Introducing the Rotary Club of North Bay Education Series

This morning in the WKP Kennedy Gallery, it was announced that the Rotary Club of North Bay will be the new sponsor for the Capitol Centre’s Education Series. The Rotary Club’s $35,000 contribution will cover all the costs, including the artist fees, for the entire 2025-26 Rotary Club of North Bay Education Series, meaning that the series will continue to have no ticketing costs for the students attending.

Katina Connolly, Executive Director of the Capitol Centre, began the morning announcement by reminding those in attendance that the Capitol Centre is a not-for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to keep the arts alive and accessible in our community, but that without members, sponsors, and donors, that couldn’t be possible. “In recent years, we have introduced a new program which we believe has an incredible impact on our youngest audiences. The Education Series exposes students to the arts and instills an appreciation for arts and culture, which can be cultivated into a passion for music, arts, drawing, acting, etc. The arts have been shown to influence children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development and help individuals appreciate diversity and build supportive relationships. The Education Series is carefully curated to feature diverse and inclusive programming to our patrons, exposing students and youth to cultures and stories outside of their everyday experiences. To ensure the education series is accessible to all, we have offered it for free for the last two years and have seen incredible engagement from classrooms, daycare centers, and homeschool networks. Without offsetting ticket revenue, the cost of running this program does put a strain on Capitol Centre operations, so we are very pleased and incredibly grateful to acknowledge a new presenting sponsor for 2025-26” says Connolly as she invited Jeff Hobbs, President Elect of the Rotary Club of North Bay, to speak to the media.

“Our Rotary Club is very pleased and excited to be sponsoring the 2025-26 Education Series here at the Capitol Centre. Rotary has been making a difference in our community and beyond since 1923. We have always been ready and willing to get involved with projects and initiatives, both large and small. Our club’s primary focus has been to support area children and youth with special needs overcoming challenging circumstances,” says Hobbs, who had just attended another announcement earlier in the morning announcing Rotary’s new partnership with Chat4Chad supporting children’s mental health initiatives. “Today, we’re extremely pleased to be expanding yet again in our focus to include inspiring youth using performing arts. By providing financial support for the Capitol Centre’s Education Series, which has proved to be very successful since its inception.”                      

“We’re extremely excited about this new partnership with Rotary, presenting the Rotary Club of North Bay Education Series,” adds Dan Misturada, Director of Programming and Events at the Capitol Centre. “The Education Series has grown over the last two seasons, starting with its inception with only three shows. It started off small, very grassroots, with educators and homeschools, with just over 1000 students attending, and then this last year we tripled the amount of students that were able to come to events. We are very happy to say that almost 3000 students attended 4 performances this last season.”

 

The 2025-26 Rotary Club of North Bay Education Series is as follows:

Where Have All The Buffalo Gone?

Thursday Oct. 16, 2025, 10:00 am (English)

Show Description: Where Have All The Buffalo Gone? Follows two souls through seven different periods of Métis history. Filled with stories about the Sun Traveller and the Callihoo family, incorporating a life-like buffalo puppet. Inspired by historical events of the Métis people of Canada, this original play for young audiences explores the loves, the losses and the fight of Treaty 6’s Métis people and their love and kinship to the buffalo.

The play takes the audience through the emergence of the Métis Nation across the plains, then leads into the robust colonization that arises from the fur trade, the disappearance of the buffalo, as well as the political uprising of the Métis Association of Alberta in the 1930s. The story starts in creation among the stars and ends in 2025.

Recommended for Grades 4-12

 

Pinkalicious! The Musical

Thursday Nov. 6, 2025, 1:00 pm (English)

Show Description: Based on the popular children’s book, this is the tale of Pinkalicious who can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe - a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament.

