2020 Archivi | Fondazione AIDA

Treasure Hunt Verona

In the spectacular scenery of the city of Verona and its minor districts, Borgo Roma, Veronetta and Santa Lucia, guardians of historical, urban and landscape beauties, we are waiting for you for a great team game for families.

A special App will guide you through the game.

Free admission.

For more information and reservations (by 20 September)

We look forward to seeing you!

Treasure Hunt Verona is part of the School & Community project of Rete Tante Tinte, developed in collaboration with Fondazione Aida, which has obtained funding under MiBACT’s Piano Cultura Futuro Urbano. The funding aims to support projects to promote and enhance the suburbs of metropolitan cities and provincial capitals throughout Italy.

Information

Call: 045/8001471 or write to info@cacciaaltesoro.it

On 3 October 2020, we will have fun together in a great team game, free of charge, for young and adults. A special Treasure Hunt is planned in the smaller districts of our city.

Fundraising campaign for Teatro Onlife

With the ongoing health emergency, theatres, as well as many other spaces of aggregation and culture, have closed leaving a huge void. Teatro Onlife wants to be a valid and structured alternative to the physical space of the theatre, a new way of doing and enjoying this art form, with the spectators at the centre.

Which will also be useful when the theatres open.

We will develop a specific software platform that will enable the theatre, and especially children’s theatre, to break the traditional patterns of representation and enter a new, innovative, virtual dimension.

The project represents a challenge that Children’s Theatre is taking in combining three different subjects

the actor with his performing and pedagogical action
the audience, in particular the children’s audience, including children with disabilities
the digital system

The challenge is to keep alive and constant the denominator that makes a live performance a unique and interactive event, creating new audiences by meeting on a dedicated digital platform.

How to support the project?

with a bank transfer or cheque benefiting of the Art Bonus (i.e. you will receive a tax credit equal to 65% of the donation)
through the crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe

How Teatro Onlife develops

We will develop several innovative technologies. The ones that in 90 days will allow us to go on stage in a more structured way than the experiments done so far are:

The creation of the web platform that will host the different virtual spaces (each one corresponds to a show).

In order to create this platform, a team of experts will identify the Minimum Viable Product, that is, the tool that will allow us to identify the simplest version in terms of effectiveness and immediacy and that will offer the main functionalities (called “core”) of Teatro Onlife.

At the same time, a web and app development team will focus on the creation of two other functional tools of the product: the app for children and the editorial platform.

App development

It will allow the spectators, children and young people with parents and grandparents, to interact during the show (with emoj, with predefined drawings, etc.). This phase will be followed by a team of people qualified in web development and app development. In this way the show will be able to use resources such as films, drawings, graphic elements or audio files that can then be reproduced and used by the actors and spectators. As the platform will be managed via multiple remote servers, shows can be run simultaneously with participants connected from any location. Parents will be able to set up their children’s accounts, book shows and monitor the progress of the shows via the website, while children will be able to access them via the tablet app.

The online publishing platform

Directors and actors will contribute to the creation of the palimpsest, i.e. the structured programming of events to take part in. This part consists of the:

virtual space with graphics, backgrounds and sounds, programming of visual and sound effects (we will animate the different virtual spaces)
broadcasting of the story on the day and at the times set by the schedule, execution of the storyboard and real-time management of interaction with the children.

Who will do what?

To carry out this phase, we will select a design team composed of a children’s theatre director, a child psychologist, a child illustrator, a web designer, a systems engineer and an organisational coordinator.

With the development of these technologies, Teatro Onlife can go on stage.

Realisation time

90 days

Planning start: 22 March 2021

Experimentation in the summer period

Platform launch in the 2021/2022 theatre season

When will the public be able to use it?

Teatro Onlife will become a permanent activity and structure that will complement more traditional theatre programming.

Teatro Onlife performances will be available to the public from the 2021/2022 theatre season: we will coordinate in-person performances and Onlife events, which will be open to a wide, unrestricted audience.

Why?

Teatro Onlife is a new and innovative way for children to experience theatre.

It does not replace the in-presence experience. It complements it and will be an opportunity to look to the future!

The Gruffalo

Gruffalò certainly needs no introduction. The character created by Julia Donaldson is Axel Scheffler the protagonist of the publications of the same name is now appreciated and known by thousands of children and parents all over the world thanks to the translations made in over 30 languages.

From here to the stages of the theater it was a short step: there are in fact numerous transpositions for the theater of these texts.

