ContactTo Bee webpage with video: ptco.org/tobee

Tour Coordinators: Jonathan Mirin: (413) 339 - 4569, jonathan@ptco.org

Laura Josephs: (508) 439 - 2069, laura@ptco.org

“To Bee or not to Bee” has been touring to theaters, festivals, libraries and elementary schools around New England and in Europe since 2012. “. . . guileless storytelling and sweet slapstick to charm an audience of any age. They utilize puppetry, clowning, juggling, song, movement and audience participation to teach and entertain their charges about caring for the precious air we breathe and sustaining the species which depend on us for sur-vival.” – Beverley Creasey, Boston Arts Review

Performance at the Jardin Botanique of Neuchatel, Switzerland (French translation)

Why?Native bees and honeybees are disappearing . . . In 2012, half of Switzerland’s bees didn’t survive. In 2006, 60% of honeybees in the United States disappeared and the trend has continued at 30 - 50%. After seeing the 2009 documentary “Vanishing of the Bees” and reading books like Rowan Atkinson’s Fruitless Fall, Piti The-atre Artistic Directors Jonathan Mirin and Godeliève Richard decided this was a crisis to which they would respond. By presenting the issue through an accessible, joyful and empowering performance, their goal is to bridge the gap between the science and the “people on the ground” - the audience members who can make a difference in the pollinator outcomes in their community. The performance also provides a window on the practice of beekeeping and the lives of bees themselves.Piti Theatre feels that it’s urgent to inform the population about this issue and provide audience members with the knowledge, tools, and seeds (!) necessary to create a more hopeful situation for pollinators and the human beings who depend on them. Pollinators are at the center of a wheel of ecological and agricultural issues like pesticides, monoculture vs. diversified farming and lawn care practices.

PlotThe action starts on a farm in the United States where the bees have disappeared. James, a beekeeper and farmer, is in a desperate state after having lost his bees and subsisting on corn gruel. Sylvie, a Swiss traveler, arrives in search of honey and bees and asks James how he and the farm wound up like this. After drinking the last few drops of Sylvie’s honey elixir, James has the energy to tell Sylvie the story of losing his bees with the help of the puppets he’s created and the songs of the Piano Lady who came 20 years ago to play a party but is now too tired to leave. Sylvie then sets out to find another colony of bees and brings them back with instructions from a Wise Woman Beekeeper about how to take care of them and his farm. Sylvie and James, with the help of children in the audience, transform the farm back to a bee friendly place. After the show, children are given a packet of flower seeds to continue their transformative work at home!

Cast and CrewConCeived, Written and Performed by: Godeliève RichaRd & Jonathan MiRin

musiC by: caRRie FeRGuson

musiC Performed by: lauRa Josephs oR caRRie FeRGuson

assistant direCtor: doMinique BouRquin set, Costume and PuPPet design: Godeliève RichaRd

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The CompanyPiti Theatre Company was founded in 2004 by American playwright/actor Jonathan Mirin and Swiss chore-ographer and visual artist Godeliève Richard. The troupe is based in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts and Les Ponts-de-Martel, Switzerland. Piti (pronounced “pea-tea”) is an ancient Indian (Pali) word translat-able as joy or rapture. Piti Theatre’s aim is to create new work for the stage which lends itself to the hap-piness of artists and audiences and facilitate a unique cultural and human connection between Switzerland and the U.S. by making shows in french and english and offering the possibility of artist/student exchange between the two countries. The company produces an annual festival every March in Shelburne Falls called SYRUP: One Sweet Performing Arts Festival.

