New Culture Creative Event HARMONY
a musical fantasy co-produced by Japan and Canada
Children perform too-a show with audience participation
The Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition is presenting the Japan-Canada joint production of the musical fantasy Harmony as one of its Expo events. HARMONY was created exclusively for Expo 2005 Aichi. It seeks to portray the harmony between Planet Earth and the living things on it. Through the adventures of boy doctor Shin, its main character who works to save living things suffering from the disasters of environmental destruction, the show describes the horror or destroying nature and the importance of harmony between Planet Earth and the living things on it.
The scenario was written in Japan. Staging is by TDC, a Canadian company using a rich original blend of specially developed giant puppets, images, and music at indoor and outdoor venues around the world.
Work on Harmony began in 2002. The show is the result of the sharing of many ideas, the solving of numerous problems including repeated collisions with the Japan-Canada culture barrier. It is highly appropriate that this international joint production makes its debut at Expo 2005 Aichi, the first world exposition of the 21st Century.
A unique feature of this production is participation on stage by 48 children from the audience. The children are pre-recruited to take part in a workshop an hour before the show, where they learn to operate the puppets and sing the theme song in order to come on stage at a key moment in the show and create harmony between the stage and the hall.
Information
Performance dates:
Sunday, May 1 through Sunday, May 8, 2005 (14 performances)
Venue:
Expo Hall, Expo 2005 Aichi
Length of show:
about 60 minutes
Story
Through the adventures of boy doctor Shin, its main character who works to save living things suffering from the disasters of environmental destruction, the show describes the horror or destroying nature and the importance of harmony between Planet Earth and the living things on it.
Performance Schedule
| May | 1 (Sun) | 2 (Mon) | 3 (Tue) | 4 (Wed) | 5 (Thu) | 6 (Fri) | 7 (Sat) | 8 (Sun) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Show times | 11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
11:30 (9:30) |
|
| 16:00 (14:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
17:00 (15:00) |
(In parentheses-workshop starting times)
Workshop Information
48 children(aged 6-12) per show are pre-recruited. The children take part in a workshop in Expo Hall an hour before the show, where they learn to operate the puppets and sing the theme song in order to come on stage at a key moment in the show.
Story
the adventures of boy doctor Shin, fighting to cure planet earth of its sickness
Boy doctor Shin is one of fifty children chosen from all the children in the world to cure Planet Earth's sicknesses and repair damage done to it. With his grey Pelican Ko and his assistant Aki, he runs a clinic on East Island. When characters come to the clinic asking for help, Shin and Aki jump on Ko's back and fly north, south, east, and west around the world, fighting to save plants and animals suffering from disasters and pollution. Visitors from all over the world come to Shin's door.
One day an old owl with burns on its wings flies in from the east. He tells of a forest fire in the eastern mountains that has left all the animals homeless. The owl leaves Shin with an egg he says he rescued from the ashes of a giant tree.
Shin takes off for the eastern mountains to help the victims, but the damage is too great. On his way back, a dolphin tells him of an accident in the Northern Sea. Shin heads in that direction.
Shin wonders how he can possibly cure all the sickness in the world. He realizes one day that he is not up to the task.
Will Shin have the courage to go on being a doctor?
Cast of Characters
Shin (a boy doctor)
Aki (Shin's assistant)
Sir Owl (an old owl)
Ko the pelican (Shin's transportation)
4 fireflies
Beluga, a white whale
4 rats: Timide, Determined, Impatient, Gentle
Ai (a baby bird)
An old man in the country of wasters
3 developers
Prince
Princess
Presented by:
Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition
Sponsored by:
Daiwa Securities SMBC Co., Ltd.
Nikko Cordial Corporation
Shinko Securities Co., Ltd.
Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., Ltd.
BNP Paribas Securities (Japan) Limited
Citibank, N.A.
Merrill Lynch Japan Securities Co., Ltd.
Toyota Financial Servises Corporation
Toyota Finance Corporation
Toyota Financial Servises Securities Corporation
Cooperated by:
Supported by:
Embassy of Canada
Created by:
Craft Arts Inc.
TDC（Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur）
TDC - Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur
Wanted - Children to participate in workshops and performances
