UPDATE

We have 34 hours to go and need your help to get us to 100%!

In the spirit of giving, we have increased our fundraising goal to $14,200. With the extra donations, we are planning on purchasing a keyboard that will travel with the school tour. This keyboard has a synthesizer that re-creates the additional sound design that goes beyond the sounds of a regular piano. Having this keyboard travel with the tour is instrumental in fully representing what composer Neil Weisensel intended.

Limited additional perks for those who donate. Every gesture is generous! Happy Holidays!

THE OPERA

The inner life of a young boy is at the heart of this moving and meaningful new opera by composer Neil Weisensel and librettist Shane Koyczan.

Bravely autobiographical, beautifully poetic, visually innovative and musically memorable, Stickboy confronts the uncomfortable reality of a society struggling with its own fear and insecurity, a society that seeks conformity and uniformity at the expense of those who are different.

THE ADAPTATION 

Stickboy made its world premiere on October 23, 2014 at the Vancouver Playhouse. As a highly visual and immersive experience, VO hopes that this work will continue to inspire broad discussion of the social and cultural issues surrounding bullying.

To continue the conversation, VO is ambitiously transforming Stickboy into a 60 minute Vancouver Opera In Schools touring production. The work is raw and mature, and VO has commissioned director and dramaturge Rachel Peake to adapt the opera for students without losing the power of its original message.

YOUR ROLE

You can play a part in bringing this innovative and meaningful adaptation to schools throughout BC by making a donation today!

• Your contribution will directly finance the adaptation, including the purchase of a technologically cutting edge $10,000 LED screen. We need this 78" display to transfer the opera's visually stunning animations from the theatre to the classroom. With your help, students will be able to experience this production as its creators intended.

The visual component of this production is so important to the overall experience, and having the necessary technology will make all of the difference. This screen makes the show nimble, which means we can take it on the road anywhere! Thank you for helping to make this happen.

THE ANIMATION

This visually stunning and critically-acclaimed opera features visuals designed and animated by Giant Ant, the producers of Shane Koyczan's monumentally popular video "To This Day".

THE PURPOSE

"The goal for me with this project is to expand the conversation around bullying by creating a performance that speaks to multiple generations and communities. I can’t create a piece that will make an audience truly feel the experience of everyone who has endured this kind of treatment. What I can do is build an intimacy and a relationship between an audience and one person. The hope is that the feeling will echo into their life enough to consider what bullying can do to someone. " - Shane Koyczan, librettist

Vancouver Opera In Schools (VOIS)

VOIS is one of the largest opera touring programs of its kind in Canada. Started over 40 years ago, VOIS maintains a tradition of professional opera performances in schools throughout British Columbia. Each season, VOIS introduces the power and beauty of opera to over 30,000 children and their families in schools and community venues across BC.

During the run of Stickboy in October 2014, we asked our audience to share their stories. One of the first posted:

We rececieved an overwhelming amount of feedback. Other comments:

"So profound and relevant - I laughed, I sobbed...so beautiful, the synergy of music and visual arts. Thank you to all." - Sophia

"An important work - deeply moving. Every school on the continent should be required to see this personal work. Add it to the curriculum!" - Anonymous

"This is the most relevant and powerful opera I have ever seen." - Margo

"Thank you! Please take this into the school system." - Anonymous

Keep the conversation going! Share your stories with us too...

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Vancouver Opera`s mission is to be the destination performing arts organization that entertains, stimulates and enriches British Columbians, driven by programming that redefines 'Opera' and revolutionizes its accessibility and community value.

www.vancouveropera.ca 

Stickboy CREATIVE TEAM

Music Composed by / Sound Design by Neil Weisensel; Libretto by Shane Koyczan; Conductor / Musical Dramaturge Leslie Dala; Director / Dramaturge Rachel Peake; Set Designer Drew Facey; Costume Designer Carmen Alatorre; Lighting Designer Itai Erdal; Animation Giant Ant; Video Designer Jamie Nesbitt

Adaptation, dramaturge and director for Stickboy VOIS tour: Rachel Peake