Awards & Nominations

2015: Children’s Theater Foundation of America’s Aurand Harris Fellowship (Jonathan Mirin)

2014: Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Ten Year Anniversary Certificate of Recognition

2014: Club Passim Iguana Fund Award for Piti’s musical collaboration with Carrie Ferguson

2008: Independent Reviewers of New England Nomination - “Best Solo Performance”

2004: Independent Reviewers of New England Nomination - “Best Solo Performance”

Jonathan Mirin: Two Time Finalist, Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Heidemann Award

What People Say“Both times we found Piti Theatre’s work to be outstanding from the music, the set design, their ability to work with and engage large numbers of students. Further, even though their musicals are designed for stu-dent learning, there is lots of substance for adults. This company has developed a proven and innovative way to capture the talents of studnts of young ages for on-stage participation in musical theater pieces addressing cutting-edge issues presented with original music and beautiful mobile sets and costumes.”- Aranka Matolscy, Executive Director, Mahoosuc Arts Council

“Thanks so much for bringing your talent and enthusiasm to our school! [To Bee or Not to Bee] was a well-received treat for staff and students alike and I was impressed at how engaged our students were. They were attentive and well behaved, due to your effort and organized presentation. Your smiles and pep pulled ev-eryone right in and your kindness towards all was appreciated. For students that are not often exposed to the arts and cultural opportunities, this was a great experience. We hope that you will keep us in mind for future performances. It was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to working with you again.”- Jan Kalicka, Lt. Clarie P. Sullivan School, Holyoke MA‘The themes you have addressed are in line with our [learning standards] and crucial for encouraging student reflection about the sustainability of our planet. The performance is fun and poetic, the children had a great time.”- Gabriella Leonti, Director of Elementary Education, Le Locle, Switzerland

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General InfoAge: There is content to keep all ages engaged. School shows are for K - 6. Ideal for children between the ages of 5 - 11.

Audience size: up to about 400. Two hundred or less allows for a more intimate experience.

Length: 55 minutes

Price: $850 + standard mileage for 1 vehicle from Shelburne Falls, MA for the full To Bee or Not to Bee show (two actors and a musician). If you are more than two hours from Shelburne Falls, MA there may be additional travel costs. If this fee is beyond your budget, we encourage you to contact us regardless. We have created variations on the show (two performers instead of three, etc.) to make it accessible for more orga-nizations and/or we may have supplementary forms of funding available for your region (sponsors, grants, etc.). Piti Theatre is a New England States Touring Artist with the New England Foundation for the Arts which means up to half of our travel & fees can be covered for New England presenters outside of MA. We also have a storytelling version of the performance with live music perfect for smaller spaces and budgets called “Story of My Bees” which is offered for $500 with a sliding scale down to $350.

Pre-show workshop: There is an optional pre-show workshop which can be offfered during the hour be-fore a public performance or the same day as a school performance which futher integrates children into the show. This workshop can be expanded into a residency where we work with the same class(es) over the course of a week. We have incorporated as many as 100 children into the show but 20 - 40 is more typical. TBD.

Bee Weeks & Flower seeds: We offer packets of flower seeds after the show to families/classroom teachers as well as information about how to help pollinators after the show. More about creating a “Bee Week” in your community at beeweek.org

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Piti Theatre CompanyWebpage with video: ptco.org/tobee

Jonathan Mirin and Godeliève Richard, Artistic Directors(413) 339 - 4569 (USA)

+41 - 32 - 937 - 1321 (Switzerland)info@ptco.orgwww.ptco.org

Technical InformationGeneral:

To Bee was created to tour easily with the primary technical requirement being access to electricity. It has been presented in theaters and schools as well as outside at festivals, arboretums, etc. We are happy to hold a rain date for outdoor venues without an indoor option.

Stage Description:

A barn, a fence, some tools, a musician at a piano on the right side. Some small flags are suspended between the barn and stage left.

Minimum stage width: 20’Minimum stage depth: 15’Minumum ceiling height: 8’

Required:- Electricity or sound system to plug in a piano and microphone.

To provide if possible:- sound system- small ladder or stool - lights: general wash- hook or bar to attach the little flags offstage left- fresh flowers in small pots (we also travel with fake flowers)

Additional resources attached:- Letter of recommendation- Sample press release - Versions of a poster which can be adapted for your venue- Press clips

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To Whom It May Concern:

The Mahoosuc Arts Council is pleased to recommend the Piti Theatre Company.

The arts council has engaged this company twice over the past several years. Both times we found Piti

Theatre's work to be outstanding, from the music, the set design and their ability to work with and

engage large number of students. Further, even though the musicals are focused on student learning,

there is lots of substance for adults.