Recommended for Grades JK – 5

 

Ventastic

Monday Jan. 19, 2026, 10:30 am (English)

Show Description: Ventastic is a program that blends the artistry of ventriloquism, captivating storytelling, and enchanting puppetry to spark the imaginations of children. Through this unique experience, students are introduced to one of the oldest disciplines in the performing arts, discovering the magic that lies within the world of performance. This initiative not only entertains but also educates, illustrating to children how creativity, coupled with a honed skill set, can transport an audience on an exhilarating journey.

Each performance is a testament to the limitless power of imagination, demonstrating to young minds that the only boundaries to a story are those set by one's own creativity. Ventastic serves as a gateway for children to explore the realms of storytelling and performance, fostering a deep appreciation for the art form while igniting a passion for creativity that will accompany them on their own journeys of self-expression.

During the live performance students will learn the technique that allows the ventriloquist to speak without any noticeable lip movement. They will grasp the nuances of controlling the voice while mastering the art of ventriloquism. Beyond the basics, students will delve into the intricacies of difficult letters, overcoming challenges with finesse. Moreover, they will discover the secrets behind creating diverse character voices, enhancing the performance with depth and authenticity. They will witness character development, ensuring each puppet comes to life with its own distinct personality. Students will explore the nuances of the distant voice and puppet manipulation, rounding out the skills of a well practiced ventriloquist which results in a captivating performance.

Recommended for Grades 1-8

 

Shaun Boothe: Live Your Legacy
A celebration of the lives of Terry Fox, Malala Yousafzai and Bob Marley.

Wednesday Feb. 18, 2026, 10:00am & 1:00 pm ( Both in English)

Show Description: Shaun Boothe pours his talent into a presentation designed to motivate young audiences using rap songs that chronicle the extraordinary lives of cultural icons. His engaging take on the trails blazed by cultural giants like Malala Yousafzai,Terry Fox and Bob Marley, imbues students with the courage to find their own paths. By "learning from the greats," students can examine their own strengths and goals, and take

away actionable lessons with which to energize their lives.

Shaun's unique presentation, interspersed with musical performances from his acclaimed Unauthorized Biography Series, infuses the greatest stories of our time with the contagious energy of hip hop delivery. Rather than sugar coating the lives of people like Muhammad Ali, Oprah Winfrey and Bob Marley, Shaun encourages identification with their stories by highlighting the struggles that gave their achievements meaning. The multimedia program includes video projection and is pan-curricular.

Recommended for Grades 2-10

 

 Will’s Jams / Chanter avec Will

Thursday Apr. 23, 2026, 10:00am (English) & 1:00 pm (French)

Show Description: Over the past 20 years performing 3,000+ shows for young audiences across Canada and China, JUNO-nominated musician and educator Will Stroet of Will's Jams has developed top-notch school shows. Will and his band perform a rockin’ concert with lots of audience participation, witty wordplay, sign language and catchy sing-along choruses. This interactive performance features music from his 12 nationally acclaimed albums, and explores the themes of literacy, science, math, multilingualism, imagination and creativity, and living a healthy and active lifestyle – all of which ties into the arts-integrated school curriculum.  Will is also a former elementary teacher recognized by his alma mater, UBC, as one of their top 100 Education Alumni. He is also the star of "Will's Jams," a TV series that aired on CBC Kids for six years, that is now available on his YouTube channel, Kidoodle TV and Sensical TV.  This show is highly interactive and will leave your students and teachers wanting more!

Recommended for Grades JK – 7

 

The Rotary Club of North Bay Education Series can also be found here: https://capitolcentre.org/community-engagement/rotary-club-education-series

 

“This series is not just your typical field trip,” continues Misturada. “It’s very much curriculum-connected and every show has a study guide that is sent to educators and homeschoolers ahead of the show so that they can do activities, have discussion topics, and look at the different aspects, themes, and genres of the shows that they are coming to so that there is a real, true, engagement between the arts and the student. We’re extremely excited about it! Every year is a little bit different, with different themes and topics.”

Educators interested in bringing their group or class can contact education@capitolcentre.org to reserve their spot before the summer break. Bookings are now open!