Charlottetown – The Charlottetown Festival is pleased to launch the newest Confederation Centre Young Company production, Abegweit: The Soul of the Island on July 1. It is the latest production in the We Are Canadian series, and this year, it is all about PEI.
The 16 Islanders who make up this year’s Young Company will be spending the rest of June in training and rehearsals before delivering their first performance Canada Day at noon in the outdoor amphitheatre. The Young Company free performances are at noon Monday through Saturday until August 22.
Created by artistic director Anne Allan and associate artistic director Wade Lynch, the production features a variety of music, dance and spoken word in English, French and Mi’Kmaq.
Excited about the material and the possibility of taking this show to new heights, Lynch is equally excited about the group he has at his disposal, saying all members of this year’s troupe are known as a triple threat – they can sing, dance and act. He has high hopes that this great all-Island talent will be capable of performing anywhere with more practice.
“I’m totally biased, but I’m overwhelmed. Here is a professional company that could work anywhere; Broadway, London’s West End, or Toronto, they’re on their way,” said Lynch.
Abegweit: The Soul of the Island will highlight the people, history, and diversity that helped shape Prince Edward Island, with pieces ranging from early First Nations people, the arrival of the French, Scottish and Irish, the vibrant Lebanese community, up to present day. All of which provided Lynch with a challenge ranging from casting to costumes.
“We learned we couldn’t use green with a lot of our native costumes, and don’t think of mixing tartans with the Scots,” he quips.
TD Financial Group is the sponsor of the Young Company. The Charlottetown Festival is sponsored by APM. Media sponsors for the Festival are The Guardian, CTV, K-ROCK and Ocean 100.
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