This company has developed a proven and innovative way to capture the talents of students of young

ages for on-stage participation in musical theater pieces written to address cutting edge issues

presented with original scores and beautiful mobile sets and costumes.

We are hoping to present this fine company again next season in a collaboration with the Bethel

Historical Society to present a musical based on our local town history using Piti Theatre’s dramatic

framework and original songs that can be adapted to any New England mill town. The new script, DVD

of the performance and town-specific songs become resources for local schools, historical societies and

museums. As the mission of the Mahoosuc Arts Council is to advance arts and humanities, this project

hits both of our targets.

We highly recommend Piti Theatre Company to other presenters.

Sincerely,

Aranka Matolcsy, Executive Director

PO Box 534, Bethel, ME 04217 ~ 207-824-3575 ~ www.mahoosucarts.org

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE & CALENDAR LISTING: TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE Note: This document is available as an editable .doc under Booking at www.ptco.org/tobee FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Piti Theatre Contact: Jonathan Mirin (413) 339 – 4569 jonathan@ptco.org

Piti Theatre Company Presents To Bee or Not to Bee at Cambridge River Festival on Saturday, June 2nd at 2 pm

Follow the Honey, Best Bees and Boston Beekeepers Present Observational Hive and Honey Tasting in Conjunction with Free Performance

In 2006-2007, U.S. beekeepers lost 50% of their bees. In the years since, beekeepers have continued to struggle with 30 – 40% annual losses resulting from factors including pesticide use, loss of habitat and industrial beekeeping practices. Meanwhile native bee species are simultaneously disappearing. The response of international touring company Piti Theatre, based in Shelburne Falls, MA and Switzerland, is the creation of To Bee or Not to Bee - a new play with music that inspires wonder and curiosity about honeybees and by extension the natural world. The show raises awareness about the honeybee's plight and gives children and adults tools for helping bees thrive in their communities. Told with two actors, puppets, dance, live music by Northampton singer-songwriter Carrie Ferguson and plenty of audience participation, To Bee tells the tale of a farmer-beekeeper named James who gradually replaces his diverse crops with corn in order to fill a growing corporate demand for corn bi-products. The action opens with a traveler returning to the farm in search of the wonderful honey she remembers from her childhood only to find farmer and farm in despair - James now paints pictures and makes puppets about the past because of “some crazy idea it might bring the bees back.” Only after James recounts his tale with music and puppets do he and the traveler realize that by reviving the land, bees will again be able to thrive. Their discovery leads directly into a real world grassroots campaign launched in connection with the show called 10% For the Bees which includes distributing seeds for planting bee gardens at the end of every performance. The campaign encourages the replanting of 10% of lawns with bee friendly habitat and transitioning to organic lawn care methods. Partners include national seed companies High Mowing Seeds and Horizon Herbs. Staff from Harvard Square’s honey boutique Follow the Honey, Best Bees and members of Boston Beekeepers will have an observational hive on hand, answer questions about honeybees, and offer honey from around the world for tasting at a table near the stage.

Piti’s vision for the show is to train other teams from the U.S. and internationally who will bring To Bee to schools and theatres in their region. The performance has been translated into French and has toured annually in Switzerland since 2012. About Piti’s Hive Founded in 2004 by American playwright/performer Jonathan Mirin and Swiss choreographer/designer Godelieve Richard, piti (pronounced "pea-tea") is an ancient Indian (Pali) word which can be translated as joy or rapture. The troupe’s aim is to create work which lends itself to the happiness of artists and audiences. They create new performances for family and adult audiences, have been nominated twice for an Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Award and received the Children’s Theater Foundation of America’s Aurand Harris Fund Award as well as Club Passim’s Iguana Fund Award for their collaboration with Northampton, MA musician Carrie Ferguson. Ms. Ferguson wrote music for and often performs in the show. She released her debut album Riding on the Back of the Wind in 2010, her follow up The List of Whales in 2014 and has toured the U.S. "Let me just say it: this album is great . . . Ferguson's tales seem to leap from the speakers." - Christopher Wiley, Northeast Performer Magazine. For more about To Bee or Not to Bee and Piti Theatre’s Bee Week program go to www.ptco.org/tobee SAMPLE TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE CALENDAR LISTING: To Bee or Not to Bee is Piti Theatre Company’s new play blending puppetry, dance, and live music to tell the comic, tragic and ultimately hopeful tale of a farmer and his bees. The show offers all ages a profound sense of the positive impact their actions can have on our environment and the future of the honeybee – while having a great time! This free performance is part of the 33rd Annual Cambridge River Festival, attracting over 200,000 festival-goers annually.

