Peterborough Blogs
4th Line Theatre to Brings Peterborough History to Life In World Premiere Production 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter'
/4th Line Theatre is bringing Peterborough History to life with its world premiere production of 'Jim Watts: Girl Reporter' running from July 30 to Aug. 24.
Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.
According to a synopsis, the play takes audiences from Toronto to Madrid to Peterborough and features a local connection in Jim Higgins who raised his family in Peterborough and was truly heroic as a member of the Mackenzie-Papineau brigade in Spain.
“Thankfully I've had one of the best tools you could possibly have which is Jim Higgins's daughter Jeanette, compiled a memoir of his so reading through that, reading his entire life story is the biggest resource that any actor could possible have from his own words,” said Thomas Fornier (Jim Higgins).
Eugenia “Jim” Watts, was most famously known for being a Canadian correspondent for the Spanish Civil War and the only woman to join the MacKenzie-Papineaus, Canada’s Republican regiment in Spain. Her political beliefs and actions were heavily inspired by Emma Goldman, a prominent feminist at the time. Jim Watts began her political work as a theatre artist in Toronto, later founding Theatre of Action. She was a prominent figure in the theatre movement during the 1930s. Watts did more than write about the Spanish Civil War, as she was also an active participant in nursing and driving ambulances for the wounded civilians and soldiers.
“I didn't know a lot about this piece of history myself so I'm sure that other people will be learning about it for the first time as well,” said Katie Ryerson (Jim Watts). “Getting to play someone who is a real person is a real honour and a real gift and premiering a new work for the first time is always a real honour and real privilege.”
The play is written by Beverly Cooper and directed by Kim Blackwell. The production has 28 cast members and a crew of 15 people.
“I think I'm ideally suited to direct it because I helped dramaturge it and help support Bev in the writing of the piece in the past five years,” said Blackwell. “I really like directing world premieres because I always imagine it like a field of fresh snow where there are no other footprints and I get to put my footprints in that fresh snow.”
Opening night is Aug. 1 with July 30 and 31 as preview nights. Shows run from Tuesday to Saturday at 6 p.m. and tickets are available online at 4th Line Theatre’s website.
4th Line Theatre Announces Two Productions For Its 2024 Summer Lineup
/4th Line Theatre has announced its 32nd summer season and two premiere productions ‘Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes’ and ‘Jim Watts: Girl Reporter’ on Monday morning.
Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes was written by Alison Lawrence (pictured). Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.
The season will begin on July 1 with Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes, written by Alison Lawrence, based on the book by Shirleyan English and Bonnie Sitter and directed by Autumn Smith, who returns after appearing in the 2023 production of The Cavan Blazers.
Beginning on July 30, Jim Watts: Girl Reporter, written by Beverley Cooper and directed by Kim Blackwell, will take the stage. Cooper wrote The Other: A Strange Christmas Tale for 4th Line, which had a sold-out run in December 2018.
“In our 2024 season, I am proud to share these two plays with audiences,” explained Blackwell, 4th Line’s managing artistic director “These world premiere productions have been developed through our new play development program.”
Longtime Musical Director Justin Hiscox returns to write original music, compose and musically direct for the summer season. Hiscox returns in 2024 for his 24th season after surviving a life-threatening illness this past summer.
Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes is a funny and enlightening exploration of the largely unknown story of the teenage girls who stepped up and worked on farms across Canada to feed the troops and all Canadians during WWII. These ‘Farmerettes,’ all in their 90s now, tell us that the summers they worked on those farms were the best of their lives, even 70 or more years later.
Jim Watts: Girl Reporter is a fascinating exploration of the experience of trailblazing youth who illegally flocked to Spain to fight fascism, attempting to stop its march across Europe in the mid-1930s. Jean ‘Jim’ Watts was the only woman to join Canada’s regiment in Spain, the MacKenzie-Papineaus. The play takes us from Toronto to Madrid, from political rallies to the battlefields of Spain—and Peterborough’s own Jim Higgins — union organizer and hero — figures prominently in the story.
“Both of the plays focus on young people who are willing to do just about anything to do their part,” explains Blackwell. “These young people were desperate to try and make a difference in a world gone mad. They were all true heroes.”
Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes
Directed by Autumn Smith
July 1 – 20, 2024
Previews: July 1, 2
Opening Night: July 3
Monday to Saturday at 6 p.m.
Jim Watts: Girl Reporter
July 30 – August 24, 2024
Previews: July 30, 31
Opening Night: August 1
Tuesday to Saturday at 6 p.m.
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Market Hall Gets New Lighting Equipment and Projector With Ontario Grant
/Since Market Hall Performing Arts Centre received a $149,100 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) late last year, the venue was able to purchase a projector and new lighting equipment to improve visibility and accessibility for future arts presentations.
