Halifax’s Gale Force Theatre will debut its newest production, While You Wait, at the Bus Stop Theatre this month. This nonverbal theatrical experience, designed for children aged five to ten, allows young audiences to explore themes of change and resilience through puppetry, live music, and storytelling.
We wanted to create something that helps children understand and navigate big changes in their lives—changes that feel out of their control. – Franziska Glen
“We wanted to create something that helps children understand and navigate big changes in their lives—changes that feel out of their control,” says Gale Force Theatre co-artistic director Franziska Glen. “It’s a pretty common experience for kids to feel powerless, and change can be so uncomfortable.”
The story follows Leo, a young girl adjusting to life in a new home. As she explores a mysterious shed in her backyard, she encounters magical creatures and begins to find her footing amid the transition.
The inspiration for While We Wait came partly from conversations with children. “We do a lot of work with kids, preteens, and teens through our youth programming,” says Glen. “Many of them shared anxieties about things like climate change—something they feel completely powerless over but that deeply affects their lives. Kids want to have bigger and harder conversations about mortality, change, and why things have to end. We wanted to create something that reflects the discomfort of these experiences but also shows that we can keep going.”
Puppetry and live music are central to bringing Leo’s story to life. Tabletop and shadow puppets depict the natural world and its inhabitants, including a snowshoe hare, a spring peeper frog, a chickadee, and a mouse.
“We love analog magic, and puppets and live music embody that,” says Glen. “The shed becomes a magical space where Leo meets creatures and observes the changing seasons. We use puppets to explore micro and macro perspectives—like garlic cloves sprouting underground in spring or a snowshoe hare leaping through winter landscapes.”
Complementing the visual storytelling is an original live score performed by percussionist Erin Donovan. The score underscores Leo’s story and provides sound effects throughout the show. “As a nonverbal show, the music and visuals do all the heavy lifting,” Glen says.
The 50-minute show’s lack of dialogue was intentional. It was designed as an introduction to live theatre for younger audiences. “We’ve made it nonverbal, so kids don’t have to stay quiet,” Glen says. They can laugh, gasp, or react without interrupting anything crucial. For younger kids, it’s about the excitement of wondering, ‘What’s going to come out next?’ while the older kids can connect with Leo’s emotional journey.”
For Glen, creating theatre for young audiences is a passion rooted in her childhood influences and her love of puppetry’s imaginative potential. When I worked with Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, I saw how children’s theatre often pushes boundaries and focuses on transformative experiences. It’s a refreshing change from the quick, dialogue-heavy style of adult theatre.”
Glen also highlighted the joy of introducing live theatre to children. “Theatre has this amazing ability to transform ordinary objects into extraordinary things,” she says. “If you have a child in your life, taking them to the theatre is such a special way to spend time together and spark meaningful conversations.”
In addition to While You Wait, Gale Force Theatre is working on several other projects, including a youth retreat and a large-scale landscape piece inspired by Nova Scotia-based nature writer Harry Thurston’s poetry collection Icarus, Falling of Birds.
For now, Glen hopes families will embrace While You Wait to experience the magic of live performance. “There’s a lot of heaviness in the world right now,” she said. “This show offers kids—and adults—a chance to feel joy and connection.”
Gale Force Theatre presents While You Wait at the Bus Stop Theatre (2203 Gottingen St, Halifax) with two shows each day on January 25 and 26, 2025. Tickets are “pay-what-you-can” and available now on zeffy.com. Visit galeforcetheatre.ca for more information.