Hive Displays: EXPLORE Langstroth, Top Bar, Native Box,Skep, and Bumble BeeNesting Boxes.

Honeybees:LEARN where they nest and how to build your own native bee nesting box.

Habitat: TAKE home a list of specific plants you cangrow so bees and otherpollinators will thrive

and survive.

Hope for the future: LEARN from world-class researchers at UMass includingresearchers, extension educators,professors and local beekeepersabout encouraging studies taking place right here.

• Sonia Schloemann, Extension Educator• Stephen Herbert, Faculty• UMass Fernald Club• Rick Intres, Beekeeper• Tom Sullivan, Beekeeper• Student Farming Enterprise• UMass Diningand others who will be on handto share their knowledge andanswer your questions.

BEE SMART, Amherst!JOIN us in celebrating Pioneer Valley Bee Weekat this FREE educational and FUN event for all ages.

Commemorating 100 years of Extension eduction at UMass

Hives, Honeybees, Habitats & Hope

Wednesday, April 23rd • 2:00 - 3:30 PMIn the gardens at the front of Stockbridge Hall, UMass

Parking available in the adjacent Campus Center Parking Garage

The Center for Agriculture, Food And the Environment and UMass Extension are equal opportunity providers and employers, United States Deparment of Agriculture cooperating. Contact your local Extension office for informationon disability accommodations. Contact the State Center Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 413-545-4800 or see ag.umass.edu/resources-faculty-and-staff/civil-rights-information.

Surprise your friends: take a selfie with our Bee Piñata!

MARDI 20 NOVEMBRE 2012 L'IMPARTIAL

RÉGION 5

LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS Un spectacle ludique et pédagogique veut sensibiliser petits et grandsà la disparition des abeilles. Avec la collaboration de l’Espace abeilles d’Evologia.

«To bee or not to bee», ça fait le buzzz!CLAIRE-LISE DROZ

Il est complètement déprimé,ce fermier américain. Depuisdes années, il nemangeplus quede la polenta. Il n’y a plus que lemaïs qui pousse. Plus d’arbres,plus de fruits, plus de légumes.Car les abeilles ont disparu. Etcomme elles pollinisent le 85%des plantes... C’est le début de«To bee or not to bee», en fran-çais «Etre ou ne pas être uneabeille». Une pièce de théâtreludique et néanmoins pédagogi-que qui invite les petits (et lesgrands) à essayer de découvrirpourquoi les abeilles disparais-sentet cequ’il faudrait fairepoury remédier.

Ruchers chaux-de-fonniersLes représentationsauront lieu

dès demain au théâtre ABC, parla compagnie helvético-améri-caine «Piti Théâtre Company»,en collaboration avec l’Espaceabeilles d’Evologia, à Cernier, cerucher didactique fermé actuel-lement pour la pause hivernale,et rouvert le 20 avril prochain.«Etre ou ne pas être une

abeille» sera joué pour la pre-mière fois en français, et pour lapremière fois en Suisse, à LaChaux-de-Fonds donc, ville quiarboredesabeilles sur sesarmoi-ries, «et la première ville à répon-dre à nos demandes de subven-tions», explique JonathanMirin,coauteur et interprète avec sonépouse Godelieve Richard. Il estnatif du Massachusetts mais safemme est des Ponts-de-Martel.C’est d’ailleurs là qu’ils habitentactuellement.

