Razzamataz Kids’ Shows is holding the line on its pricing for another season in Haliburton County, with four unique performances focusing on “different cultural experiences, exposing kids to things they may not have seen before,” said circuit lead, Nicole Stewart.
Celebrating its 40th year in 2025-26, Razzamataz returns to its roots next week, bringing in Toronto-based contemporary dance troupe The Chimera Project for the group’s first public show in Haliburton County. They’ll perform Silly Billy at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion Oct. 26.
Stewart says Razzamataz’s volunteer board works with non-profit arts group Ontario Presents to book acts. Also on the agenda is Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, a heartwarming puppet play put on by British Columbia’s Axis Theatre, visiting Jan. 25; Wee Festival’s The Old Man and the River March 8; and the musical show Earth, Seas and Air, performed by Chris McKhool, on April 12.
“All these shows are going to be really fun, interesting and exciting for children. They’re all brand-new productions for our area and are all offering something a little different,” Stewart said.
She said the idea is to bring in groups boasting diverse and different cultural backgrounds who can open County kids’ eyes to the world that exists outside their community.
Malgorzata Nowacka-May is the lead director of Silly Billy, telling The Highlander the hour-long production brings western and Indigenous art forms together on-stage. Nimkii Osawamick portrays Billy and will, among other things, showcase his hoop dancing skills, with Emma Curtis performing ballet.
“The show has many layers – it works with very young audiences, but also kids in Grade 6 love it. And parents love it too, as we have many jokes in there just for parents,” Nowacka-May said.
“Art offers a unique space for self-reflection through metaphor, image and energy, through stuff that we don’t have words for. Silly Billy gives that to kids. It’s about a creature that suffers because of being different… there’s mystery and unexpected things happening, which kids love,” she added.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children – same as the past few years, Stewart said.
She said each performance can cost Razzamataz up to $5,000 to stage. Most of that is recouped through ticket sales, though Stewart said the Haliburton County Development Corporation, CanoeFM, The Arts Council – Haliburton Highlands, Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners’ Association, and Haliburton Rotary contributed a combined $6,000 towards this season’s costs.
Some of that will be used to stage a free theatre experience for Cardiff and Stuart Baker elementary school students in March. The Old Man on the River will have a second showing in Haliburton March 9.
“We did this last year with Bboyizm, a street dancing company who did a public show and then one at J.D. Hodgson the next day. We had such great feedback – the kids were all screaming so loud,” Stewart said. “We know schools don’t have additional funding to bring in live theatre performances, so this is somewhere we’re trying to plug the gap.
“What’s so great about this show is that it’s designed without words, it’s just a puppet on the stage so is suitable for children of all ages and noise sensitivities,” she added.
Kids will have the chance to get up close and personal with the performers after the show, with Stewart confirming three follow-up workshops this season – after Silly Billy Oct. 26, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch Jan. 25, and Earth, Seas and Air April 12. Each workshop can carry about 20 kids and costs an additional $8.
Since the pandemic, Stewart says Razzamataz shows have grown from audiences of 50-60 people to more than 120.
“We get people who came to shows when they were kids and, now, they’re bringing their kids, or their grandkids,” Stewart said.
