The fireflies are continuing to shine.
Although the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced art institutions to close their doors for the time being, many are getting creative when it comes to offering audiences something to take in or giving people in the community a way to let their expressive sides come out.
In 2017, Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver launched its Golden Firefly Project, a community outreach program that paired seniors and older adults in the community with arts educators who engaged them through storytelling, theatre games and performance exercises.
Manami Hara, theatre artist and program co-ordinator for the project, said the goal of the program was to connect with seniors in a way that helped them foster their own artistic community while combating social isolation at the same time.
“We created this space where they can bring their stories, their memories, to a space where they can share – and they act it out and become these kids again,” said Hara. “It was amazing for them to realize how important it is and how much they missed it.”
That seemed liked it would all change in March, however, when new physical distancing rules meant that programs like the Golden Firefly Project – hosted weekly at places like John Braithwaite Community Centre, Silver Harbour Seniors’ Activity Centre, and West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre – were no longer safe to run, at least in person.
“I was really concerned about that,” said Hara, referring to the program’s importance when it comes to battling social isolation and connecting the North Shore’s older artistic community.
But recently the fireflies have taken to the web instead.
Last week, a group of nearly a dozen met up, alongside Hara, for a session on Zoom, an online video conferencing platform. “This particular group is so active when it comes to connecting with people,” said Hara.
Although the actors and their instructor were meeting virtually from the comfort of home, the session largely played out the same as it does every other week, with Hara opening the session with some improvisation exercises followed by giving the group a prompt for them to go out and write stories, narratives, skits and scenes.
“They send me weekly creations and when we meet we read those scripts as a radio play,” said Hara. “We get to see each other reading it or just listening to it.”
Last week’s session involved one participant who brought in her short skit called “The Blind Date” which lampooned the eccentric situation of having to go through the pains of a blind date while also maintaining strict physical distancing.
When at one point the perspective of the skit changed to a duo of crows – portrayed with gusto on screen by a pair Golden Firefly participants – the group laughed at the birds’ confusion as they wondered why Lower Lonsdale looked so deserted.
“It’s challenging because we’re forced to change the way I teach. We’re so physical and used to being in the room playing off of each other’s physical energy,” said Hara. “They’re so brave just jumping into this.”
The Golden Firefly project evolved out of Presentation House Theatre’s original Firefly Project which helps young people and early learners light their creative spark though writing, drama and art, according to Kim Selody, the theatre’s artistic director.
“It’s all grown out of the same program,” said Selody, adding that they’re planning to expand it into the L’hen Awtxw Firefly Project this fall, which will involve working alongside Squamish Nation Chief Janice George, and Lisa Lewis, to help kids connect with their own imaginations and traditional Indigenous stories.
Presentation House Theatre, like many North Shore arts institutions, is working towards restructuring its business at a time when the meaning of audience has changed due to the pandemic, said Selody.
“I think the audiences and the people that we were dealing with already helped us to find what was important right now,” he said, noting numerous other projects in the works, including Golden Firefly Project, as the theatre contends with having to hit pause on shows in its physical space for the time being. “The public was looking for connection.”
