Welcome!
The team at Tapestry Opera is so excited for you to join us at Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre for ‘Sanctuary Song’. Below is some helpful information about the show and the venue to help prepare you for your visit.
The Show
Based on a true story, Sanctuary Song explores the story of Sydney, an elephant whose remarkable journey culminates in her release into a sanctuary.
Written by the award-winning team of librettist Marjorie Chan 陳以珏 and composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte, Sanctuary Song is a story for audiences of all ages that uncovers powerful truths in the life of a remarkably resilient elephant. Directed by Michael Hidetoshi Mori, with Music Direction by Gregory Oh, and featuring original choreography by Aria Evans, audiences enter a circus and leave with the song of elephants in their ear.
Runtime
1 hour with no intermission.
Latecomer Policy
Latecomers will be welcomed in to the performance hall for the first 10 minutes of the show.
Exiting and Re-Entering
Audience members are welcome to exit and re-enter the performance hall during the interactive portion of the show, which lasts 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, re-entering will no longer be permitted.
Summary
Sydney, a Sumatran elephant poached from the jungles of Indonesia at a young age, recalls her remarkable life in captivity, far from home, as her keeper of 22 years leads her on a journey toward sanctuary in the hills of Tennessee. A dynamic weaving of opera and dance unearths friendships lost and found and restores stolen freedom. The power of memory and the wonder of communication in the human and natural worlds resonate in this moving new production that audiences will never forget. Among the reveries Sydney shares from her past is the incident where she broke a front leg trying to escape the circus boat, which caught fire in the Halifax harbour.
The accident ended her circus career, so she came to the Louisiana Zoo, where the opera begins. As he prepares to lead Sydney onto the railway car, her keeper makes a heart-rending covenant with her: “I was not the first to put a chain on you, but I promise, I promise, I will be the last.”
Scene By Scene Synopsis
Prologue: Interactive Introduction
The Circus Owner welcomes the audience and speaks to them as if they are attending the circus. He interacts with the audience, telling jokes and performing illusions.
Scene 1: Goodbye
As he tries to get her into the train car, James explains to Sydney the elephant why it is best for her to leave the zoo for a new home.
Scene 2: Capture
James and Sydney start their journey. Sydney remembers being young and playing in the forest with her friend Penny. One day, they are both captured, and the family herd is shot.
Scene 3: The Circus and The Fire
Sydney performs in the circus under the direction of the Circus Owner. He is loud and aggressive, cracking a whip and playing to the crowd. Sydney meets and befriends a young girl as the circus packs up. Sydney is put on a ship that quickly catches fire. She is rescued but is injured in a fire and sold to the zoo.
Scene 4: Alone (aria)
Sydney is on her first day at the zoo. Frightened and alone, she thinks of her homeland.
Scene 5: First Meeting
Sydney and James meet for the first time. Though both are nervous, they connect with each other.
Scene 6: Arrival
Sydney and James arrive in Tennessee, remembering their 22 years together. They say goodbye.
Scene 7: Reunion
Sydney exits the train with James at the Sanctuary and sees her old friend Penny. They reunite lovingly. Sydney and James say their final goodbye.
Content Warnings
- Animals in Captivity and Cages
- Growing Old
- Poaching
- Discussion of Capturing and Killing Animals
- Loss of a Friend
- Animal Exploitation in Circuses
- Fire
- The Depiction of an Animal Injured in a Fire
Audience Interaction
The first 10 minutes of the show is all about audience interaction, and the house lights will remain on. The Circus Owner will speak directly to the audience, ask for reactions, invite an audience member on stage to engage in magic tricks and engage with individual audience members who will remain seated. If you do not wish to participate, cross your arms or shake your head, and the actor will move on. For the group interactions, please feel free to engage however you feel comfortable.
*Please Note*
The actors will come very close to the front row throughout the entire show and will enter the audience space.
Technical Warnings
Haze
A very light amount of haze is used throughout the show.
Sound
A live 3-piece band (piano, violin and percussion) creates the gorgeous orchestration of the show on the left side of the stage. If you are sensitive to sound, you may want to sit on the right side of the audience, further from the musicians. This is an opera! The actors are singing live, and even though they are not amplified, it can get quite loud. If you are sensitive to sound, you may want to select seats a bit further back in the audience and grab a pair of earplugs provided at the box office.
