2016 Ottawa Children's Festival returns to Lebreton Flats

_ “I would like to commend the OCF for its commitment to stimulating the innate creativity and imagination of children. I would also like to thank the many volunteers whose enthusiasm and hard work are vital to the success of this outstanding event.” _

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ** The Ottawa Children’s Festival ** returns to LeBreton Flats May 10-15 with an astonishing lineup of performances from around the world! In our theatres you’ll experience Pixar-esque underwater adventures, electrifying dancers, a _ New York Times _ #1 bestselling author, and much more. And of course your ticket to each show also entitles you to enjoy an array of onsite activities, including a roving tea party right out of Lewis Carroll, a ferocious dinosaur, a chance to become a spy, and

even a special stage dedicated to performances for kids, by kids.
[
 Tickets
](http://www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca/tickets)
to each live performance are only $13, less than the price of admission at most movie theatres. You can package a show ticket with entry into this year's featured attraction, dotMaze, for only $18!

Shows: ** “MR. ERIC” LITWIN ** (USA) - Mr. Eric is the New York Times #1 Bestselling Author of four PETE THE CAT books and the new series THE NUTS, but as his readers already know, he can’t get enough of singing songs with his friends. A veteran folk musician and educator, Mr. Eric accompanies his interactive readings on guitar and harmonica, bringing to life his wildly popular stories with folksy melodies that will have children and parents dancing in the aisles. ** THE ADVENTURES OF ALVIN SPUTNIK: DEEP SEA EXPLORER ** (The Last Great Hunt, AUS) - The seas have risen. What humans remain farm the roofs of skyscrapers, their hopes of escape to the stars dashed. Now, one man plunges into the sea on a last-ditch mission to find a place for our species to start anew.

Immerse yourself in The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer, the award-winning play by Australian Tim Watts. The play combines animation, puppetry and live music to capture as none other the mysteries and wonders at the heart of the ocean. ** SONGS FROM ABOVE ** (Teater Refleksion, DEN) - Gather in a cozy white tent, its walls studded with stars. Each star is a door, containing water or grass, a tiny house, a small person moving within a rather remarkable world. Songs from Above achieves its magic by inviting the audience into the set to experience each tiny, musical story with the gentle guidance of performer Lisa Gertum Becker. Teater Refleksion’s handmade puppetry brings dreams to life in a performance that will leave each child’s eyes sparkling with possibility. ** RAW METAL ** (Raw Dance Company, AUS) - Every once in a while we all need to see something that reminds us of what the human body is capable of. The dancers of Australia’s Raw Company push dance to the outer limits, combining traditional tap dance with innovative street rhythms and astonishing feats of athleticism. Like Fred Astaire in zero G, they move with fearless grace. Children will delight in Raw’s deft physical comedy, while parents won’t be able to help grooving along with the medley of classic funk and soul numbers that feeds the innovative choreography. ** WILL STROET & THE BACKYARD BAND ** (CAN) - Get ready to boogie! Will Stroet, the award-winning entertainer and star of _ Will’s Jams _ on Kids’ CBC television, performs a high-energy and educational show with sing-a-long choruses in English and French as well as dancing. Will’s music inspires kids to be active, healthy, creative and engaged in the world. ** BOX BROTHERS ** (Oorkaan, NED) - Once upon a time there were four brothers who lived in a box, together with their best friend Big Drum. Their names were Oldest, Middlemost, Youngest and Simpleton. One day the four put their heads together (carefully), and a quest was born! Almost wordless, the Oorkaan theatre’s incredible quartet of percussionists tell an energetic, acrobatic and infectiously funny story with little more than their rhythm and the four wooden boxes that serve as their stage. Full of twists and turns both body- and plot-wise, The Box Brothers hits all the right notes! ** DOTMAZE: GET LOST! ** (dotComedy, UK) - Two things are certain. One is that there was no giant hedge maze here a moment ago; the second is that there is most definitely a giant hedge maze here now. If you put your ear close to its leaves, you can hear the sounds of things bustling inside, odd music, conspiring voices. This is dotMaze: Get Lost!, an installation experience populated by a cast of unusual characters portrayed by live actors who can point you toward freedom… or another dead end. No two trips through the maze are the same, as you experience a story too twisty to ever be grasped all at once. And do watch out for the Minotaur…