Ordway Announces Children’s Festival Lineup

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is gearing up for its 11th Flint Hills International Children's Festival. Minnesota's signature arts festival for children and families features performing artists from all across the state, region and world. Festival dates are May 31-June 5, 2011. Nearly 500,000 people have enjoyed the Festival since it began in 2000.

The Festival takes place in two parts: School Days (May 31-June 3) and Family Weekend (June 4-5). More than 14,000 children from schools across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin participate in School Days by attending performances, participating in interactive activities and engaging in artist residencies. During Family Weekend, Festival activities fill Rice Park, Landmark Center, Landmark Plaza and Hamm Plaza with hands-on activities and art displays. Families experience the same performances that the students enjoy during the week, along with the free activities in the parks including dance and visual art performances, art-making activity tents, Xcel Energy's Butterfly Garden, food, walk-around artists and more.

One of the favorite highlights of the Festival is the Discovery Garden, an urban garden created by artists Mark Granlund and Angela Koebler from Saint Paul's Parks and Recreation Department. The garden, which will be installed in Hamm Plaza, honors the many meanings of exploration and innovation. Artist residencies with students from South Education Center and the College of Visual Arts will be a part of this year's garden. The Discovery Garden is supported by the Huss Foundation.

"The Flint Hills International Children's Festival is one of the top children's festivals in the world," said Jake Reint, director of public affairs at Flint Hills Resources. "The festival is an opportunity for Flint Hills to be a part of something extraordinary, something unique to Minnesota, and something that inspires young people to be creative and dream big."

Throughout the Festival, participants will enjoy ticketed international performances inside the Ordway and numerous free, outdoor performances on both the Flint Hills World Stage and Target Alley Stage. Thanks to the ongoing support from Target ® Corporation, all tickets to indoor shows during the Family Weekend cost only $5 each. General admission tickets can be purchased ahead of time through the Ordway ticket office and online at ordway.org.

Indoor performances
The headlining international performance for the 2011 Festival, "Corbian the Dinosaur," is presented by CORBiAN Visual Arts & Dance. "Corbian the Dinosaur" is a truly unique theater experience featuring larger-than-life, glow-in-the dark characters that light up the stage. Created by a magical scientist, Corbian is much more than a pet. As Corbian's animal instincts take over, the scientist creates a heart for him and encourages him to experience life beyond the scientist's workshop. Join Corbian as he meets a gangly ostrich, a beautiful fish and a menacing red dinosaur that help him learn the value of compassion, friendship and love.

Also on the lineup for indoor performances are Puppet State Theatre Company's multi award-winning "The Man Who Planted Trees," the energetically rich Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Dance Ensemble, and Canadian singing duo, Dala. Project Bandaloop will perform outside for free during the Festival, suspended on the Lawson Commons Building.

The magical, comical and multi-sensory performance by Puppet State Theatre Company of Scotland is an adaptation of Jean Giono's ecological fable and tells the inspiring story of a French shepherd and his dog. Together they set out to restore a ruined ecosystem by planting a forest, acorn by acorn, tree by tree. An unforgettable story, "The Man Who Planted Trees" reminds us of the effect that one person can have on the world.

Oyu Oro fills the stage with their energetic fusion of dance, rhythm and song that pay tribute to Afro-Cuban culture. Oyu Oro explores traditional dance forms that derive from the cultures of West Africa such as the Yoruba and Congo; the rich Haitian influences that remain in Cuba of vodu and Haitian bembe; along with popular dances of Cuban heritage, including rumba and conga.

Darlings of the Canadian music scene, singing duo Dala is bringing a fresh take on acoustic pop to the Ordway. Drawing upon influences like The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan, Dala presents a joyful, interactive concert designed specifically for young students. Enjoy the seamless blending of Amanda Walther's soprano voice and Sheila Carabine's velvety alto tone as they perform original songs about family, friendship and following your dreams.

Since 1991, Project Bandaloop has been amazing audiences worldwide and creating dynamic dances that reframe how people perceive their environment and the art form of dance. Performing in natural and urban settings, the company uses theaters, buildings, towers, bridges, cliffs and skyscrapers as its dance floor. Suspending from the outside of the Lawson Building on St. Peter Street, Project Bandaloop will bring its unique art form to audiences in downtown Saint Paul. Each performance lasts 20 minutes and is viewable from Rice Park, Landmark Plaza and Hamm Plaza.

Outdoor performances
Outdoor performances, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, include notable regional performing groups such as Circus Juventas, Katha Dance Theatre, Los Alegres Bailadores, El Arco Iris and more. New to the outdoor lineup this year are Rene Thompson and Dancers, who will perform Latin social dancing; and Motion Crew, a breakdancing group.

In addition to performances, the Festival features visual art projects highlighting Minnesota's finest artistic talents and collaborations. The Festival works diligently to bring together artists and students to engage creative minds. The art that emerges from the ARTwalk, commissions, public art residencies, parade residencies and other student- and young artist-driven public artworks will be displayed throughout the Festival grounds, such as the ongoing collection of student artwork in the K-12 sculpture garden. On Saturday at 1 p.m., the ever-popular ARTmoves Parade invites participants of all ages to take part in a vibrant parade of moving art created in residencies at eight Metro area community centers. To learn more about all Festival art projects, visit www.ordway.org/festival/projects.

