2024 Workshop Registration is live!
Want to be a performer, musician, dancer, puppet builder or puppeteer in the River Clyde Pageant? Would you like to help build and shape the design of our show? Do you have an interest in the health of Island waterways and ecosystems, or a desire to participate in a large, collaborative theatre-making process? Join our Pageant workshops, where you’ll learn new skills and contribute to the creation of this summer’s Pageant, which runs July 25-28 and August 1-4, 2024. All ages are welcome, and no previous experience is required, just come with your imagination, an open mind and a readiness to get creative!
Keep scrolling for our 2024 Workshop Offerings.
If you’re not ready to make the commitment for Pageant workshops, you can still take part as a volunteer! Sign up to our volunteer list below:
Please note!
Pageant workshops are offered to the public free of charge. Free arts programming is important to us - it’s a way to give back to the community that helps build the Pageant each summer. Spaces are limited in these workshops, and they fill up on quickly and usually have waitlists. With that in mind, we ask that you consider the following:
If you register for a workshop, make the commitment to attend - put the dates in your calendar and show up.
If you sign up and realize you can no longer attend, email us to withdraw your registration so someone on the waitlist can participate.
Please consider a donation to The River Clyde Pageant to assist with the administration and material costs of these workshops. Your contributions help us ensure we can continue to offer high-quality, accessible arts programming to the community.
2024 Workshop Offerings
Puppet Ensemble
Technical training in ensemble-based puppetry and performance with Franziska Glen & Laura Stinson
This workshop series will teach performance skills with puppets and objects and will train a group of puppeteers to perform in the 2024 River Clyde Pageant. With a focus on ensemble-based performance, Puppet Ensemble explores group movement, mask work, large-scale puppet operation, small-scale puppet operation and performance in collaboration with the landscapes of the River Clyde. Participants will contribute to the spectacular puppet performance elements of the River Clyde Pageant, in collaboration with ensemble members and lead Pageant artists. This workshop is open to people ages 12 and up - no previous experience required.
Please note! We are only training participants who are available to perform in the 2024 Pageant. Participants who are available for all performance dates (July 25th-28 & August 1-4) and can commit to the majority of the scheduled sessions will be prioritized for this workshop. In recognition of the significant time commitment required for performing in the show, puppeteers are paid an honorarium for their time.
WORKSHOP LOCATION: This workshop takes place on the Pageant site and at our outdoor studio in New Glasgow.
WORKSHOP DATES
Wednesday June 12, 6-8pm
Sunday June 16, 2-5pm
Wednesday June 19, 6-8pm
Sunday June 23, 2-5pm
Wednesday June 26, 6-8pm
Sunday June 30, 2-5pm
Wednesday July 3, 6-8pm
Sunday July 7, 2-5pm
Thursday July 11, 6:30-8:30pm
Sunday July 14, 2-5pm
Thursday July 18, 6:30-8:30pm
PRODUCTION WEEK REHEARSALS
Saturday July 20, 9:00am - 11:30am, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday July 21, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Tuesday July 23, 6:00 - 9:30pm
[Wednesday July 24, 6:00 - 9:30pm - rain date rehearsal]
PERFORMANCE DATES:
July 25 - July 28, 6-9:30pm
August 1 - 4, 6-9:30pm
Further Afield: A Music Workshop
A musical storytelling workshop for musicians of all ages and experience levels, led by Garry Williams
What if trees could speak? What stories would they tell? What wisdom would they impart? Join theatre artist/composer-lyricist Garry Williams in a series of exploratory sessions to use shapes, movement, & space to create text, graphic scores, explore musical gesture, and engage in playful, musical storytelling and stretch the imagination. We’ll sing, we’ll play instruments, we’ll have fun! Open to adults and children ages 8 and up. Youth under 12 should have an adult companion to make music, too!
Building on last year's performance, participants will work to create, develop, and expand the score for this year's outdoor theatre spectacle. This music workshop is open to singers and players of all levels of experience and will take place indoors and outdoors at the Pageant site in New Glasgow, PEI. It is not necessary to read music or play an instrument, but you do need to have great listening skills, be attentive, and be interested in working as part of a team!
WORKSHOP DATES:
Wednesday June 12, 6-8:30pm
Thursday June 13, 6-8:30pm
Saturday June 15, 2-5pm
Sunday June 16, 2-5pm
WORKSHOP LOCATION:
New Glasgow Christian Church is the meeting place and site for indoor sessions. Outdoor work will take place around New Glasgow and on the Pageant site. The New Glasgow Christian Church is located at 617 Route 258, New Glasgow, PEI.