Therefore, The Gruffalò has become the protagonist of important theatrical productions. The tours have touched: England, Ireland, United States, Australia, South Africa, Germany and Israel with great public success. However, these shows have never been represented in our country. Aida Foundation has therefore decided to take up the challenge to propose it its own original version . While remaining faithful to the texts and iconography of the original illustrations, an entirely new musical show has been created. The goal is to bring the squares to the largest Italian squares.

Collaborators

To do this, the Aida Foundation can count on a consolidated and established network of collaborations: Santa Chiara Cultural Services Center , the Stable Theater of Veneto and the BSMT – Bernstein School of Musical in Bologna. The artistic experience in the field of family shows of Pino Costalunga and Manuel Renga that we intend to activate was also of great importance.

Thanks to this intense work, the production of the new show The Gruffalò, scheduled for 2020, will once again be appreciated by our young audience and will result in an entertaining and at the same time educational show.

Plot and notes by the playwright Pino Costalunga

What are four young friends doing in a forest? They go to clean it up, you might say, since you see them at the beginning of the play just as they are doing it. But we have the doubt that they are going there to spend a few days and, above all, a few nights, camped out in a tent, waiting for the most beautiful moment of the day, when, around a fire, they will tell stories of fear. And what could be better than a forest at night for a good scary story?

They will tell the story of a little mouse who, hungry, decides to go through the leafy forest full of pitfalls to find the acorn he likes so much. On the way, he meets three ugly mice who want to eat him: a fox, an owl and a snake. But the clever little mouse is shrewd in his thinking and knows just how to get by. With the help of his great imagination, he finds a solution that no one can imagine, not even himself, perhaps: a terrible monster whose name is well known to children: THE GRUFFALÒ.

We will leave the delightful rhymes of the English writer intact and the actors will wear fantastic costumes that are based on the wonderful illustrations of the German designer. Children will easily recognize that text and will also enjoy the funny and original songs written especially for the show. The comic and mimic situations, as well as the dances, enrich the original tale.

Perhaps some of the audience will leave the show wondering if that frightening monster really exists. Of course that monster exists in our story, but it is a monster that makes us laugh and he exists just to tell the children: “use your imagination, your intelligence and even a wild and leafy forest can become a place where it is fun to live”, at least for some time, at least for the time of childhood.

Pippi Longstocking

“You are a liar PippiLongstocking, but as a poet is. You never lie about feelings and above all about existence, but rather you invent stories simply out of a desire to tell, because you are generous.”
Pino Costalunga

The show

Exactly 75 years ago, Astrid Lindgren gave her daughter Karin, for her ninth birthday, the storybook of the strange little girl with the upturned pigtails who lived all alone in a big house. And so PippiLongstocking was born. Direction and adaptation by MarinellaRolfart and PinoCostalunga. Sets, costumes and puppets by TjåsaGusfor, one of Sweden’s most important set designers, who has recreated her own micro-world: a sort of fantastic miniaturisation where the puppets (guided by the actors in full view, not hidden as in puppet theatre) are the real protagonists of the scene.

The show narrates the story of Pippi, a little girl who is absolutely out of the box, and her friends through their carefree eyes. Pippi’s story unfolds from her arrival in the old house, Villa Villacolle, with a little monkey with the strange name of Mr Nilsson and a horse set up on the veranda, to her adventures with Annika and Tommy, her neighbours and playmates, in a colourful and amusing setting. The character’s traits have inspired many Swedish bestsellers, including LisbethSalander from Stieg Larsson’s Millenium saga.

During the production, Olof Nyman, the husband of Karin, Astrid Lindgren’s daughter and representative of the heirs, reviewed the dramaturgy of the text and confirmed its authenticity. Karin herself participated in the general rehearsals, approving its authenticity and confirming its distribution in Italy.

Director’s notes

PinoCostalunga, talking about this character, says: Thank you Pippi because you have shown that imagination, the ability to dream and invent is really the most important thing. You are a liar, PippiLongstocking, but as a poet is. You never lie about feelings and especially about existence, but rather you invent stories simply out of a desire to tell, because you are generous. (…) You have never hidden from children that there is evil and suffering in the world (…), but you have always said everything with sympathy and sweetness through the power of your crazy inventions.

The Wizard of Oz

The show

Dorothy, a child who lives in Kansas with her uncles, is thrown by a sudden cyclone in a country populated by strange characters.She lands in the village of Succhialimoni, some bizarre little men who thank her for having killed the wicked Witch of the East, crushed by the fall of the house.

Her only thought is to return home, but it seems that the only one who can help her is the Wizard of Oz.Along the way that will lead her to the Wizard, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion.Dorothy’s new friends think they have a void to fill, so they need the intervention of the Wizard of Oz.The Scarecrow believes he needs a brain, the Tin Woodman a heart and the Lion of courage, while Dorothy wants nothing more than to return to her country.