Free Rides on Metro Transit and RiverCentre Ramp Parking Discount
In order to make the Festival accessible to everyone, Metro Transit is offering free rides to the Festival on all Metro Transit buses and light-rail trains with a Go Greener Pass. In addition, the RiverCentre Ramp in downtown Saint Paul is offering discounted parking of $5 with the use of a printed coupon. Both the pass and coupon are available for download at www.ordway.org/festival.

2011 Flint Hills International Children's Festival Schedule

Indoor Performances

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

"Corbian the Dinosaur"
Ordway Music Theater
11a.m.; 3 p.m.

"The Man Who Planted Trees"
F.K. Weyerhaeuser Theater, Landmark Center
10 a.m.; 2:30 p.m.

Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Dance Ensemble
Ordway McKnight Theatre
10 a.m.; 12 p.m.

Dala
Ordway McKnight Theatre
2 p.m.; 4 p.m.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

"Corbian the Dinosaur"
Ordway Music Theater
3 p.m.

"The Man Who Planted Trees"
F.K. Weyerhaeuser Theater, Landmark Center
2 p.m.; 4 p.m.

Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Dance Ensemble
Ordway McKnight Theatre
2 p.m.; 4 p.m.

Dala
Ordway McKnight Theatre
10 a.m.; 12 p.m.

Outdoor Performances

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1
Project Bandaloop
Performance on the Lawson Building
Noon

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

Project Bandaloop
Performance on the Lawson Building
Noon

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Project Bandaloop
Performances on the Lawson Building
11:45 a.m.; 12:45 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

Project Bandaloop
Performances on the Lawson Building
12 p.m.; 1:45 p.m.

Flint Hills World Stage
10 a.m. - Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs
11 a.m. - Rince Na Chroi
2:15 p.m. - Dennis Warner Band
3:15 p.m. - Up ‘til 2
4:15 p.m. - Circus Juventas

Target Stage
10:15 a.m. - Tiyumba Dance Company
11:15 a.m. - CAAM
12:30 p.m. - Motion Crew
2:30 p.m. - Katha Dance Theatre
3:30 p.m. - Los Alegres Bailadores
4:30 p.m. - The Hoang Anh Vietnamese Dance Group

1 p.m. - ARTmoves Parade

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

Project Bandaloop
Performances on the Lawson Building
11 a.m.; 1 p.m.

Flint Hills World Stage
10 a.m. - El Arco Iris
11:30 a.m. Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs
2 p.m. - Sawtooth Bluegrass Band
3 p.m. - Dennis Warner Band
4 p.m. - New Primitives

Target Stage
10:15 a.m. - Rene Thompson & Dancers
11:45 a.m. - Katha Dance Theatre
2:15 p.m. - Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli
3:15 p.m. - Los Alegres Bailadores
4:15 p.m. - Tiyumba Dance Company

Landmark Center Special Event
Sunday, 12 p.m. - Concerts featuring student performances with members of the Saint Paul Conservatory for Music, The Schubert Club, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera

About Flint Hills Resources
Flint Hills Resources is a leading provider of transportation fuels used in the Midwest. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Flint Hills Resources owns and operates refineries and chemical plants in Minnesota, Alaska, Illinois, Michigan and Texas, as well as four ethanol plants in Iowa. The company also owns a system of refined products and asphalt terminals that serve Texas and the Midwest. It markets products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol, olefins, polymers and intermediate chemicals, base oils, and asphalt.

Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend in Rosemount, Minn., has a crude oil processing capacity of about 320,000 barrels per day. Pine Bend employs about 900 people full-time; an additional 200-2,000 union contractors work at the refinery daily on construction projects. More information about the company is available at www.fhr.com.

About the Ordway
The Ordway is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Paul's most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway's Music Theater and McKnight stages attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance, and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway's mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve more than 50,000 students annually. The Ordway also serves as authorizer for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a professionally guided academic and artistic environment that trains aspiring pre-professional performing artists. Together with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances.

2010 Flint Hills International Children's Festival
School Days: May 31-June 3
Family Weekend: June 4-5
Indoor performances: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
All tickets: $5

Free outdoor performances and activities: Rice Park, Landmark Center, Landmark Plaza and Hamm Plaza

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
345 Washington Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102

Ticket Office: 651.224.4222
Group Sales: 651.282.3111
TDD (Hearing Impaired): 651.282.3100
www.ordway.org
www.ordway.org/festival
www.ordwayfestival.blogspot.com

Festival Sponsors
Flint Hills Resources
Target Foundation
Travelers
National Endowment for the Arts
Minnesota State Arts Board
Xcel Energy Foundation
Huss Foundation
Wells Fargo Bank
3M Foundation
Securian Financial Group
Consulate General of Canada
Saint Paul Garden Club