Story, Music, and Lyrics by TOMSON HIGHWAY
Directed by JESSICA SCHACHT
From the renowned Canadian playwright Tomson Highway, comes a charming and whimsical musical cabaret that weaves music, song and Cree language into its storytelling.
Sponsored by Peninsula Co-op
From the renowned Canadian playwright Tomson Highway, comes this heartwarming musical that celebrates diversity, perseverance, and the power of music. Follow the adventures of the charming and determined Mary Jane Mosquito from Petit Petit Le Paw, Manitoba. Born without wings, Mary Jane faces ridicule from her insect peers. Through her journey, Mary Jane finds her voice and discovers that her unique gift of singing is the key to overcoming obstacles and shining in the world. A powerful story that weaves music, song and Cree language into its storytelling. Back by Popular Demand.
Tickets and Passes Now On Sale
Are you a School Group? Visit our Educator Page to book tickets for our special day-time School Matinee program, or contact our Education Department for all the details.
*All Kaleidoscope productions are created, managed, presented, and performed by adult professionals.
Danica Charlie (she/they) is a mixed Nuu-chah-nulth/settler actor from so-called “Victoria”.
She has endeavoured to learn more about her own indigeneity, through storytelling and creating her own beadwork.
Recent credits include: Father Tartuffe: An Indigenous Misadventure (Arts Club Theatre/Touchstone Theatre), Ghost the Musical (Chemainus Theatre), Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (Blue Bridge), Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish (Axis Theatre), White Girls in Moccasins (the frank theatre).
She is proud to call the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as “Vancouver”, her home.
Danica is so excited to step into Mary Jane’s shoes again since the first production in 2021!
As always, shoutout to her cat Lily.
Jessica Schacht is a director, dramaturg, and writer living gratefully on Quw’utsun territory, Vancouver Island. She comes from Métis and Canadian families and her work and ethos centre around exploring identity and relationships through the cultural, environmental, and personal experiences that shape us. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria’s Theatre Program and has honed her craft at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity’s Dramaturgy for Dance residency, Theatre Replacement’s New Aesthetics Performance Intensive, as well as PTC’s Block A program. As a theatre artist she has worked across genres of theatre, opera, and dance.
Recent credits include: The Fiancée (Director – Chemainus Theatre Festival); Emerging Voices (Director/Dramaturg – TheatreOne); A Tiny Christmas Carol (Co-adaptor – Chemainus Theatre Festival); Gather: Stories in Nature (Dramaturg – Neworld Theatre/Pacific Theatre); Seasiders (Writer – Chemainus Theatre Festival); The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito (Director – Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People); The Apocrypha Chronicles Podcast Season 1 & 2 (Co-writer – Re:Naissance Opera); Sis Ne’Bi-Yiz: A Mother Bear’s Journey (Associate Director/Dramaturg – Heart of the City Festival); Dialogue Dances (Dramaturg – National Ballet of Canada); Kamloopa (Fire Igniter – WCT/The Cultch/Persephone/GTNT). Jessica has been the Artist in Residence at Pacific Opera Victoria and the Artistic Associate at TheatreOne, leading their new play development program.
Born and raised in Mexico. Andrea graduated from the National Ballet School of Cuba “Fernando Alonso” and later from the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Andrea has been performing with theatre companies in Victoria and is part of the Kaleidoscope Theatre for young people’s faculty.
Some performance credits include: The HalliHippoRhinoCrocodilligator (KTYP), The Guardsman, Ride the Cyclone (Blue Bridge Theatre), 1002 Nights (Story Theatre), It’ll Come to Me (Theatre Skam), Countess Maritza, Flight (POV), The Rocky Horror Show, Mind the Gap, Pandemonium (Atomic Vaudeville).
Kelsey is thrilled to return to Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People as the Stage Manager for
The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito. Kelsey has had the privilege to work with
Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People many times and enjoys the process of bringing a show
to life for young audiences. Kelsey is a graduate of the University of Victoria with a BFA in
Theatre focussed in Production and Management. Select credits include: The Lion,The Witch,
and the Wardrobe (Stage Manager – KTYP, 2023), The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane
Mosquito (SM – KTYP, 2021), The Marriage of Figaro (ASM, Pacific Opera Victoria, 2024), Die
Walküre (ASM – Pacific Opera Victoria, 2023), Bon Appétit and the Italian Lesson (App. SM –
Pacific Opera Victoria, 2022), Flight (App. SM – Pacific Opera Victoria, 2020), Ghost the Musical
(App. SM – Chemainus Theatre Festival, 2023), Macbeth (App. SM – Canadian Opera
Company, 2023), and Controlled Damage (App. SM – Grand Theatre, 2023). Enjoy the show!
Canadian soprano, actor, and music director Abby Corpus (she/her), is located on the traditional territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples (Victoria BC). Currently finishing up her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance under Dutch soprano Anne Grimm at the University of Victoria, she works primarily in opera and musical theatre. Some recent performance credits include Golijov’s Ainadamar (Chorus, Pacific Opera Victoria), Offenbach’s La jolie parfumeuse (Justine, Halifax Summer Opera Festival), and Charpentier’s Actéon (Aréthuse, Victoria Baroque with UVic Voice Ensemble).
Abby has worked regularly with Kaleidoscope Theatre for the past several years, both in administrative and educational roles, and she is thrilled to be a part of the team for The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito. In addition to her work at Kaleidoscope she works as a voice teacher at Long & McQuade Music, a choral scholar at Lutheran Church of the Cross, and a character performer at Island Princess Parties. Abby is passionate about music as a means of creating human connection, and is especially dedicated to inspiring creativity for young people and helping young creatives find their voice.