(From left to right) Joe Grant, Market Hall Board Chair; MPP Dave Smith; Chad Hogan, Market Hall general manager and Jennifer Cavanagh, Market Hall Board member. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Market Hall invited Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP — who presented the grant — back to see what improvements were made from the grant.
“It is great to see the results of the work that Market Hall has been able to do thanks to this grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “These funds have allowed Market Hall Performance Art Centre to advance their facility and continue to serve the community by providing a space for everyone to enjoy.”
The grant allowed Market Hall to purchase and install a state-of-the-art projector for film and theatre performances. The theatre was also able to cover the cost for buying and installing new, state-of-the-art lighting elements. These upgrades will help extend the life of the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and provide the community with a terrific space for arts performances according to Chad Hogan, Market Hall general manager.
“We want to say thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous support of the arts and culture in Peterborough,” he said. “Filmmakers and community groups alike will be able to screen their films with the highest quality available. And the lighting will improve the visual aesthetic for performances. So, overall, it’s a tremendous visual upgrade for the space.”
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4th Line Theatre Adding Additional Performance of The Cavan Blazers For This Monday
/Due to multiple sellouts of the show, 4th Line Theatre has added an additional performance of The Cavan Blazers slated for this Monday at 6 p.m.
Patrick and Anne arguing during a production of The Cavan Blazers. Photo courtesy of 4th Line THeatre.
The production, written by Robert Winslow and directed by Kim Blackwell, is in its seventh iteration over the past 32 years.
The play is a gritty, intense play that has the audience on the edge of its seat from start to finish. This drama chronicles the religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant Irish settlers in Cavan Township in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Violence erupts when a Protestant vigilante gang known as the Cavan Blazers tries to stop a Catholic settlement from being established as stated by a press release.
The theatre is featuring local music under the big tent and Black Honey Bakery will be present with power bowls with vegan options and snack packs. The concession stand and BBQ will also be open.
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Hometown PTBO: Robert Winslow On Founding 4th Line Theatre and Its August Production, The Cavan Blazers
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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with founder Robert Winslow about growing up in Millbrook, how his property became 4th Line Theatre and the month-long production of The Cavan Blazers running from Aug. 1 - 26.
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4th Line Theatre Production 'The Cavan Blazers' Looking For Antique Items
/4th Line Theatre is looking for several items to use in the upcoming production of ‘The Cavan Blazers,’ set in 1854.
photo courtesy of 4th line theatre.
Those who are interested in lending or donating any of the following items or have any questions, contact the theatre via email.
Rosaries
Fabric - 4 yards+ pieces of quilting cotton or cotton/polyester mixes
Wine skin
Camouflage/green khaki military-style clothing and accessories
Carpet bag
Leather pouches, belts and accessories & knitted scarves/shawls
Horse whip
3 medium size whiskey jugs (10-12" tall)
Antique-style lantern
2 Antique-style adzes
Cast Iron Pot with handle
Antique-style garden hoe
This drama chronicles the religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant Irish settlers in Cavan Township in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Violence erupts when a Protestant vigilante gang known as the Cavan Blazers tries to stop a Catholic settlement from being established.
This production will run from August 1 to 26 and tickets for the 2023 season can be purchased at the Box Office (9 Tupper St., Millbrook) or online.
For more information on donating or lending items, visit the website.
New Stages Theatre Announces Eight Contemporary Professional Shows for the 2023-2024 Season
/New Stages Theatre has announced the launch of their largest season to date, including a staged reading series, cabaret tribute to founding Artistic Director Randy Read, a week-long festival of new work and a holiday production in December at Market Hall.
photo courtesy of new stages theatre.
The full season line-up includes:
October: THIS IS HOW WE GOT HERE by Keith Barker
A staged reading at Market Hall. A beautiful drama by Métis playwright Keith Barker about two families in north Ontario grieving a tragic loss, when they are surprised by a mysterious visitor.
November: LET’S GET RANDY
An outrageously fun cabaret tribute to Randy Read’s 25 years as the founding Artistic Director of New Stages. With all-star performers gathering from near and far to sing and sling stories, get ready to get randy!
December: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY adapted by Joe Landry.
A holiday production with a unique twist on the beloved classic, our play is set in a 1940s radio studio, with 5 actors playing all the roles and creating all the sound effects in front of you, the live studio audience. It’s going to be a wonderful night at the theatre!
February to March: BRAND NEW STAGES
From Feb 27 to March 3, enjoy a week-long festival of exciting new work, including:
LOOKING FOR LEAR by Dreda Blow and Brad Brackenridge. Presenting a family-friendly workshop production by Nervous System at Market Hall.
