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.

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‘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 Presents Community Reminiscence of The Ontario Farmerettes

4th Line Theatre’s managing artistic director Kim Blackwell invites members of the community to join her and playwright Alison Lawrence to share stories and memories of the history of the Ontario Farmerettes.

The Ontario Farmerettes. Photo courtesy of 4th line theatre.

This gathering will aid in the development of Lawrence’s play Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz, based on Bonnie Sitter and Shirleyan English’s book Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: Memories of Ontario Farmerettes.

During the Second World War when farms were short of labourers, thousands of young women kept Ontario farms afloat and the people of Ontario fed while the young men were overseas fighting. The young women, known as Farmerettes, planted, hoed, hand-weeded and harvested fruit and vegetable crops for long hours. It was part of a provincial program to replace male labour in the agricultural sector. The Farmerettes came from all across the province, most with no previous farming experience.

This public reminiscence will take place on April 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kitchener Public Library (meeting room D/E, at 85 Queen Street N.) The Kitchener Public Library is fully accessible, and registration is not required for this free in-person event.

The reminiscence will take place in Kitchener as many of the Farmerettes who are still alive live in western Ontario.

“Reminiscences give us first-hand accounts of the history we are researching and are an essential part of developing our plays. Without this, our productions would not have the authenticity and realism our patrons have come to expect.”

Past productions developed through reminiscences include Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow’s Doctor Barnardo’s Children, Leanna Brodie’s Schoolhouse and Maja Ardal’s The Hero of Hunter Street.

For those who cannot attend in person and would like to join virtually, visit the link to register. Those who register will receive an email prior to the event with a link to the meeting via Zoom.

Questions, concerns or technical assistance requests can be directed to admin@4thlinetheatre.on.ca

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4th Line Theatre to Fund Local Playwrights Through Ontario Arts Council Grants

4th Line Theatre is recommending playwrights to receive between $1,000 and $3,000 in funding for future works through the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre, Facebook.

4th Line Theatre is administering the grants with the goal of supporting as many worthy playwriting projects as possible. The outdoor theatre company is also looking for projects that align with its artistic mandate: to preserve Canadian cultural heritage through the development and presentation of regionally-based, environmentally-staged historical dramas, with special consideration for culturally diverse artists/collectives and artists living with disabilities.

Ontario-based professional theatre artists and artists’ collectives are eligible to apply from now until Jan. 13 at 1 p.m.

Funding decisions are based on the artistic interest of the project, the quality of the artistic examples given and the impact of the program on the artist’s development.

A positive funding decision will then be forwarded to the OAC for final recommendation and grant amounts will be determined by the number of approved applicants and the funds available.

“I understand the financial challenges faced by playwrights and the OAC’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators is vital to supporting their writing projects,” says Kim Blackwell, 4th Line Theatre managing artistic director.

Application forms can be found on the OAC website and applicants will have to create a NOVA account and follow the instructions for submission. The applications will be reviewed by Blackwell.

If those interested have any questions about the process, contact 4th Line Theatre’s administration at submissions@4thlinetheatre.on.ca or by phone at 705-932-4506.

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4th Line Theatre Announces 2023 Summer Season Lineup

The 4th Line Theatre has announced their 2023 Summer Season lineup starting June 27, 2023.

The Cavan Blazers, 2011. Photo by Wayne Eardley, Brookside Studio.

The season will begin with The Tilco Strike, written by D’Arcy Jenish and directed by Cynthia Ashperger, who returns after directing the 2022 production of The Great Shadow.

The Tilco Strike recounts the year-long fight between 50 poorly paid women, and their hard-nosed male bosses at Tilco Plastics in Peterborough, who were determined to crush the women and their union. The strike began in December 1965 over a $25 bonus and escalated into an epic battle between organized labour and strike-breaking employers. The women lost their fight, but changed labour relations in Ontario forever.

In August, 4th Line will remount the theatre’s flagship play, Robert Winslow’s The Cavan Blazers.

