Clay & Paper Theatre presents the 16th annual NIGHT OF DREAD, an evening of fearful pageantry, revels and mockery on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24TH in DUFFERIN GROVE PARK. At this much loved, family-friendly, community event, Torontonians are encouraged to call on, mock and banish their private and collective fears through parade and pageantry, music and masquerade, dance and a devilishly good party. Special musical guests this year include legendary Canadian virtuoso jazz funk masters, The Shuffle Demons.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Parade Assembly - 4pm to 6pm

Parade - 6pm to 7pm

Fear of the Year Scenario - 7pm

Mockery Post Scenario Events - 7:15pm to 9:00pm

Shuffle Demons at the Music Tent - 7:45pm

LOCATION

Dufferin Grove Park 875 Dufferin St., South of Bloor St. W., across from Dufferin Mall

DRESS CODE

Black & White & Dreadful

ADMISSION

Pay-What-You-Can / $10 Suggested

Participants gather for the parade in Dufferin Grove Park from 4 to 6pm where Clay & Paper Theatre puppets and masks are made available for revelers to wear. After the hour-long procession, with its towering puppets, fire spinners and an assortment of marching bands, all participants return to the park where they are treated to a theatrical spectacle showdown with the Fear of the Year for 2015.

After-scenario ceremonial events include a shrine garden to those who have passed, a seductively haunting shadow show, the Small Fears bonfire, a waltz with Death, and an opportunity to eat traditional Pan de Muerto Bread of the Dead baked fresh in Dufferin Groves own park bake ovens. The dreadful night then swings into a boisterous closing performance with Torontos own hometown demons, The Shuffle Demons.

Confirmed performers include: The Shuffle Demons; Afro-Brazilian percussion and song troupe Maracatu Mar Aberto; fire artists and circus performers The New Model Circus Army; and singers and musicians Maryem Toller, Jayne Brown, Naghmeh Farahmand and Ernie Toller; as well as an army of volunteer performers and puppeteers.

Now in its 21st season and founded in 1994 by David Anderson longtime theatre activist, producer of new Canadian work, and defender of public space, Clay & Paper Theatre has created, developed and performed multi-disciplinary, community-driven theatrical works using narrative theatre, music and large-scale puppetry in public spaces. A little theatre company asking big questions with humour and irreverence, Clay & Paper Theatre is not funny and is never serious.

Clay & Paper Theatre gratefully acknowledges support from the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Metcalf Foundation, the Amicus Foundation, The City of Toronto, Parks & Recreation and Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment & Training.

PHOTOS: Please contact us at clayandpaper@sympatico.ca for production photos. We also welcome media photographers at all Clay & Paper Theatre events.

ILLUSTRATION: Kathryn Durst www.kathryndurst.com and http://kathryndurst.tumblr.com/