatre, Near Studio
Solalie is both an installation and concert that offers a unique musical universe linked to nature: a landscape of rocks, ropes, fibers, wood, spheres, tubes, and moss. Children move freely through the seven landscapes interacting with and activating the sounds within the installation. (12 months +)
Venues and Ticket Information
- Native Earth’s AKI Studio: 585 Dundas St. E #250, Toronto ON M5A 2B7
- The Spadina Theatre of Alliance Française: 24 Spadina Rd. Toronto ON M5R 2S7
- Assembly Hall: 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr. Etobicoke, ON M8V 4B6
- The Redwood Theatre: 1300 Gerrard St. E. Toronto ON M4L 1Y7
- Tarragon Theatre Extraspace: 30 Bridgman Ave. Toronto ON M5R 1X3
- Small World Centre: 180 Shaw St. Toronto, ON M6J 2W5
Tickets: $10 – $20 (including ticketing and box office fees)
Box Office: weefestival.ca/box-office/
Festival webpage: www.weefestival.ca