The Cavan Blazers 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.

Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director at 4th Line Theatre was thrilled to announce this lineup for the theatre’s 31st summer season. She is also directing the theatre’s production of The Cavan Blazers.

“I am excited to present one world premiere and to bring back the play that started it all at the theatre,” says Blackwell. “Both plays look at community and what it means to be part of a community, both the good and the bad of that. This eternal search to find a collective of like-minded people, is one of the complex aspects of the human condition.”

4th Line Theatre box office will open to the public to purchase gift certificates for the 2023 Summer Season as of Nov. 1. Gift certificates for single tickets, season subscriptions and charcuterie snack boxes can be purchased in-person at the box office at 9 Tupper Street in Millbrook or online at 4thlinetheatre.on.ca.

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4th Line Theatre Celebrates 30th Anniversary With New Show And New Administrative building

4th Line Theatre is kicking off their 30th anniversary with ‘The Great Shadow’ running until July 23, and has just purchased a new administrative building.

Photo from The Great Shadow, a show set in the 1920’s. Photo by Wayne Eardley - Brookside Studio.

After years at the 4 Tupper Street location, 4th Line Theatre will begin a new chapter at 9 Tupper Street, which the company purchased in May 2022. The company will move its box office and administration centre to the new building later this year.

“After two slightly furloughed years, we are back in a big way,” said Managing Artistic Director Kim Blackwell. “We have wanted our own administrative building for several years now. And with the acquisition of 9 Tupper, our administration will be centred in the Village of Millbrook for many years to come.”

The theatre will continue to operate at the Winslow Farm.

Until further notice, tickets, gift certificates and picnics for 4th Line Theatre productions can still be purchased 4th Line Theatre’s Box Office at 4 Tupper Street or by phone (705-932-4445), online at 4thlinetheatre.on.ca.

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The Verandah Sessions – Songs From The Verandah Society Album Now Available To Download

4th Line Theatre has announced the release of a new album – The Verandah Sessions, comprised of songs from The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre created by Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr.

The album cover design was created by Jennifer Moher.

The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre had its world premiere at 4th Line Theatre in the summer of 2021. The play was first developed as a way for Murphy and Suhr to connect with and perform for people during the pandemic, as they traveled around the region to perform on people’s porches, verandahs, and backyards.

“I am really excited for everyone to hear Kate’s transcendent songs, which she created for last summer’s production of The Verandah Society at 4th Line Theatre,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “For those who were not able to see the show, Kate’s songs will give you a real sense of the beauty of the work. And for those lucky enough to see the production, this music with transport you back."

"It was an unbelievable gift to be able to create art with my dear friend Megan Murphy at the Winslow farm this past summer,” said Kate Suhr. “After immersing myself in Meg's inspirational stories and then spending time with my own thoughts and feelings surrounding the last few years - 4 new songs were born. I am truly thankful for 4th Line Theatre's generosity and continuous support. I am also indebted to the incomparable Saskia Tomkins and James McKenty for embracing my music and breathing life into everything I was hoping to convey. Without all of these wonderful people, this recording, and these songs would never have seen the light of day. I am humbled and I am grateful."

The album is available for download on Bandcamp and Apple Music.

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4th Line Theatre Welcomes Megan Murphy As Associate Artistic Director And Announces New Production In The Works

Megan Murphy has joined the 4th Line Theatre as associate artistic director - special projects, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.

Murphy will be guiding all of the company’s 30th Anniversary events and celebrations in 2022.

Murphy will begin researching and writing a play about the Peter Robinson migration from Ireland to the Peterborough region in the 1820s. 2025 will mark the 200th anniversary of the migration of Irish citizens in search of a better life in Canada. 4th Line plans to debut this new play to mark the anniversary.

“I am very excited Megan will be joining us to spearhead our 30th season celebrations. And I am equally excited that Megan will be developing a play about the region’s Irish migration stories,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “Megan’s own family originates from these Robinson settlers, so she is ideally positioned to create this play.”