We encourage singers taking part in our Pageant choir with Andrea Ellis to attend this music workshop. Anyone interested in playing a musical instrument as part of this year’s Pageant is encouraged to take part, and bring your instrument if you have one. And, if you’d simply like to participate in this workshop and not perform in the Pageant, that’s alright too!
Following the workshop, participants will either continue on to sing with the Pageant choir, or can join a smaller musical ensemble that will play in the show, which runs July 25-28 and August 1-4, 2024.
The Singing River: Pageant Choir
A workshop for singers of all levels of experience, led by Andrea Ellis
Explore vocal technique, ensemble singing, improvisation and “choralography” with the River Clyde as your backdrop! Andrea Ellis, RCP Choir Director, seeks to provide a holistic approach to music-making where all musicians can feel free to lend their voices to our singing community. Singers will rehearse and perform original songs created for this year’s Pageant, and will bring this music into our outdoor performance space. Singers will have the chance to contribute to the creation of new choral material for the show; however, to be fully immersed in the song creation process, please sign up for Further Afield: A Music Workshop with Garry Williams, RCP Music Director.
The Pageant Choir is open to singers age 12 and up. Advanced registration is required. Singers should be able to attend the majority of dates below, as well as River Clyde Pageant shows on July 25-28 and August 1-4. In recognition of the significant time commitment required for performing in the show, singers are paid an honorarium for their time.
WORKSHOP LOCATIONS: All June workshop sessions take place at Milton Community Hall at 7 New Glasgow Road Rte 224, North Milton, PEI. Starting July 4, workshop sessions will take place at New Glasgow Christian Church, 617 Route 258, New Glasgow.
WORKSHOP DATES
Monday June 3, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Monday June 10, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Monday June 17, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Monday June 24, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Thursday July 4, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Monday July 8, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Thursday July 11, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Monday July 15, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Thursday July 18, 6:30 - 8:30pm
PRODUCTION WEEK REHEARSALS
Saturday July 20, 9:00am - 11:30am, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday July 21, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Tuesday July 23, 6:00 - 9:30pm
[Wednesday July 24, 6:00 - 9:30pm - rain date rehearsal]
PERFORMANCE DATES:
July 25 - July 28, 6-9:30pm
August 1 - 4, 6-9:30pm
Dance like the Wind
A creative movement and choreography workshop with Reequal Smith
Dancer/choreographer Reequal Smith of Oshun’s Dance leads this workshop exploring movement, imagination and environment. Participants will dance together in outdoor and indoor settings (weather dependent), working on movement exercises and group choreography that builds connection to each other and the natural world. Inspired by the wind, weather and other natural forces around us, this workshop will create choreography that explores free-flowing movement and draws from Reequal’s background in Afro-Caribbean dance and calypso fusion. This choreography will be performed in the 2024 River Clyde Pageant.
No previous experience in dance is necessary - just come with an open mind and be ready to move!
Open to children and adults age 9 and up. Limited to 16 participants. Advance registration is required.
WORKSHOP DATES:
Sunday June 23, 4-6pm
Thursday June 27, 6-8pm
Sunday June 30, 4-6pm
Thursday July 4, 6-8pm
Sunday July 7, 4-6pm
Thursday July 11, 6:30-8:30pm
Sunday July 14, 4-6pm
Thursday July 18, 6:30-8:30pm
PRODUCTION WEEK REHEARSALS
Saturday July 20, 9:00am - 11:30am, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday July 21, 5:00 - 8:00pm
Tuesday July 23, 6:00 - 9:30pm
[Wednesday July 24, 6:00 - 9:30pm - rain date rehearsal]
PERFORMANCE DATES:
July 25 - July 28, 6-9:30pm
August 1 - 4, 6-9:30pm
WORKSHOP LOCATION & MORE INFO: Meeting place for the first few sessions is at New Glasgow Christian Church at 617 Route 258, New Glasgow, PEI. As much as weather allows, sessions will take place outdoors. Participants must be available to perform as part of the 2024 River Clyde Pageant.
In recognition of the significant time commitment required for performing in the show, dancers are paid an honorarium for their time.
Journey: A Textile and Land exploration
Learn tie and dye textile processes with Eberechi Okwuwolu
Join multidisciplinary artist and mindfulness coach Eberechi Okwuwolu for a three day tie and dye textile workshop. This workshop takes place outdoors, and will explore different textile dyeing methods.
