The Antyssey
(An Ant's Odyssey)
A song-filled look at identity, expectation and belonging that celebrates the uniqueness of every individual and reveals lots of amazing facts about ants along the way!
Suitable for K-6
Themes: Fitting into society, self-discovery, and acceptance.
Running Time: 50 min
2024 Spring Elementary School Tour
Tour Dates (4 weeks) - from April 8th to May 12th, 2024
SHOW SOLD OUT!
Book one of our upcoming touring shows for the 2024-25 school year:
Photo credits: The Antyssey- Book, Music and Lyrics by Joel Crichton and Richard Lee Hsi Original production, Concrete Theatre. Photos by Epic Photography Inc. Director: Mieko Ouchi, Assistant Director: Corben Kushneryk, Musical Director: Morgan McKee, Production Designer: Patrick Beagan. The Cast: Graham Mothersill, Natércia Napoleão, Christopher Scott
Pricing
The cost for schools is heavily subsidized so that we can bring the magic of theatre to as many students across Alberta as we can. If you are in a position to support bringing professional theatre productions to Alberta students, please consider making a donation today.
About
The Antyssey explores the universal feelings that we all experience at some point in our youth of not fitting in and feeling the need to break away from what we know to discover our true selves. Often at this time we go through a personal journey of mistakes and triumphs to either end up back where we began or to decide to move on in a different direction. As in the epic poem the Odyssey, Andrea and Oscar head out on a huge adventure away from the comforts of home and into the great unknown full of danger and uncertainty. Although the ants don’t journey away from their colony for as long as Odysseus did (it took 10 years for him to return home after the Trojan war), in ant years, it is indeed an epic journey. The intense time of our youth takes us through the highs and lows of ‘where do I belong?’. In one moment, we want to do our own thing and be independent, away from the shadow of authority, and in the next moment we need the security of our parents and caregivers. So The Antyssey has a rite-of-passage message within it. Andrea and Oscar need to discover on their own what they want and who they are.
Excerpt from The Antyssey’s Study Guide written by Tracy Carroll
Read the full study guide here!
What I love about The Antyssey
By Nikki Loach, Artistic Director of Quest Theatre
What I love about the Antyssey is that it is a musical! It is so cheerful, so playful, so toe-tapping fun, it feels like something crafted especially for us as we remember and appreciate the joy that live theatre can bring to our schools. But this play, written by two local Alberta playwrights of mixed ancestry, is also full of conversation starters with young people.
The story of The Antyssey unfolds as Oscar comes of age and realizes that he is a yellow ant in a black ant colony. At the same time, Andrea is unhappy about the colony’s expectations of her becoming Queen, as she imagines herself as an ant worthy of brave adventures. Oscar and Andrea embark, separately at first, but then together, on a journey of self-discovery.
The Antyssey explores the universal feelings that we all experience at some point in our youth of not fitting in and the things we discover about ourselves as we venture beyond the safety of what we already know.
Meaningful and playful, The Antyssey is sure to engage students, create conversations and spark imaginations at your school.
Nikki Loach - Artistic Director of Quest Theatre and Director of The Antyssey.