Nothing to see here, just a choir of singing sheep. Because, why not?
A TikTok video of a trio dressed up as sheep singing Christmas carols, surprising and bewildering mall strollers and shoppers at Upper Canada Mall in late November, has gone viral. The group can be seen dressed in sheep costumes, complete with ears, hooves, and even stuffed bodysuits to create the appearance of fluffy wool, singing Christmas carols and carrying out other theatrical antics.
The video has over 4 million views.
So who are the people behind the sheep?
As it turns out, the Alpine Merry Sheep Choir has been delighting crowds for five years. Something that started as a one-time experiment of singing telegrams when people couldn’t gather in the COVID-19 pandemic, has since turned into a fun and festive holiday tradition.
But this isn’t your standard get-up-and-sing choir. It’s more of an immersive experience where the sheep stay in character at all times, baa-ing, chewing, and sometimes wandering off or getting into trouble as they walk through the mall, said the musical director for the group, Anika Johnson.
The way it works is the shepherd corrals the sheep and keeps them in line, stopping every once in a while to sing a few songs complete with choreography.
“As soon as the shepherd calls them to attention, the sheep snap into perfect choristers, and then the shepherd conducts them as they sing holiday songs in a cappella three-part harmony,” Johnson said.
After each set of songs, the sheep are rewarded with a treat, followed by the flock wandering off to the next stops.
The repertoire ranges from modern favourites like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” to old traditional Christmas carols and even some lesser-known French songs. The French repertoire comes from the way the choir originated, which was as Les Moutons, similar to the current show but no singing. It has been celebrated and toured all over the world.
Johnson said the people playing the sheep are all “triple-threat” actors and singers from all across Canada.
“You may recognize them from shows with Mirvish, the Musical Stage Company, and the Confederation Centre, to name a few,” she said.
The group, comprised of Joel Cumber, Madison Claringbold, Macayla Paris, and Gibum Dante Lim (the shepherd) and created by Toronto dance and theatre company CORPUS, is known for popping up at various locations across the GTA and entertaining people with comedy and musical entertainment.
The show clearly resonates with crowds, considering the video has been racking up millions of views. When asked why the show connects with people so much, Johnson said while any live performance is special since people spend a lot of time looking at screens, this particular show goes even further and breaks the fourth wall of a traditional performance. Breaking a fourth wall is when performers acknowledge and integrate the audience into a performance.
“The sheep are interacting with the public in an immersive way that is surprising and weird and really shakes up the vibe of the space,” Johnson explained.
“People are instantly disarmed, which makes them more open to stay and enjoy something they would normally never get to see,” she added.
She noted the world can feel very dark and chaotic these days and people are craving something silly, sweet, and simple.
Most of their stops are in Toronto but their one north of the GTA stop happened to be Newmarket on Black Friday weekend, Nov. 28, 29, and 30, one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.
More information on the singing sheep can be found on the CORPUS website.
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