We will also use this workshop to explore who we are, our intricate relationships to the land and all the beings of our world, and our responsibility to show up for our neighbours and kin. We will start off with mindfulness practices to situate us and prepare us to be present in the space and with our materials. We will then learn and explore different textile tie and dye designs and processes. Materials will be sourced from the land around us to use in our creations.
The journey of the workshop will allow participants to dive deep into their mind and find a sense of grounding as we create textile works that reflect who we are and our relationship with the land. Participants will define what it means to be present in the moment.
Textiles will be integrated into the set of the 2024 River Clyde Pageant, and participants are also welcome to take home their creations.
As we create our textile works we remember those who are not able to create at this point in time and use the opportunity to be grateful for where we are and take accountability for what we do on the land we move in and how we move in this land. Everything we do is connected. We are all connected.
Open to adults and youth age 10 and up. Youth under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Advance registration is required.
WORKSHOP DATES
Thursday July 4, 6-8pm
Saturday July 6, 3-5pm
Sunday July 7, 3-5pm
WORKSHOP LOCATION: Workshop sessions will take place at our outdoor studio in New Glasgow. Exact location to be confirmed.
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL. You may use the registration form to add your name to our waitlist, and we will contact you if a spot comes available.
The Bee: Storytelling, Art & Craft
A new workshop highlighting the best parts of the Pageant world
The Bee combines two highlights of Pageant life: storytelling and art-making.
Each week will feature storytelling activities and easy drama games followed by a handicrafts session, where we work together on simple tasks that will help bring specific design elements of the Pageant to life. This may involve weaving spruce roots, doing papier-mâché or basic sewing to create puppets, set pieces, costumes and flags for the show.
The Bee offers a relaxed creative environment where we can socialize, be creative and productive all at the same time - like a quilting bee, but without the quilts! Activities will be led by different members of the Pageant creative team: Jane Wells, Megan Stewart, Franziska Glen, Laura Stinson, and Natalia Cortes.
No expertise or prior experience is necessary to participate. You can come once, or to all sessions. Please register in advance so we know how many people to expect.
Open to children and adults ages 10 and up. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.
WORKSHOP DATES
Friday June 14, 4-6pm
Friday June 21, 4-6pm
Friday June 28, 4-6pm
Saturday July 6, 1-3pm
Saturday July 13, 1-3pm
WORKSHOP LOCATION
All sessions will take place at New Glasgow Christian Church, 617 Route 258, New Glasgow, PEI.
Light up the Meadow
A lantern-making workshop led by Kristian Brevik.
As night falls on the meadow, who emerges to witness the final moments of the show and share a meal with us? Join lantern maker Kristian Brevik for a workshop creating large ‘column lanterns’ - human-sized illuminated sculptures which will light up the meal site and reflect the beings who live there: grasses, flowers, moths, mice, birds, bats, and others. Participants will craft willow frames for these lanterns and use natural-dyed fabrics and a range of applique, quilting, and other methods to make cloth silhouette scenes inspired by the meadows and forests of the Pageant site. If we are lucky, moths and others will come out to join us when the lanterns are illuminated. No previous experience necessary!
Open to children and adults ages 9 and up. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.
Workshop takes place at our outdoor studio in New Glasgow. Limited to 12 participants.
WORKSHOP DATES:
Tuesday July 16, 6-8pm
Wednesday July 17, 6-8pm
Thursday July 18, 6-8pm
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL. You may use the registration form to add your name to our waitlist, and we will contact you if a spot comes available.
Let’s make a solo show!
A solo performance creation workshop with Mike Geither
If you’re an actor, writer, or both, you’ve been thinking about a solo show for a while. I know it. They’re inexpensive, easy to stage and perfect for Fringes and small venues. You can even do them in dining rooms. So, why not get started through this week-long incursion into the basics of the form? We’ll write, do some storytelling, and look at other ways of interacting with an audience, be it through autobiographical material or character-based work. This workshop is open to writers, actors, performers and comedians of any skill level and any age. Prerequisites: Support and respect.
WORKSHOP DATES:
Tuesday June 11, 6:30-8:30pm
Wednesday June 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Thursday June 13, 6:30-8:30pm
Saturday June 15, 2-5pm
Sunday June 16, 2-5pm
WORKSHOP LOCATION: The Mill in New Glasgow, 5592 Route 13, New Glasgow, PEI
Limited to 12 participants. Advance registration required.