Abeilles dans une tempêteCe spectacle a déjà été repré-

senté aux Etats-Unis, aux clas-

ses notamment, et continueraensuite sa tournée en Suisse eten France. Au cœur du pro-blème, l’abeille qui se trouveelle-même au cœur d’une tem-pête, entre changements clima-tiques, monocultures, pestici-des, insecticides et attaques devarroa. «Aux Etats-Unis, on en aperdu 50%en2007-2008»,expli-

que Jonathan Mirin. «Pour l’hi-vernage 2011-2012, nous avonsles mêmes chiffres en Suisse»,continuent Gilbert Dey et Da-niel Deleury, de l’Espaceabeilles. Gilbert Dey: «Dans lecanton, c’est catastrophique.J’avais 26 colonies fin 2011, auprintemps 2012, il m’en restaitcinq. Dans ces proportions, ça nem’était jamais arrivé».Jonathan Mirin et sa femme

ont composé une pièce desti-née à tous, enfants, ados, adul-tes, avec présence à chaque re-présentation de spécialistes desabeilles, qui répondent à toutesles questions et qui apportentune ruche de démonstration.Ces spécialistes seront tousmembres de l’Espace abeilles

d’Evologia. Un Espace que Jo-nathan Mirin a découvert avecémerveillement. «Aux Etats-Unis, il n’y a pas d’espace didacti-que de ce type».A tel point qu’audébut, il voulait carrément re-présenter «Etre ou ne pas êtreune abeille» là aumilieu!

Des graines à planterLe spectacle se termine sur

une note d’espoir: tous les en-fants reçoivent un petit sachetde graines de flore mellifère(exploitable par les abeilles do-mestiques) indigène. Ellessont destinées à être plantées,pour lutter contre l’appauvris-sement dumilieu.Autre note d’espoir: voir tou-

tes ces classes qui visitent l’Es-

pace abeilles, tous ces jeunes«qui commencent à être tou-chés». Et il y a un certain en-gouement pour l’apiculture.Gilbert Dey: «L’an dernier,j’avais 23 personnes, ce sont desgens qui ont une certaine bien-veillance pour les abeilles, et quine se précipitent pas sur un spraydès qu’ils voient un insecte vo-ler»...�

En pleine répétition au théâtre ABC, Jonathan Mirin, du Massachusetts, et son épouse Godelieve Richard, des Ponts-de-Martel, soit le «Piti ThéâtreCompany». En arrière-fond, Géraldine Mojon qui interprète les compositions musicales de Carrie Ferguson créées pour les Etats-Unis. CHRISTIAN GALLEY

�«Ce sont des gens qui ne seprécipitent pas sur un spray dèsqu’ils voient un insecte voler.»GILBERT DEY L’UN DES EXPLOITANTS DU RUCHER DIDACTIQUE D’EVOLOGIA

A voir et à discuter:«Etre ou ne pas être une abeille»,au théâtre ABC à La Chaux-de-Fonds,mercredi 21 et dimanche 25 novembreà 16h30, mercredi 28 novembre à 14het 16h30. Représentations suiviesd’une rencontre avec un spécialiste desabeilles. Représentations du mercredi 28suivies d’une dégustation de miel.Réservations: 032 967 90 43.

INFO+

LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS Sixième édition de l’action Sapin Solidarité.

Deux soirées de dons au pied du sapinL’action Sapin Solidarité a sou-

tenu les familles de quelque 275élèves l’an dernier, en leur appor-tant une aide pour financer lescamps scolaires, d’été ou d’hiver.Cette année encore, et pour la

6e édition, l’événement sera re-conduit sur deux jours par sixclubs-service de la région, en col-laborationavec lesécoles, lesauto-rités communales et de nom-breux sponsors privés. Le jeudi6 décembre, l’action sera lancéesur la place du Marché de LaChaux-de-Fonds par la choraledes Forges, dirigée parHenriGre-zet. Sous la tente dressée pourl’occasion, le sapin sera illuminéprogressivement, au rythme desdons du public qui est invité àacheter – virtuellement – les am-poules. Chaque personne ache-

tant une ampoule recevra unedes2000 cartes postales confection-nées par les élèves. Les amateursde fondue pourront réserver unetable le jeudi et le vendredi dès19h30.L’argent récoltéestdestinéà aider les parents des élèveschaux-de-fonniers à financer laparticipation aux camps. L’an pas-sé, l’action a apporté une aide auxparents (en sus de la subventioncommunale) de 23 000 fr. Vu lagénérositédesparticipants, lesor-ganisateurs se félicitent d’avoirégalement pu participer à l’achatde souliers de ski de fond.� SYB

