HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES
SHARING STORIES AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS SINCE 1983
THE PROBLEM WITH PINK
By Le Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke from Sherbrooke, Canada
and La [parenthèse] / Christophe Garcia from Angers, France
Resources
About the Company
The problem with pink is that it’s everywhere! So if pink is just for girls, things might get complicated.
Playing happily on their private pink carpet, each day is full of fun for friends Alix, Sasha, Lou and Noa. From afar, the outside world seeps into their games. A plane flies overhead? They grow long, long wings. It starts raining? No problem: they splash in the puddles, instantly waterproof. But everything changes when they get terrible news from the outside: the color pink is for girls.
Suddenly, the perception of others becomes a major preoccupation, muddling their imaginations in the process. Fear of judgment and mistrust take hold. If pink is only for girls, how will this change the way they live and play together?
Four performers use dance, theatre, and incredible visuals to explore friendship, identity, and inclusion/self-affirmation. This exhilarating dance drama gives children a space to reflect on stereotypes and imagine the future with boldness, brightness and freedom.
“one of this year’s Imaginate Festivals’ more crucial and well-executed performances"- Corr Blimey, UK. Read the full review here.
Best for Grades 2nd+
Best for Small to Medium Venues
Please contact us to watch a full length recording.
Curriculum Connections
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Fine Arts: Creative Design, Theatre, Dance, Movement, Storytelling
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Emotional/Social Development: Friendship, Relationship to Others, Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social-Awareness, Identity, Gender Stereotypes, Curiosity, Imagination, Perspective, Empathy, Perspective-taking, Relationship Skills, Social Engagement, Relationship-building, Problem-solving
Post-show discussion
The engagement includes a 10-15-minute post-show discussion and exchange with the performers, at no additional cost.
The company can also offer additional Pre-show or Post-show Workshops, such as:
Pre-show Movement Workshop
Preparatory workshop related to the themes and form of the show. Led by a professional dancer, this workshop before the show will allow young people to discover and experiment with different ways of putting their bodies into play and creating bridges between words and movement.
Post-show Workshop
Offered on request, this 60-minute workshop will open up a space for discovery, exchange and discussion around the themes of identity and self-affirmation.
Sensory Friendly Performances
THE PROBLEM WITH PINK is available as a “sensory friendly” or “relaxed” performance if arranged with the company in advance and with specific direction as to what adjustments are necessary for your venue.
Outreach and Workshops
Minium Tech Specs
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Load In Time: 6 hours (plus 2 hour dance call/warm up)
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Min. Stage Size: 30’ width x 23’ depth x between 14-22’ height. There must be a cross-over and a wooden floor laid with black marley.
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Wing needs: minimum 5 ft each side
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Load Out Time: 2 hours
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Crew: 3 technicians (including sound and light) and 1 Technical Director for load in/load out; and 1 technician for the run of show
Artistic Team
Author / Director: Erika Tremblay-Roy
English translation: Alexis Diamond
Choreographer / Director: Christophe Garcia
Assistant Stage Director: Julie Compans
Scenography: Julia Morlot
Lighting: Andréanne Deschênes
Music: Jakub Trzepizur
Costumes: Pascale Guené
Performers
Alix : Samuel Décary
Noa : Amélie Olivier
Lou : Olivier Rousseau
Sasha : Idir Chatar
Audience & Critical Acclaim
"This work is daringly questioning and couldn’t be more current and relevant.” - Mon(theatre).qc.ca, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
"What a great field trip! My students and I really appreciated it. Thanks to all those who, from near or far, have contributed to making this show a rich and thoughtful exercise that will help anchor tolerance and openness in children." - Ann Courtemanche
Coeur-Immaculé Elementary School of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
“one of this year’s Imaginate Festivals’ more crucial and well-executed performances… Erika Tremblay-Roy’s writing is remarkably tight, as the production communicates in multiple genres, particularly dance, to evoke the pleasures and despairs of discovering oneself. “ - Corr Blimey UK. Read the full review here.
“ A small show for all audiences that is remarkable in several respects: easy to understand and precise, it is likely to give tools to children who impose gendered behaviours on themselves and are cruelly separated between dominant boys and dominated girls in the schoolyard. Even better, we can see how boys suffer from this masculine and virile behaviour that is forced upon them. All this is expressed in between two genres, where dancers speak, thought is seen, bodies feel pleasure and ache, and dialogues feed the joy of movement. And the triumph of the love of pink and of free development of oneself. ” - Agnès Freschel, Zibeline Journal, Marseille, France
“ The playwright's inventiveness, sensitivity and undeniable mastery of dramatic writing make The problem with pink a delightful work (...) Through play, adventure and pleasure, precious questions are raised about gender identities and imposed social roles, the need to belong and to be individual, the diversity of perceptions and ways of coexisting. In this play, where textual, scenic and physical dramaturgies transcend simple juxtaposition, the author offers a luminous and essential work whose complexity and evocative power honour the intelligence of the children for whom it is intended. ” - Members of the jury, CEAD Louise-Lahaye 2020 Prize, Montreal, Canada
About the Company
Past United States Tours include: A Letter for Elena (2023) and The Epic of Gilgamesh (2006)
Le Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke
The mission of Le Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke is to develop the practice and attendance of theatre in children and youth by placing words and dramatic art at the heart of research and by offering multidisciplinary teams the creative environment that allows them to experiment with the musical, visual and physical languages.
A theatre that defies convention, always looking for new ways to tell a story and make it blossom and to grab young audiences attention by playing with the codes of performance, inviting them to visit a universe that ignites imagination. A theatre that allows for greater freedom of interpretation, giving young audiences’ sensibilities and intelligence a different perspective and trusting their ability to discover new versions of a story. A theatre that cares about showcasing the talent of local artists while establishing new collaborations with companies from abroad, thus multiplying exchange opportunities between creators from different artistic scopes and disciplines.
In 50 years of artistic activity, Le Petit Théâtre de Sherbrooke has created more than 90 plays presented in Québec, Canada, United States, France, Scotland, Belgium, Switzerland and South America.
La [parenthèse] / Christophe Garcia
The dance company La [parenthèse] / Christophe Garcia was founded in 2000 with the desire to tell stories through dance, music and text. From the very beginning, its founder was driven by the desire to build bridges between the arts, generations and continents.
Each show offers a unique universe : small intimate shapes alongside ambitious shows. The poetry and dynamism of the artists impart a common tone to all productions.
Since its inception, La [parenthèse] / Christophe Garcia has presented more than 25 creations in France, Canada, United States, Germany, Scotland, Croatia, Italy, South America, Switzerland and Netherland. The company continues to project itself in creations on different scales, which always remain unifying, joyful and human.
For more information, please visit the company’s website here.
Past Projects