Patricia Reilly is a Canadian theatre designer, with a specific focus on costume and set design. Previous design credits include, Assistant Designer of Three Tall Women, Assistant Costume Designer of Merry Wives of Windsor, Private Lives, An Ideal Husband, Bakhai. (Stratford Festival); Costume and Set Design for Pacific Opera Victoria (Rattenbury, La Voix Humaine); for Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre (The Drawer Boy, Our Town, Judy!, The Glass Menagerie); Set Design for Theatre SKAM (Concord Floral, Shop Talk); Costume Design for Chemainus Theatre Festival (Lumberjacks in Love, Glorious!). Training: Master’s Degree in Theatre Design (Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts, London), BFA in Theatre Design and Technology (University of Victoria), Diploma in Technical Theatre Production (Red Deer College). Online: patriciareilly.com.
Alice is delighted to be back working with Kaleidoscope again having designed The Secret
Garden. After graduating from San Jose State University theatre department, Alice honed her
skills as a costume maker at the San Francisco Opera and Metropolitan Opera in New York. Now
working as a Victoria based costumer she works with Pacific Opera Victoria, The Belfry Theatre,
UVic Theatre Department and Saint Michael’s University School. Her movie and TV work include
Spooksville, Super Pups and Pancake Manor. You may also have met her at The Makehouse
working with kids in the summer and teaching people to sew throughout the year.
Lyle, John (August 12, 1959 – March 6, 2023) who’s Cree name is mutwêsinô kîsik (Sounding Sky), is a Plains Cree Knowledge Keeper, born and raised in Saskatchewan on One Arrow Cree Territory (Ka-Peyakwaskonam). He was a strong supporter of the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, where he taught language, culture and traditional values.
Kaleidoscope dedicates this production to Lyle’s memory.
At the heart of this enchanting tale lies the captivating journey of Mary Jane the Mosquito. Through Tomson Highway's masterful storytelling, we witness the struggles and triumphs of a seemingly insignificant creature, reminding us all of the power of resilience and self-discovery.
"The Incredible Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito" stands as a powerful fusion of Indigenous language and culture and contemporary themes. Highway's seamless blend of music and storytelling creates a vibrant tapestry that celebrates the diversity of our world. It is a testament to the wisdom and traditions passed down through generations, inviting us to honour and embrace our own heritage while fostering a deeper understanding of others.
Underlying the visual splendour lies a universal message of self-acceptance and the celebration of individuality. This beautiful story reminds us to embrace our unique qualities and to pursue our dreams with unwavering determination.
First presented in 2021, we are delighted to bring this charming production back to Victoria and Vancouver audiences during our 50th Year of Theatre.
- Pat Rundell
Executive & Artistic Director
As this is an outdoor production, only limited chairs will be available. Audiences are welcome (and encouraged) to bring their own lawn / beach style chairs, or picnic blankets.
The performance takes place in the field on the North-West side of the Gorge Park Pavilion, directly beside the far end of the park’s parking lot. Look for Kaleidoscope’s bright red tents and signage.
This is the same area that the Esquimalt Farmer’s market takes place in during summer months.
Esquimalt Gorge Park is located at 1070 Tillicum Rd. There is public parking in the parking low at the Gorge Park Pavilion off Tillicum Rd.
Bus Routes Nearby: 14, 26, 11.
We encourage families to carpool, bus, or bike if they are able to.
Yes! There are washrooms available in the park’s Nature Hut, at the entrance to the Pavilion, and Kaleidoscope provided accessible Portable Toilets located beside the performance area
There will be no Kaleidoscope operated concession for this performance. We encourage audiences to pack a picnic to enjoy in the park before or after the performance!
The guiding principle behind Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People’s weather policy is: we want the show to go on in the safest way possible.
Performances take place outdoors under the open sky. Weather changes suddenly and without warning in and around Victoria. Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People’s policy is to perform rain or shine – if there is an audience, the show will usually go on.
Light precipitation:
In the event of light precipitation, the performance will go on, unless it is deemed unsafe to do so by Kaleidoscope’s Stage Manager.
Heavy Downpour:
In the event of a heavy downpour before the show, the decision to proceed with or cancel the performance will be made and announced at the time of the scheduled start of the performance. The show will be held for 10 minutes to see if the downpour will pass.
If the downpour shows no sign of letting up, the performance may be cancelled.
Downpour During Performance:
If a downpour begins during a performance, or if light precipitation turns into a heavy downpour, we may hold the show for up to 10 minutes to see if the shower will pass, provided it is safe to do so.
In the event that a hold is called, the decision will be communicated to the audience. The Stage Manager may interrupt the performance to do so.
In the event of a show being CANCELLED, either PRIOR to starting, or at any time BEFORE OR DURING a performance, all tickets from that performance will be honoured for a future performance of that same production. If you hold tickets for a cancelled performance, they may be used at any future performance of the same show. A Kaleidoscope Box Office representative will reach out to ticket holders directly in order to rebook. Should a cancellation take place on the final performance, ticket holders will be issued with a credit that can be used for the next Kaleidoscope mainstage production. Thank you for your understanding… and ‘on with the show’!
We cap our audiences at a certain number to help reduce the impact we have on the park and to provide a more intimate theatre experience to our patrons.
While we love our furry friends, we do not allow dogs to attend our productions. This is for their safety as much as our audiences. Sometimes sound effects, applause, or the sudden movements of our actors can frighten dogs and animals. Registered guide and service dogs are allowed.
