Polaris is a high-intensity community choir and is a part of the Choirs for Change Association, a registered non-profit organization based in Halifax that strives to support social change movements through innovative choral events. Performing “Three Little Pigs,” a piece created by composer Ryan Henwood and writer Claire Bennet, this performance exists on the border of choral music and performance art. Led by narration, the choir creates soundscapes that help immerse you in the story. The original moral of “The Three Little Pigs” tells us that hard work and dedication will bring positive outcomes and security. The first and second pig decide to put minimal effort into building their homes, and ultimately lose them to the Big Bad Wolf. The third pig, however, puts time and resources into their home and is rewarded with safety from the Wolf. But this is just a fable, and the world we live in is a little more complicated. The question emerges – does hard work and dedication pay off when there are systemic forces that are working against you?
This reimagined “Three Little Pigs” explores the effects of gentrification and what might happen if we were to unite against those in power. Instead of the innocent three little pigs of the original, this story focuses on the three capitalist pigs who are funding (and profiting from) the rapid development of condominium buildings across the city. They contract the Big Bad Wolf to forcibly remove other animals from their homes in the neighbourhoods of Strawhaven, Stickville, and Stonecrest. Who will have their happily ever after?