L’action Sapin Solidarité a permis d’apporter une aide de 23 000 francsà des élèves issus de familles défavorisées l’an passé. ARCHIVES GALLEY

LES PONTS-DE-MARTEL

Un réveillon à la montagneLegroupe théâtral de l’ADP(as-

sociation de développement desPonts-de-Martel) invite tout lemondeàun«Réveillonà lamon-tagne». Une comédie de boule-vardde l’auteur françaisYvonTa-buret qui fera apparaître dixcomédiens du cru: Martine So-guel, Sandrine Monard, IsalineBenoît, Jean-Daniel Rothen,Christiane Todeschini, MichelRossel, Fabienne Benoît, LucHinden, Solène Bettex et RémySchneider, sur une mise enscène deDavinaHinden. L’intri-guecommencebien:uneagenceimmobilière loue par erreur unmême studio en montagne àdeux familles différentes. Un31 décembre au soir! Il faudrabien s’arranger... Pas évident,d’autant queces gens-làn’ontpasgrand-chose en commun, entre

couple de cadres parisiens etcouple de prolos banlieusards...Ce groupe théâtral n’a jamais

de mal à trouver son public, ycompris leclubdesaînéspour le-quel il joue le 29 novembre. Parailleurs il a déjà prévu des sup-plémentaires. Comme d’habi-tude, le bénéfice sera dédié àl’embellissement du village.Ce samedi-ci, c’est la soirée

principale, avec la chorale Inter-notes et les musiciens Nouvellevague en première partie. La re-présentation sera suivie d’unedisco années 1980.� CLD

LA CHAUX-DE-FONDSNouveau présidentde la section UDC

Florian Robert-Nicoud est lenouveau président de la sec-tion UDC de La Chaux-de-Fonds. Etudiant en droit, né en1984, le député et conseillergénéral succède àMichelHess,démissionnaire après le refusdu RER (notre édition du 9 oc-tobre). La vice-présidence estassurée par le conseiller géné-ral Andy Favre, ferrailleur néen 1989.«La section se félicite de disposer

d’un comité formé de jeunes élus,mais aussi de personnes ayantune plus grande expérience de lapolitique», communique la sec-tion. «Ce comité dispose d’unelarge vision de la populationchaux-de-fonnière et de ses at-tentes, grâce à sa mixité généra-tionnelle et professionnelle.» �COMM-SYB

LE LOCLEBoogie-woogie. SilvanZingg Trio & Axel Zwingenbergerseront sur scène samedi(20h30) à la Boîte à swing, dansla maison de paroisse, rue desEnvers, au Locle. Avec deuxpianos et deux des meilleursspécialistes européens deboogie-woogie-blues, ce 3econcert de la saison s’annonceendiablé. Renseignements surwww.boiteaswing.ch ou au tél.032 931 30 05.

LA CHAUX-DE-FONDSPerregaux au lycée. LeLycée Blaise-Cendrars vernitjeudi à 17h une expositiond’œuvres choisies de Jean-PaulPerregaux. Elle sera visiblejusqu’au 20 décembre, les joursouvrables de 8h à 18 heures.

MÉMENTO

Action solidarité:Jeudi 6 et vendredi 7 décembre, dès17h30. Rés. fondue (tables de six):079 342 92 03laurent.cattaneo@publicitas.com

INFO+«Réveillon à la montagne»:Représentations: samedi 24 novembre,20h, Bugnon. Supplémentaires:28 novembre, 8 et 15 décembre, 20h,salle de paroisse.Vente des places: Proxi, Kiosk’Bar,Fromagerie des Martel.

INFO+

Florian Robert-Nicoud estle nouveau président de l’UDC deLa Chaux-de-Fonds. ARCHIVES C. GALLEY