Lydia Lukidis is also a multidisciplinary artist who has a passion for creation and visual arts on many levels. She has explored such mediums as writing, performing, designing, painting, drawing, ceramics, and printmaking over the years. She studied English Literature at McGill University and received her Bachelor of Arts, and has written countless poems and short stories, some of which were published.  She also founded her own jewellery company and label in 1999, is trained in silver and goldsmithing, wax carving, and gemology. Her award winning work is recognized in the fashion industry and has been featured everywhere from fashion shows to movies to television commercials to countless magazine editorials.

Lydia has been working with Christopher since 2006, and her experience in carving, metal construction, writing and visual arts all contribute to helping her create in the medium of puppetry.

Her vision consistently comes from a deeply spiritual place; her work encompasses all that is divine and sacred, and explores the realm of the esoteric. Her muses always include love, healing, nature, and sacred art. In general, the intention behind her work seeks to awaken, inspire, and heal. Her personal mandate as an artist has always been to spread love and light.    

Christopher Godziuk is a multidisciplinary artist, who has been trained in the mediums of writing, dance, theatre, puppetry and video. He aims to research and apply innovative techniques to marionette theatre.  His vision is to produce work that combines these mediums through story, thus creating a stimulating and imaginative experience for the audience. Christopher’s desire as an artist is to help people see the beauty of life through art.

Before founding Panadream Theatre with Lydia, Christopher studied theatre from 1997 to 2000 at the Grande Prairie Regional college and at the Universtiy of Lethbridge. From 2000-2003, Christopher co-founded a marionette company called Peanut Butter Productions.  During these years, Christopher helped write and direct the stories, build props, stages and over 20 sixteen string marionettes, as well as design and market the productions. In 2003-2006, Christopher completed a BFA degree in Contemporary Dance through Concordia University in Montreal.  While at Concordia, Christopher studied creative process, choreography, movement technique, music and video.

Christopher is now integrating all the skills he acquired over the years into his work with Panadream Theatre.

Past projects (selected)

Festivals

September 2009: Les Journées de la Culture
August 2009: La Fête des Enfants
July 2009: Montreal Jazz Festival
May 2009: Toronto International Circus Festival
February 2009: Montreal Lights Festival- Nuit Blanche

Tours & theatre runs
January 2009: performed a short shadow puppet piece, Boing, for the Shorter & Sweeter cabaret at La Sala Rosa
December 2008- January 2009: toured Forkman in Alberta, at various schools, community centers and senior homes
November 2008: premiered Forkman at Montreal’s Geordie Theatre

Contract work
October 2009: Bread & Puppet Theatre's show, the Lubberland National Dance Company in "13 Dirt Cheap Cathedrals” (performed in show)
April 2009: Cirque du Soleil (collaborated on marionette design and choreography, and manipulated puppets for a special event)
April 2008: Vue sur la Relève (performed puppet choreography in a dance piece for Emmanuelle Calvé)
November 2007: Music artist Feist’s concert tour (collaborated with Clea Minaker; created shadow puppets and built shadow puppet projection table used during tour)
September 2007: Danse Buisonnière at Tangente Theatre (collaborated with Emmanuelle Calvé; built and designed a marionette used in a dance piece, and manipulated the puppet during the performance.)
July 2007: Cirque du Soleil (collaborated with artistic director Michel Laprise on a two day private performance, and created custom design puppets and choreography)
June 2007: Moment Factory (collaborated on a shadow puppet video)
June 2007: Moment Factory (created costumes for the opening party of Cirque du Soleil’s “Love” show opening in Las Vegas)

Charity & Community work
September 2009: Festival Les Journées de la Culture- Sortez pour la Rentrée (gave 2 free puppet making workshops for children in elementary schools)
June 2009: Aspire 4 Kids Foundation (gave a free marionette show for a benefit for autistic children)
February 2009: Festival Montréal en Lumières - Nuit Blanche (gave 3 free marionette shows for festival goers)

Shows @ Libraries, schools, daycares, camps…
Big Step Daycare, Garderie Antonietta, West Island Daycare, Ville de Montreal- Arrondissement Ville-Marie, Atwater Children’s Library, Children’s Corner Daycare, Razmataz daycare, Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre, CPE du Y, multiple Montessori schools, Dante School, Jewish Public Library, Côte Saint-Luc Public Library, West Island Jewish Community Centre, , Mademoiselle Pinky

June 2008- present: private showings for Forkman for children’s birthday parties

Workshops
September 2009: Ile Bizard Library (shadow puppets)
September 2009: Atwater Children’s Library (shadow puppets)
August 2009: Ville de Montreal- Arrondissement Ville-Marie (rod puppets)
August 2009: West Island Jewish Community Centre (shadow puppets)
July 2009: Camp Chabad Gan Israel (rod puppets)
July 2009: Club des Vacances St-Kevin (rod puppets)
July 2009: multiple Dollard Des Ormeaux Day Camps (shadow puppets)
April 2009: Mediterranean Shipping Company (2D puppets)

Grants/Awards
May 2008: Awarded a grant from the Fondation du Maire de Montreal pour la Jeunesse in collaboration with Youth Employment Services, for the promotion and diffusion of a marionette show, Forkman.

Panadream Theatre creates puppet shows that combine elements of dance, theatre, videography, and traditional puppetry, and aims to create stories that stimulate the imagination, stir the emotions, and open the heart. During their performances, the audience is taken on journeys to magical realms where anything is possible. The marionettes animate tales that reflect the human spirit in all of its complexities. Panadream Theatre creates a life on stage that compels their audience to laugh, think and feel.

Role Within the Artistic Community

Panadream Theatre is an active member of the Association Québécoise des Marionnettistes, and of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette, which are puppetry organizations that help bring the community of puppeteers together. They are also active members of the organizations Playwright’s Workshop Montreal, and English Language Arts Network.

Panadream Theatre regularly gives back to the community, and gets involved in festivals, charity events and
other special cultural events that expose the public to art. They regularly give free workshops and shows for benefits and charities, and are always interested in promoting art with outreach programs and underprivileged children. They feel driven to keep the ancient and magical tradition of puppetry alive.

Christopher Godziuk and Lydia Lukidis are the founders of Panadream Theatre, which came to life in 2007 (although Christopher has been working in the field of puppetry since 2000). The company specializes in the design and construction of string marionettes, but also explores the worlds of shadow puppetry and video. As well as building their own unique marionettes, sets, and props, they also write their own stories, and tour their shows. Christopher and Lydia also create and manipulate puppets for use in such mediums as film, video, and music performances.

Panadream Theatre produces shows for adults, but also offers plays suitable for children, aged 3 and up. They propose a variety of packages appropriate for children, and these are ideal for festivals, schools, daycares, summer camps, corporate events, private birthday parties and other special events. Music, costumes, and special effects enhance the experience and create lasting memories for everyone. In addition, Panadream Theatre offers puppet making, manipulation and theatre workshops for kids, teens or adults.

They have presented their work at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Toronto International Circus Festival, Montreal High Lights Festival- Nuit Blanche, and Les Journées de Culture de Montréal among others, and they have collaborated on independent projects for Cirque du Soleil, Moment Factory, and musical artist Feist’s concert tour to name a few.