LIFE WITHOUT by Steve Ross. A staged reading of this riveting family drama at Market Hall.
TUSSAUD/ANTOINETTE. Written and directed by Jody Christopherson. Presenting a staged reading at The Theatre on King.
May: LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE by Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally) and Delia Ephron
A staged reading at Market Hall, directed by Linda Kash. An intimate collection of stories told by women about pivotal moments in their lives and how they were shaped by the clothes that they wore.
June: YELLOW FACE by David Henry Hwang.
A staged reading at Market Hall. A satirical play about the once-common practice of casting White actors to play Asian roles on stage and screen. At once wickedly funny & vital viewing.
For subscription package and ticket details, visit the website.
‘The Cavan Blazers’ Is Back By Popular Demand at 4th Line Theatre This August
/4th Line Theatre is presenting a remount of its flagship play ‘The Cavan Blazers’ by Robert Winslow, coming back by popular demand this August for the theatre’s 31st summer season.
photo courtesy of 4th line theatre.
The Cavan Blazers was the first play produced by the newly-formed 4th Line Theatre in 1992. Its epic scale, including a cast of 44 actors, horses, chickens, fire and fights, established the theatre’s long-time aesthetic of presenting epic theatre on the outdoor stages at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook, Ontario.
The play explores the settler experience and what happens when the old hurts and angers from the homeland are brought over to a new country. The Cavan Blazers chronicles the religious conflict between the Catholic and Protestant Irish settlers in Cavan Township in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Violence erupts when a Protestant vigilante gang known as the Cavan Blazers tries to stop a Catholic Settlement from being established. This gritty and intense play will have the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
“The story inside The Cavan Blazers is one as old as time and as modern as the recent conflicts in Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Ukraine. It is a cautionary story of what can happen when people become entrenched in a way of thinking and are then unable to free themselves from that thinking,” said 4th Line’s managing artistic director Kim Blackwell.
Returning to the 4th Line stage in The Cavan Blazers are JD “Jack” Nicholsen as Patrick Maguire, Colin A. Doyle as Dane Swain, Thomas Fournier as Charles McCarty, Matt Gilbert as Father Phelan, Justin Hiscox as Elijah Coe, Mark Hiscox as Thomas Rutherford, Ken Houston as a horse rider and King William of Orange, Robert Morrison as William Grandy, Kelsey Powell as William Armstrong and Julia Scaringi as Martha Cooney. 4th Line Founder, playwright and actor Robert Winslow will portray Justice John Knowlsen. The Cavan Blazers will feature actress Katherine Cullen as Ann Maguire, and musician Jason Edmunds, making their 4th Line debuts this August.
Community volunteer actors include: Indigo Chesser, Jasper Chesser, Michelle Chesser, Logan Coombes, Lily Cullen, Peter Dolinski, Michael Field, Andria Fisher, Cadence Fisher, Eli Fisher, Linda Gendron, Sierra Gibb-Khan, Cody Inglis, Josh Lambert, Adrianna Malloy, Deirbhile MacQuarrie, Caoimhe MacQuarrie, Riordan MacQuarrie, Saoirse MacQuarrie, Siobhán MacQuarrie, Ayla McCracken-Reed, Venessa McCracken, Ian McGarrett, Brogan McKellar, Darragh O'Connell, Zach Newnham, Zack Radford, Mikayla Stoodley, Phil Stott and Evan Tsimidis.
The creative team includes Set Designer Kim Blackwell, Fight Director Edward Belanger, Costume Designer Korin Cormier, Musical Director Justin Hiscox, Choreographer Rachel Bemrose, Sound Designer Esther Vincent, Directing Intern Shelley Simester and Assistant to the Director Sierra Gibb-Kahn. The stage management team includes Emily Brown and Gailey Monner.
4th Line Theatre Seeking Retro Prop Donations For Upcoming Summer Production
/Dig out your attic for some relics as 4th Line Theatre is seeking prop donations or loans of items from the 60s for their upcoming production, ‘The Tilco Strike’ which is running from June 27 - July 22.
CAST MEMBERS FROM IAN MCLACHLAN AND ROBERT WINSLOW'S CROW HILL: THE TELEPHONE PLAY OF 2018. PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE EARDLEY AND 4TH LINE THEATRE.
The Theatre is asking for 1960s items either for loan or donations. These include bowling shoes, bowling pins, a bowling bag, an adding machine, bolo ties, a punch clock and a cardholder.
Volunteers are also needed for the productions. Anyone who signs up can also view any show for free.
Those looking to volunteer, need more information or donate are asked to send a photo to e-mail admin@4thlinetheatre.on.ca.