During the journey, each of them, facing their fears to overcome the obstacles they will encounter along the way, will show that they already possess what they thought they lacked.

Turning directly to Baum’s text, we tried to highlight the most “fantastic” aspect linked to that experience through which we all went through.

That dangerous and tortuous path which is growing up, becoming great.

It definitely takes brain, heart and courage!

Director’s notes

“The journey that little Dorothy makes to the country of Oz, together with her little dog Toto and the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion, is not only a journey that starts from Kansas (that is, from a real state in America ) to arrive in a fantastic country, but it is also a journey into Fantasy and with Fantasy. And what can be better, in a theatrical show, than using the THEATER to undertake this wonderful journey? Can it be done? Imagine on stage those strange machines that, at that time when there were no computers or speakers, were used precisely in the Theater to reproduce sound. The beautiful wind machine, for example, a kind of windmill rustling wood on a canvas, or the thunder machines, sheet metal plates hung on a wooden easel. Imagine that those machines are also capable of making you discover different places a little at a time and of knowing how to create colorful and fantastic landscapes. Immagine the character of the story that jump out as if by magic from the old twisted ropes or from the old dusty trunks. Then imagine in that Theater three actors who start playing with those objects that have become beautiful puppets and with those machines full of magical and mysterious sounds and effects. Three actors who use not only the word, but also and above all the body with its rhythm and its thousand possibilities. A game very similar to what children play. This will be our theatrical game, a game that today’s children sometimes seem to have forgotten. Which has been replaced by all those electronic “devilry” – useful in the theater as they are often also useful for children – but which seem to have dulled the imagination and creative force of our “I child”, both in theater and in life. A show with actors and puppets on stage, suitable for everyone from 4 years old. ”

Pino Costalunga – director

One of the most beautiful fairy tales for children, taken from the famous story by L. Frank Baum which retains its charm intact over time.A wonderful journey, in that dangerous and tortuous path that is growing up, becoming great.It definitely takes brain, heart and courage!

Baron Lamberto was there twice

The show is a repetition of the short story by Rodari “Twice Upon a Time there was a Baron called Lamberto”.

On stage we have two characters: the Baron’s Butler, Anselmo – played by PinoCostalunga – and Silvia Bonanni, a skilled illustrator.

Before the eyes of the viewer, the amusing story of Baron Lamberto will come to life, who pays six servants to repeat his name over and over again – he was told by an Arab saint that repeating someone’s name meant keeping them alive.

He himself is also a victim of the evil nephew who aspires to his wealth, who does not even renounce to knock outone by one all the servants assigned to “mention” his uncle.

With the help of many colored sheets, cardboard boxes and a small camera, Silvia will reconstruct the strange story of the Old Baron who lived on the island of San Giulio, on Lake Orta.

Silvia Bonanni

A talented Milanese illustrator who has brought many of her works abroad and published many books for children.

Expert in the technique of collage, skilled creator of “puppets” and simple figures, she also created the illustrations for a re-edition of “To make a table” by Gianni Rodari.

Pino Costalunga

With his own words, and those of Rodari, he gives voice to Silvia’s unmistakable style constructions and illustrations, continuously involving the children who will find themselves reconstructing the story together with our two protagonists.

Curated by Pino Costalunga and Silvia Bonanni.

Taken from the homonymous book by Gianni Rodari

Podcast

In this new scenario we have invented a new way to speak to our audience.

Podcasts: an increasingly popular and appreciated tool capable of touching the listener’s heart.

The podcasts currently available are related to the initiatives to promote reading Meetings with the author and Sorsi d’utore 2020.

Go to the author’s Sorsi podcasts

Listen to podcasts on Spreaker

On, Off and the mystery of the missing cake

You all know that in every self-respecting home there are always elves.

“How can it be? – some of you might ask me – if I’ve never seen them? ».

I guarantee it! It is that the elves are very good at hiding, not being discovered, and that’s why you’ve never seen them!

Two Goblins also live in the house of the Reds: On and Off. The Reds, of course, have never seen them, but they know that they are there and if something disappears or if you hear strange noises, they are very ready to blame to those two nice beings a bit magical and a bit pranksters.

In fact, that day when the cake disappeared from the refrigerator, Mr. Rossi was immediately ready not only to accuse the goblins, but he also decided to call the DAF, that is the Anti Kobold Disinfestation, to eliminate them from the house.

