Le Pays de la Sagouine Announces 2011 season

The 2011 season of Le Pays de la Sagouine in Bouctouche has been announced! Le Pays de la Sagouine opens to the public from Sunday, June 26, to Sunday, September 4, 2011. This year at Le Pays created by Antonine Maillet: celebrating the 40th anniversary of La Sagouine, a new house band, new actors and characters on l’Île-aux-Puces, dinner theatres, shows for kids, and so much more!

Le Pays de la Sagouine welcomes a new artistic director, Luc LeBlanc. Well known as the actor who has embodied the role of Citrouille for a number of years, Mr. LeBlanc is delighted to be able to contribute in a new way to the world of l’Île-aux-Puces: “Le Pays de la Sagouine is an ongoing love story for me… a place for the fantastic, an outstanding team, and a sincere and loyal audience. It just wasn’t possible to say no to this new adventure as artistic director… As Citrouille says this year, ‘the sky’s the limit!’”

The Acadian Kitchen Party Experience
Regular presentations in English will be held in good Acadian kitchen party style every day at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm (hours may vary). Learn about Acadian culture through its history, past and present! With the help of our fiddler, we’ll even show you how to play the spoons in our engaging kitchen parties! For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll get to taste one of our famous Acadian desserts! The perfect occasion to discover the Acadian joie de vivre!

Four decades that have marked the Acadian imagination
The most famous character of Acadian popular culture first appeared 40 years ago. Played by Viola Léger and brought to life by the writer Antonine Maillet, La Sagouine is celebrating her 40th anniversary this year. On July 24th, we’re celebrating in style! An evening paying tribute to La Sagouine will be held in “le pays” that bears her name; as part of the tribute, a wine and cheese will take place at l’Ordre du Bon Temps Restaurant starting at 7 pm. Tickets cost $25.

From July 14th, the new dinner theatre La Sagouine et le temps (La Sagouine 40 ans plus tard / La Sagouine 40 Years Later) with Viola Léger (text by Antonine Maillet) will begin its run (in French only). The play also features Denise Bouchard in the role of Mariaagélas and Luc LeBlanc in the role of Citrouille. It will be presented Thursdays and Fridays up to August 19th at l’Ordre du Bon Temps. Tickets cost $53.

La Sagouine (in English)
All summer long, the public can enjoy evenings at Le Pays de la Sagouine with a delicious meal and a play during its famous dinner theatre. Not to be missed, La Sagouine (in English), is back. After 40 years on the stage, the character is certainly the most famous and enduring Acadian theatre phenomenon. The Acadian cleaning woman is sure to make the public laugh; she takes the stage on Sundays starting July 10th through August 28th (with the exception of Sunday, July 24th). Other dinner theatres on the 2011 menu include: Un drôle de mariage (in French only) on Wednesdays and Saturdays from July 13th to the 30th and La Foire aux puces (in French only) on Wednesdays and Saturdays from August 3rd to the 27th. Dinner theatres are presented at l’Ordre du Bon Temps Restaurant (all tickets are $53). The shows start at 7 pm with the doors opening at 6:30 pm.

Something New at Le Pays!
This year, the family of l’Île-aux-Puces welcomes new actors and characters who know how to entertain with their colourful stories. Audience members are invited to meet the “gossipeuses” (in other words, people who like to gossip) and storytellers, who can help members better understand the wonderful world of Antonine Maillet. A new house band, Vieux Temps, will take the stage and make you swing to the Acadian rhythms of the good old times. Every day, audience members can tap their feet to the rhythms of Vieux Temps or of the group Les Cotchineux. Something else not to be missed: the gift shop of Le Pays has a new look, the perfect opportunity to find Acadian souvenirs to suit all tastes.

A New Play: C’t’un texte du Pays !,
Le Pays de la Sagouine is making room for new Acadian playwrights. C’t’un texte du Pays !, a play by Agathe Marie and Jenny Ferguson, will be presented at Le Hangar on Tuesdays from July 19th to August 16th at 8 pm. On stage: the characters of Florence and Marguerite à Pote played by the two playwrights. Tickets cost $15.

For the Kids!
Little kids can also join in the festivities at Le Pays de la Sagouine. On Saturday, July 9th, they can sing with Roland and Monsieur Crapaud. Children and their parents are expected at l’Ordre du Bon Temps from 11 am. Tickets are already on sale for $10. On August 20th, a very special presentation: the kids’ play Peigne… était une fois (Peigne… once upon a time). In the program: laughs, songs, and discoveries. The text and production are by Robert Gauvin and André Roy, with original music by Pierre-Guy Blanchard. Presented in collaboration with the Productions l’Entrepôt, the play will be shown exclusively at Le Pays de la Sagouine. Tickets are also on sale for $10.

Music at Le Pays!
On July 8th, make room for musical evenings! On Fridays from July 8th to the 29th, as well as from August 5th to the 26th, Frolic Alpine will take over l’Île-aux-Puces starting at 9 pm (for those who are 19 years old and older). Appearing on stage are Jérémie Goguen, Hert LeBlanc, Louis Cormier, Paul Hébert, Maurice Belliveau, Rhéal LeBlanc, Freddy & Stéphane Daigle, and Réveil. Tickets are on sale only at the door for $8 for members and $10 for others. Every Friday from July 8th to August 26th, don’t miss evenings with local artists on La terrasse of l’Ordre du Bon Temps Restaurant from 5 pm to 8 pm. An opportunity to see and hear: Scott & Gerald, Daniel Goguen, Marc Babin, Serge LeBlanc, Richard Bourque, Mario Doiron, and Raymond Savoie. Admission is free!

Special Events in 2011
On Sunday, July 3rd, the public is invited to an open house day, in collaboration with the Vestiaire Saint-Jean Baptiste (food bank) in Bouctouche. Admission is free. We encourage the public to make a donation or bring non-perishable food items. On August 15th, Le Pays de la Sagouine is the place to be to celebrate Acadians’ National Holiday! Activities are planned for the entire day, including a Tintamarre at 3 pm and music in the evening with such big names in Acadian music as country star George Belliveau and the party band Tradition!

Acadian Culinary Delights
People can treat themselves to an Acadian buffet with savoury traditional meals at l’Ordre du Bon Temps Restaurant, Wednesdays to Saturdays, from July 13th to August 20th, between 11 am and 2 pm ($12.95). Sundays are the perfect occasion to have a meal with family and friends, and try the Restaurant’s famous Acadian brunch ($14.95) available from June 26th to September 4th, between 10 am and 2 pm. For something to eat between two presentations on l’Île-aux-Puces, make your way to the Paneterie, open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Le Pays de la Sagouine is located at 57 Acadie Street in Bouctouche, New Brunswick. It’s open to the public from June 26 to September 4, 2011, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Le Pays is open from September 5th to the 11th for guided tours of l’Île-aux-Puces only, at 11 am and 1:30 pm. For more information on the various activities and how to purchase tickets, visit www.sagouine.com or call 1-800-561-9188.