Return to Ithaca

Welcome my friends on this journey of mine.

I have choreographed each step and memorized each line.

Our ship is about to embark on its magical quest.

In tempest and in time it has stood the test.

One decade and another half has passed since we first began.

Fifteen years since I unfurled my kite and with it ran.

What has become of the little girl with the ribbon in her hair.

What feats did she accomplish? Which challenges did she dare?

Looking back I can see all the turmoil and success.

No confusion. No trepidation and certainly no regrets.

I followed my fate in the direction I was led from the start.

To a place that I call my Ithaca. This place in my heart.

I wish to thank you dear friends one and all.

For all your support, understanding, each ovation and curtain call.

So many names of individuals I want to acknowledge now.

To tell them how I feel – show my gratitude – but how?

I fear that I could never do justice to each and every name.

Just trust that to each and every one my gratitude is the same.

My message has been the same throughout the years.

Trust in our Community and you shall have no fears.

Encourage the young to take pride in the heritage they know.

Strong and confident our future generation will grow.

So far from home where we came for a better life.

Together as a Community we can deal with adversity and strife.

My personal journey has not yet come to its end I know.

I now watch the young ones embark on theirs as they do grow.

I hope I have taught them something about who they are.

I pray that they continue to follow their guiding star.

Proud young Hellenes looking forward to so many tomorrows.

Learning and growing, as we did, from joys and from sorrows.

On to Ithaca let us continue this journey many years.

Sharing our laughter – our songs – our heritage – our tears.

Each end brings on a new beginning for us to explore.

One curtain drops – another rises – we begin once more.

The many channels we’ve crossed and the ports we did call.

The places we’ve seen – the memories made – each and all.

A new generation of fledglings we see now arise.

Eager to soar – to learn – to see with their own eyes.

The land that we left behind but could never forget.

Nothing we took except our heritage – no hate and no regret.

I don’t want the journey to end so off with them do I set sail.

As long as we keep our faith and hope we can never fail.

All aboard for Ithaca – the voyage will be long and hard.

Together we’ll weather the storms and play out fate’s card.

All aboard for Ithaca – a trip of a lifetime is at hand.

Time to chart our course. Time to write our names in the sand.

Nancy Athan Mylonas

Director/Choreographer

“Treasured Moments” encompass the most delightful characters of our past comedies together with our most loved dance numbers and the most precious items that have left a mark in Nefeli’s 15 years.

The essence of our Theatre Group over the years has not been in what we achieve on stage but rather what we receive out of working together as a team. The relationships we build, the experiences we gain, the exploration of human needs and finally the creative collective process of a stage production make up the fundamental factors of this solid group.

When the idea of Treasured Moments came about, we had to make a decision what to present. Well, this has been our most difficult undertaking because we like everything we have ever done. Can we forget our dramas, our comedies our national plays? What do you pick and what do you leave behind.

We sat down with Vicki Raios and Joanna Barlas and wrote the Greek script for the comedy act. I sat with my soul mate, Lydia Soldevila –Tombros, and she wrote the English excerpts. And finally, we got together with Vicki Raios, Maria Lazarou, Vicki Xenikakis, Zoe Rizos, Chris Sakkas and Ted Panagiotoulias to workshop and find the precious little cherries that would make our Birthday celebrations a time to remember.…..

I am sure that you will be touched with the outcome.……. Enjoy our treasured moments.

ΚΕΦΙ… ΓΕΛΙΟ … ΧΟΡΟ!

ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΕΣ ΣΤΙΓΜΕΣ

Μια αναδρομή-επιθεώρηση των χαρακτήρων που στα 15 χρόνια του Πρωτοποριακού Θεάτρου Νεφέλη μας χάρισαν το γέλιο, τη χαρά και την συγκίνηση.

Αγαπητοί μας φίλοι, είμαστε ένας λαός που ξέρει να αγαπάει, να γλεντάει, να αγωνίζεται και να πιστεύει στα ιδανικά του. Να κρατάει ψιλά την πατρίδα του όπου και να έχει γεννηθεί και όπου και να έχει μεταναστεύσει παρ’ όλα τα χαστούκια της ζωής.

Με μια βαλίτσα στο χέρι ξεκινήσατε για μια καλύτερη μέρα και μας φυτέψατε το σπόρο του ελεύθερου πνεύματος και το κυριότερο …..πως τίποτα δεν μπορεί να κρατήσει τον Έλληνα κάτω από ζυγό όσο και να προσπαθούνε.

Τα τελευταία 15 χρόνια είδατε αυτά τα παιδιά να μεγαλώνουνε μέσα σε αυτούς τους κόλπους της Κοινότητας. Έχουμε κλάψει, γελάσει, τραγουδήσει και χορέψει μαζί. Με τα χειροκροτήματα και την αγάπη σας τους δώσατε το κουράγιο να συνεχίσουνε και να ελπίζουνε πως θα έρθει και η μέρα τους να γίνουμε και αυτοί θεατές και να κάνουνε στα παιδιά και στα εγγόνια τους αυτό που κάνετε εσείς τόσα χρόνια..

Κλείνοντας θέλουμε να σας επιβεβαιώσουμε πως και εμείς νιώθουμε που βγήκαμε από αυτά τα κοκάλα των Ελλήνων τα ιερά και να είσαστε σίγουροι πως θα προσπαθήσουμε να ευρύνουμε το όραμα σας και να σταθούμε άξιοι στης προσδοκίες σας για το μέλλον. Μείνετε κοντά μας και υποστηρίξετε τα όνειρα μας για μια δυνατότερη και ιδιαίτερη κοινότητα, μια μικρή ζωντανή και υπερήφανη Ελλάδα στην αγκαλιά του Καναδά και ας λάμψει το σύμβολο της Ελληνική Κοινότητα Τορόντο στα πέρατα της γης.