Notes, the Cape Breton Stage Company’s third annual celebration of local collaborative art and entertainment, will take place on February 5th & 6th at 8pm in the Round Room of the Sydney Civic Center. Notes 3 will feature original work by theatre artists – actors, directors, choreographers and playwrights – based on original music written specifically for this event by local songwriters and instrumentalists. This year’s event will feature pieces based on music by Alicia Penney and Thomas Allen. The musicians were asked by the show’s producers to write in 3/4 time without lyrics, while theatre artists Yvette Rogers, Allison Cann and Wayne McKay created movement pieces without dialogue. The plays will be woven throughout the evening between the musical and dance acts. A visual art exhibit will feature works by Erin Martell, Sinead Meader and members of the Coastal Arts Initiative. Additional musical performers will include Sons of Membertou, Colette Deveaux, Aaron Corbett, Ken Chisholm, the Novemberists, and Bruce Aitken and the Blues Band. Admission is “pay-what-you-can” and all proceeds go to the Doctors Without Borders Haitian relief fund.
The genesis of the Notes series came three years ago when the members of the Cape Breton Stage Company came up with an idea to acquire original works from local songwriters and have groups of actors, directors and playwrights collectively create theatre pieces based on the songs. The aim of this collaboration was to get artists from different artistic disciplines working together. The first event featured three theatre pieces, including one with belly dancing, and songs by Aaron Corbett, Yvette Rogers and Wayne McKay. Last year there were number of theatre pieces, a mime show and a film by Keith Morrison, all based upon one song by Colette Deveaux.
When asked what an audience member new to the Notes experience should expect, organizer Wayne McKay replied: “Each year the show has been much different than the last. This year is the most unique.”
McKay usually takes the lead on acquiring the original music pieces by inviting local musicians to create pieces for the series: “This year I invited Alicia because I love her creativity and guitar playing and Thomas because I wanted a great creative drummer who could give us something different!”
The first 100 people to attend the show will receive a CD compilation featuring music by performers from all three years of Notes, with some tracks being exclusive to this compilation.
For more information on Notes and the Cape Breton Stage Company please visit www.capestage.ca