Detailed Warnings
- In the first 10 minutes of the show, during the interactive portion, a series of loud sound effects created by the band accompany The Circus Owner. Sounds like drum rolls, a honking horn, and cymbal crashes are particularly loud at 0.31, 0.50, 1.15 (drum roll and cymbal crash), 2.26, 3.15 and 4.38
- During the poaching scene a cane is used like a gun and shots ring out at 27.40
- The Circus begins with a loud canon shot at 31.43
- Throughout The Circus the Circus Owner cracks a whip loudly at 32.13, 32.20, 33.02, 33.12
- During the fire sequence at 35.47, the music escalates and becomes quite intense. This sequence ends at 38.00
- At 54.15 there are a series of loud crashes
Lighting
The house lights remain up for the first 10 minutes of the show. They can be quite bright in the audience, so if you are sensitive to bright lights and find yourself directly under a light fixture please feel free to check in with the box office prior to the show and they will do their best to find you another seat. Soft, dispersed lighting in muted bright colours and warm, calming projections create a beautiful atmosphere for this show. The lighting overall is very calming, warm and muted.
Detailed Warnings
- House lights remain on for the first 10 minutes of the show
- During the poaching sequence beginning at 27.00, the house lights come up as the poacher roams the aisles
- The Circus begins at 31.43 with a loud bang and the lightsmove quickly throughout the space to create the feeling of excitement
- The show ends with a full blackout. This is the only full blackout in the entire show
Access Measures
Surtitles
Surtitles (open captions) will be displayed on a clear, high contrast screen throughout the show. The screen is located on the right side of the audience.
Access Kit
An Access Kit containing a copy of this guide, fidget toys and earplugs will be available at the box office and in the Quiet Space.
Quiet Space
To get away from the crowds and the noise of the theatre, you are welcome to take a break in our Quiet Space. It will be set up with comfortable places to sit and stocked with fidgety toys and earplugs.
The Cast
James
Sydney
Hunter, Circus Owner, Zoo Worker
Penny, Girl
The Set
This is the set, and it stays this way for the entire show. Paper strips make up the backdrop and act as a backdrop for calming projections of elephant drawings. The long platforms that line the back and front of the stage are used by the actors in different ways and the front one is quite close to the front row of the audience.
Costumes
Some actors play multiple characters in the show. Here are all of the costumes that they will be wearing!
The Venue
Tapestry Opera’s new home is Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre, located at 877 Yonge Street. The closest major intersection is Bloor and Yonge, and Bloor- Yonge Station is the closest accessible subway station. From Bloor-Yonge it is about a 7 minute walk or 500 meter journey. Rosedale Station is also nearby and is a quieter station option, however it is not physically accessible. From Rosedale it is about a 5 minute walk or 350 meter journey to the venue. This is the entrance to the space
Entering
Once you arrive, an usher will scan your ticket, and you will head down 4 flights of stairs and through a set of glass doors that will be propped open to enter the space. Alternatively, you may use the staff-operated elevator.
The Lobby
When you enter the lobby the box office, concessions and the entrance to the theatre will all be to your left.
The box office and concession stands both have accessible counters and you are welcome to take food and drinks in to the theatre space.
The Performance Hall
The entrance to the Performance Hall is through a door on your left. Upon entering, the stage is to your right, and the raked audience seating is in front of you. Accessible seating is located in the front row on the right side of the audience, right where you enter. Seating is ticketed. Please speak with the Box Office if you require a seat change.
Quiet Space
When you enter the lobby, you will turn right to find the Quiet Space. The room will be on your right, and the door will be propped open. It will be set up with comfortable places to sit and stocked with fidget toys, earplugs, a copy of the access guide and cozy blankets. Feel free to use this space to take a break from the noise and crowds.
Washrooms
The venue has two all gender, universal washrooms. These washrooms are on either side of the staircase that you used to enter the building. Both washrooms have several single stalls and one large accessible stall. Both washroom entrances have wave-to-open buttons, and the washroom to the left has a private accessible stall with a wave-to-open button.
Elevator
There is a staff operated elevator that you are more than welcome to use to enter the space. The usher at the front entrance will lead you there upon request. Upon exiting the elevator, you will be in the room pictured above, and you will head through the doorway to enter the lobby. From here, the box office, concessions and entrance to the performance space will be to your right.
Staff & Volunteers
Our staff and volunteers will be at the entrance of the venue to scan your tickets as well as at the box office and roaming throughout the space to support you with whatever you may need. They will be wearing a name tag that looks like this:
SANCTUARY SONG
We can’t wait for you to join us!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Audience and Community Coordinator, Donna Arbabzadeh: boxoffice@tapestryopera.com
(416) 537 – 6066 ext 108
This guide was created by The Disability Collective