What could our poor friends, On and Off, do to save themselves? The only way was to improvise as investigators for a day and find out who was the real culprit who had stolen the cake.

After a series of suspicions, searches and mysteries, the culprit is found, but…. This is a surprise, because the ending will be really very very…. Magical….

If you want to come and help On and Off to reveal the MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARED CAKE, we are waiting for you on January 31st at 4.00 pm.

What to bring during the show

Also in this Onlife Theater show, to encourage participation and interaction, children are asked to bring a series of objects. In this case:

any headdress

Artistic cast

Pino Costalunga has been working for 40 years as a director, playwright and actor for the theater for adults and children and with reading and entertainment projects. He is a member of the regional coordination of professional readers LeggiPerLeggere. For many years he has been a guest of several national festivals with projects related to reading aloud; is a permanent presence of the Mantua Literature Festival
Mariangela Diana, an expert actress in the children’s theater sector, among the finalists of the Hystrio award at Vocation 2019
Fabio Bersan, technician
Stefano Piermatteo, digital consultant

The king who was afraid of the dark

You must know dear prince that when it is up to us animals of the night to come out of our dens, usually the animals of the day, including you humans, close your eyes to rest and remember all the day just passed. And these memories are colorful and filled with great things that feel real. And they are called dreams. In dreams you can be anything you want.

Opening of The King Who Was Afraid of the Dark

The king who was afraid of the dark is an original fable, written and interpreted by Mariangela Diana. The inspirations come from the short story “The Shadow” by Hans Christian Andersen, from the fairy tale “Fioccobianco and the noises of the night” by Anna Oliviero Ferraris.

In The King Who Was Afraid of the Dark, the firefly becomes a symbol of the need for the existence of night and darkness, and remembers that there is always a way to enlighten and feel safe.

In addition to the firefly, the protagonists are a child, a prince who will teach his father, the king, how not to be afraid of the dark, and indeed to love its characteristics, natural and suggestive like those of light.

Director’s notes The king who was afraid of the dark

“Depriving oneself of the dark and of the night – explains Mariangela Diana, author and interpreter, Hystrio award at Vocation 2019 – would mean not knowing the other thousand colors of the sky, nocturnal animals and shooting stars. The darkness of a room triggers the often negative and scariest fantasies: witches, ghosts and monsters under the bed have always been the nocturnal enemies. The meeting wants to be discovered instead of the sweetest and most reassuring fantasies that come from the night, such as the rest after a long and tiring day, of fireflies, the protagonists of this fairy tale and above all of dreams, vivid and real especially at night “.

Respect for the places and fears of others is also relevant. It is not asked to eliminate or demonize fear, but to know how to recognize and deal with it with delicacy and understanding. And alongside the respect for a world that lives when we are asleep, busy dreaming.

A fear that both adults and children face, and which can be embarrassing especially in personal and social growth.

Rights4Kids

In Europe for children’s rights

Since 2018 Fondazione Aida has been Leader of the European project Rights4kids, a project financed by the Creative Europe programme and under the patronage of the Municipality of Verona – Department of Education.

The aim

The project aims to bring children closer to theatre, making them participate in the development of plays not only as an audience but also as co-creators. The children were able to reflect on their rights by sharing their experiences and stories. Theatre, in this case, becomes a tool to promote the social inclusion of children. It was possible to work on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to raise public awareness of this important issue.

Theatre is an effective tool because, not only is it a means for young people to express themselves, but it is also a means of communication. Thanks to theatre, young people can confront themselves with others and create a bridge between the world of children and that of adults.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, the core theme of the project, specifies the fundamental rights that must be recognised and guaranteed for all boys and girls in the world: it is important to make children aware of their rights and those of their schoolmates or friends who may come from another culture or may have certain disabilities or social problems.

The phases

First, several workshops were carried out with children in all partner countries, in schools or education centres.

Then, the stories that emerged during the workshops were the basis for the development of the script of a play. Subsequently, each partner staged the play for more than 10 performances each.

An online portal focusing on broader issues related to art and the Convention of the Rights of the Child was created. Currently, an e-learning course is being developed with the aim of incorporating and sharing expertise from professionals across Europe.

The project will conclude with a festival in Greece dedicated to theatre and children, where all the plays will be presented together with other focused parallel activities.

The partners

AIDA Foundation participates with other six partners: Associazione Teatrale Trentina Interculturale from Italy, Teatro Aeroplio, Action Synergy and DIKTUO -Network for Children’s Rights from Greece, Dah Theatre Research Centre from Serbia and Performalita from Czech Republic.

Visit the Facebook page and the official website!

Anno: 2020

Treasure Hunt Verona