Donald Trump Meets the Toronto Fringe KIDSFEST

A great dividing wall, a powerful king who says there is not enough, and a tenacious girl with an ambitious plan.

Sure it sounds a little like last year's American presidential race, but it's actually a Toronto Fringe Kidsfest show with a message about colonialism and community-building.

Blink's Garden debuted at the Winnipeg Fringe in 2015 to a 4 star CBC review, multiple sellouts, and a positive mention in the Winnipeg Free Press article "Has the Fringe Been Politically Neutered?" This year, creators of the musical, father-and-sons folk trio The Janzen Boys, have joined forces with two other families to present it at the Toronto Fringe.

John Janzen, the father in the trio, works in schools around Winnipeg as a community educator for Siloam Mission, a local homeless shelter. Blink's Garden developed as a part of his work trying to encourage students to, as Blink demonstrates in the story, "see beauty where others can't see."

One of those students, Metis actor Madison Mosher loved the story so much that she asked for the lead role. In fact, with half the cast comprised of actors of Metis heritage and the other half Mennonite, it seems that the play's values - of learning from people who are different than you - are being realized in the making of the play. Twelve-year-old Madison has christened the troupe "Madison Mosher's Merry Metis-Mennonite Misfits."

The main characters, best friends Blink and Moeh, live in a barren land beside a great dividing wall. Their quest to see past the wall soon leads to big changes for everyone in their society. CBC Manitoba called it "a charming story... about equality and working together."

"A fun caper with a deeper message." - Winnipeg Free Press"A great show... the music is fun, catchy and at times emotional!" - Murray Pulver (Doc Walker, Crash Test Dummies)

TICKETS: Online at https://fringetoronto.com/
SOCIAL MEDIA: www.facebook.com/blinksgarden www.twitter.com/blinksgarden

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