Mooncakes, lantern crafting, and an audio play at Gateway Theatre's Family Fun Mid-Autumn Celebration, September 24
Event in honour of upcoming Chinese holiday features live reading of Five Blessings collective’s Legend of the Whooshhh
The Legend of Whooshhh live reading.
Family Fun Mid-Autumn Celebration.
Family Fun Mid-Autumn Celebration takes place at the Gateway Theatre on September 24, with a morning event from 10 am to 11:30 am and an afternoon event from 1 pm to 2:30 pm
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL, a Chinese holiday that honours the full harvest moon, is just around the corner—and Gateway Theatre is hosting a Family Fun Mid-Autumn Celebration in joyful observance.
The event begins with a live reading of Legend of the Whooshhh, an audio play by Five Blessings collective. The entertaining, family-friendly storyline follows three chum salmon, Eunice, RoRo, and Mabel, on their journey upstream as they navigate a tricky combination of rising temperatures and lowering water levels. In the tale that emphasizes friendship and connection, the homeward-bound salmon teach audiences about the myth of Chang Er, and the legend of the salmon cannon (also known as the “Whooshhh”).
Legend of the Whooshhh is performed by Stephanie Wong, Angela Chu, Harmony Yen, Raugi Yu, and Cindy Kaois. The work is part of Five Blessing collective’s A Year of Blessings series, a five-episode exploration of the meaning behind traditional Chinese festivals that’s designed for young listeners. This episode is co-written and composed by musician Kristin Fung.
After the play reading concludes, there’s family fun in store. Guests can create their own celebratory crafts, including paper lanterns. Plus, family-run local business Anna’s Cake House is providing mooncakes for everyone free of charge.
Following the live reading of the play, families can gather in the lobby to make their own lanterns and other themed crafts. All attendees will receive a delicious mooncake to eat or take home, donated by Anna’s Cake House.
Gateway Theatre has presented three other works in the A Year of Blessings series, including 繽紛新年 Bun Fun New Year, which stars twin bunnies Bunnifer and Bunnithy as they discover the meaning of Lunar New Year festivities leading up to a family feast. The second episode, 蝦仔 Little Shrimp, commemorates the tomb-sweeping holiday Qingming. A third piece, Band of Dragons: Sink, Oar, Swim, is in honour of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Five Blessings is composed of Chinese Canadian artists Nancy Tam, Derek Chan, Robyn Jacob, Jasmine Chen, and Howard Dai. Pulling from their backgrounds in theatre, sound, music, and movement, the group brings the stories and traditions of the Chinese diaspora to the forefront of their projects spanning film, stageworks, songs, and audio plays.
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