Canada's Corpus Brings LES MOUTONS to Long Island Children's Museum, 4/22-28

They look like sheep, and sound like sheep, and even get sheared-but they're actually performers from Canada's CORPUS dance/theater. They're bringing "Les moutons" (The Sheep) to the Long Island Children's Museum during a week-long residency (April 22-28) including public programs and performances for school groups. CORPUS is making its first US tour (after worldwide performances), with its first stop at the Long Island Children's Museum.

Audiences will observe a strange and hilarious universe as CORPUS enacts the results of their carefully studied overview of sheep behavior. Three white ewes (Julie, Marie-louise, Bernadette) and one black ram (César) comprise the "wooly" cast under the watchful eye of a stoic shepherd. During the performance, audience members will observe such routine activities as shearing, feeding, milking and more. The piece is interactive and audience members are allowed to pet and feed the "sheep." The performances at LICM will take place outside our Theater setting. Weather permitting, they will be performed in the grassy field adjacent to the Museum's outdoor exhibit, Our Backyard.

The presentation of "Les moutons" combines, dance, performance art, slapstick and method acting to provide an unforgettable performance where expression, movement and humor provide all the words needed for audience members to gain insights into the lives of sheep. Pre- and post-performance workshops will be presented allowing audience members to meet the performers and learn about the creative process they went through to "become" their sheep characters.

CORPUS will present public performances of "Les moutons" on Sunday, April 22 at 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 24 at noon, Friday, April 27 at noon and Saturday, April 28 at 1 p.m.

As a follow-up, audiences can see the first piece created by CORPUS, "A Flock of Flyers," at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 and Saturday, April 28. This piece follows the activities of the 217th Canadian Flying Squadron -- a group of five wannabe flyers who have been left without planes, due to budget cutbacks. But they've still got their helmets and uniforms and are determined to fly, even if it's in an imaginary airfield.

Co-founded in 1997 by Sylvie Bouchard and Artistic Director David Danzon, Canada's COPRUS has presented performances around the world– from cutting edge international street festivals to the Just for Laughs comedy festival. The company is known for presenting performances in unusual settings – parks, shopping malls and in the street.

The CORPUS performances are supported by ArtWORKS for Young People and the Institute for Museums and Library Services.

CORPUS theater performances are FREE with museum admission. Pre- and Post-Theater workshops are available following the Les moutons performances on Sunday, April 22 and Saturday, April 28. Fee for these workshops are $4 per person.