★★★★★ “Nothing short of exceptional.” - – Winnipeg Free Press

★★★★★ “A profoundly moving story of love, loss and hope.” – CBC

★★★★★ “There aren’t enough adjectives to describe this astounding production.” - Vue Weekly

VERNON, BC – Wonderheads’ award-winning The Wilds, described as a “Pixar-meets-Miyazaki-meets-Jim Henson” fantastical love story, is set to take audiences on a heart-filled quest into the mysterious Wilds. Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre proudly presents this grand finale of VDPAC’s 2023-24 SPOTLIGHT Season’s Theatre Series, on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 7:30 pm.

When Wendell discovers that his wife Tilda and their beloved tree have vanished from their backyard, he must risk everything to venture into the nearby forest to bring them home. Confronted with shifting landscapes, unusual creatures and a mysterious lurking presence, Wendell soon learns that the key to finding Tilda is to first unlock the mystery of The Wilds.

Charming and profoundly touching, this wordless, award-winning show, characterized as “living animation” features Wonderheads’ signature masks, whimsical puppetry and enchanting music, and moves audiences to both laughter and tears along Wendell’s extraordinary adventure.

VDPAC Artistic Director Erin Kennedy says, “The Wonderheads are masterful visual storytellers. Their wordless performances are sweet, evocative and magical.”

The Wilds features Pedro M. Siqueira as Wendell and Loreto Espinoza as Tilda and the Creatures of the Wilds. Audiences can expect to encounter performers in handcrafted masks that reveal profound, funny, and heartwarming depths. This production touches on themes of grief, loss, and love. Recommended for a general audience (ages 8+).

Wonderheads is a multi-award-winning physical theatre company specializing in mask performance and visual storytelling. Their work, performed in full-face mask, has been described as "Pure magic" by CBC. Established by Co-Founding 'Heads' Kate Braidwood and Andrew Phoenix, the company is driven by a mission to ignite the imagination. Braidwood is a multi-faceted artist and professional mask maker, dedicated to creating original, physically-driven work. Phoenix is a versatile artist and teacher, infusing the stage with a passion for originality and innovation.

Braidwood embraces the ‘live-action Pixar’ comparison often used to describe the company’s work, “It’s a real compliment because, like Pixar, we set out to create entertaining and enchanting shows that resonate with all ages.” Phoenix adds, “This show reflects our passion for exploring profound themes through a fantastical lens, and we’re aiming to make each audience member laugh, cry, and gasp with wonder.”

Join us for an unforgettable, magical evening as The Wilds comes to life at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre, part of Wonderheads’ 11-date British Columbia tour.

The Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre presents The Wilds on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $30 for Adults, $27 for Seniors and $25 for Students. The performance is 60 minutes with no intermission.

For The Wilds video preview and SPOTLIGHT Season details, please visit www.vdpac.ca.

For tickets, please call Ticket Seller at 250-549-SHOW (7469) or online at ticketseller.ca.

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Ticket Link: https://www.ticketseller.ca/tickets/event/the-wilds

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About Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre

The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society is a non-profit, charitable organization devoted to fostering artists, their work, and live performance in all genres and for all ages. The Society operates the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre (VDPAC) on behalf of the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) and with the support of over 35 staff and 185 volunteers. Each year, we present our SPOTLIGHT Season of over 30 diverse performances, complemented by over 125 concerts, festivals, and special events. We select professional touring productions to entertain, enlighten, move and amuse our audiences. Altogether, they offer audiences of all ages a world of unforgettable live theatre experiences. Please visit: https://vdpac.ca/ & https://ticketseller.ca/

Facebook: @vdpac
Instagram: @vernonperformingarts

For more information, media can contact:

Raj Jain, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

250-542-9335

[email protected]