The story of a girl named Jesse and a Trumpeter Swan named Only who become close friends. Through their friendship they find out about migratory ways of life and how all creatures need to feel at home in the habitat that is suitable to them.

Trumpeters Swans were almost extinct by the late 1800’s but are no longer considered to be endangered. We see them near here flying overhead and in the Shuswap River during the winter months.

Table top style puppets are performed on surfaces representing the places in Jesse and Only’s World. Puppeteers blend into the shadows while voicing the puppets and sing on their behalves. Swans in a variety of scales fly in and out from all directions.

Music is adapted from Maurice Ravel’s Pavane pour une Infante Defunte and is accompanied by Sarah May Redmond on the harp.

Written by Cathy Stubington with contributions by Sarah May Redmond

Directed by Trina Stubel

Performed by Sarah May Redmond, Rennan Bankowski, Glitter Esquivias, and Lucas Myers.

• Requires minimum floor space of 18’ wide by 18’ deep

• Lighting plan can be supplied or designed by host

• Puppeteers arrive with puppets, set and instruments.

• Set up requires 2 hours with technical assistance provided by the host

A group of artists assembled in April 2024 at Curly Willow Farm to experiment with swan puppets and story elements.

We appreciate the input of Shayna Jones, Mariel Belanger, Sarah May Redmond, Christie Watson, Molly March, Daylynn Keareny, and Anita Rochon who came together in the initial workshop.

This performance requires bookings up to a year in advance so that we can apply for funding that will allow us to rehearse and remount it.

Planning to tour in 2027.

• This show can be performed indoors or outdoors

• Our set occupies about 12’ wide by 15’ deep

• Outdoors we use a pop up market tent as our backstage which the performers would bring with them

• Host may need to supply 3 8’ tables

• Puppeteers would arrive with instruments, puppets and set

• If being shown indoors, lighting would enhance the performance

We began working on this project during the Covid-19 pandemic. Because we were unable to meet together at Curly Willow Farm, we met on the Zoom platform where it was possible to project tiny theatre, with the screen as the proscenium.

In the time of Isidro storytellers would have performed at market places, a long lasting institution that is unusual in that it has probably changed very little over many centuries! 

We decided to go to Farmers' Markets to tell this tale, where we could honour those who grow our food.

We made a miniature theatre that used the tradition of Victorian Paper Theatre that was made to bring operas and theatrical spectacles into peoples' homes. 

Designs inspired by Les Tres Riches Heures de Jean duc de Berry, medieval Book of Hours.

Songs were adapted to early medieval European tunes.

Directed by Cathy Stubington

Designed by Molly March and  Cathy Stubington

Performed by Sarah May Redmond, Aidan Sparks, and Christie Watson at Farmers’ Markets and Galleries in the Shuswap/North Okanagan, summer of 2022.

The first version took place in nine different settings and scenes were created by Varrick Grimes, Isabelle Kirouac, Willoughby Arevalo, Sara May Redmond, Thomas Conlin Jones, Molly March, Forrest Shuster, Rene Hugo Sanchez, Cathy Stubington, Jasmin Wright, Elishka Hugo Rucka, and children Aura Pearl and Xyla Joy.

This performance requires bookings up to a year in advance so that we can apply for funding that will allow us to rehearse and remount it.

Planning to tour in 2027.

• can be performed in intimate settings like living rooms, Libraries and Galleries

• Puppeteer arrives with all supplies to perform the show

The story was created by Lois Anderson and Cathy Stubington and made into a suitcase show with Cathy and Uschi Eder.

Runaway Moon Theatre was fascinated with the notion of stories coming out of suitcases for many years.

The story has been performed at times by Jaci Metivier, Anna Fin and Lorna Tereski.

Available at short notice for performances in the Shuswap and Okanagan.

Also available to show further away if we had several invitations lined up.

• Can be shown in most locations (Art Gallery, Community Hall)

• The room needs to be able to be fully darkened

• Need to be able to plug in our extension cord

• Puppeteers arrive with everything they need to perform the show, including the script

• Host must supply a Narrator who will read the script and all the voices!

Vassilisa and the Light was created in the Fall of 2024 by Toshi Okada and Cathy Stubington, inspired by a Russian fairy tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev.

Baba Yaga is a female character from Slavic folklore. She’s usually a witch who flies around in a wooden mortar, wielding a pestle as an oar. She lives in a hut on chicken legs which can get up and dance.

In this story the brave Vassilisa befriends Baba Yaga’s pets who help her to return home safely.

Available in the Shuswap and Okanagan once we have a few invitations lined up.

Planning to be available Fall 2026.

• Does not need a stage

• Can take place in any setting (library, classroom, living room)

• The puppeteer bring everything, including a table and lighting

Theatre artists Susan Bertoio and Cathy Stubington created this story in the Fall of 2024. It has been performed by Lorna Tereski in Libraries and community venues throughout the Okanagan and Shuswap.

Available at short notice for performances in the Shuswap and Okanagan.

Also available to show further away if we had several invitations lined up.