“I am humbled to have the great privilege and responsibility of bringing voice to the Peter Robinson settlers,” said Murphy. “I look forward to uncovering the important stories of our past, with hope and curiosity in how they might inform and inspire our future. As I embark on my first full length play, I must employ some Irish idioms…I’m delira and excira to be sure, it’ll be grand to get the craic and write the whispers of our ancestors!”

Peter Robinson was an architect of an emigration plan which saw thousands of Irish families come to Canada to escape the brutal poverty which they were facing in Ireland. Over 2500 people settled in Scotts Plains, later renamed Peterborough, to honour Robinson. These new Canadians planted deep roots in the Peterborough area and have thousands of descendants both locally and across the globe.

In 2025 there is a call for Peter Robinson descendants to return to the Peterborough area to mark 200 years since the migration. This will be the perfect timing to produce Megan Murphy’s play which will examine the lives of the people who faced unimaginable odds to come to Canada for the chance at a better life.

The 30th Anniversary projects Murphy will be developing include a podcast series which will draw on Murphy’s over 13 years as a professional radio announcer. Other initiatives include a 30th Anniversary gala and the creation of an endowment campaign to ensure the theatre’s financial health for years to come.

“I was 12 years old when 4th Line Theatre was born. As a young, aspiring actress, my mom used to cut articles and audition calls out of the paper for me, and I dreamt of one day being a part of the 4th Line Team,” said Murphy. “It’s a full circle moment for me, to now be a part of the 30th Anniversary season.”

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4th Line Theatre Digital Festival Of Light And Dark Program Has Been Announced

4th Line Theatre has announced the programming for the second annual Digital Festival of Light and Dark, on Monday.

MOSUN FADARE IN 4TH LINE THEATRE'S 2018 PRODUCTION OF BEVERLEY COOPER'S THE OTHER: A STRANGE CHRISTMAS TALE DIRECTED BY KIM BLACKWELL. PHOTO BY WAYNE EARDLEY - BROOKSIDE STUDIO.

The Festival has provided 10 regional artists with micro-grants to create five-minute digital showcases of their work, and will launch on Jan. 24.

The Festival enables audiences to engage with the artists’ creations from the safety of their own homes, through 4th Line’s digital gallery. The Festival is free of charge to watch.

“We wanted to support local artists. That was the genesis for the idea which ultimately became the Festival of Light and Dark,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “These short, digital pieces will be a chance for 4th Line audiences to explore the nature of light and dark through the work of regional artists.”

The projects encompass a myriad of artistic styles from experimental music to abstract painting to short film and more. The topics and issues explored include the synesthetic experience of nature; fear of the dark; and finding the light within during the darkest times.

In ‘Letters in Me’, an Adaptation by Nadia Affolter Lee, a woman writes a letter to depression. Through movement and dialogue, she breaks free and finds light and strength from within, realizing she wants there to be a tomorrow.

Senior Moment by Jack Chesla focuses on a senior couple that have a not-so-sweet solution to a potential package thief in town.

In Every Other Weekend by Mike Moring an all-too-brief weekend visit comes to an end and a father and son are each confronted by their own fear of the dark.

To view the rest of the line up click here.

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Peterborough Arts Alive Fund Awards $104,500 to 15 Local Arts Organizations

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has announced that the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund has received $104,500 in COVID-19 Strategic Recovery & Resilience Grants to 15 local arts organizations on Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy of Peterborough Arts Alive Fund.

Organizations receiving grants include the 4th Line Theatre, Kawartha Youth Orchestra, Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and The Peterborough Singers Choir.

Grants awarded range between $2,500 - $10,000 and support projects in artistic creation and development, PPE and public health upgrades, management and staff training/coaching/expert consulting, technology and digital upgrades, marketing and communications development and staffing.

Applications were reviewed and evaluated by a five-member peer assessment jury who recommended the grant amounts.

The initial idea came from local arts supporter Deborah Berrill. She leads a group of private donors who, along with EC3 and the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, collaborated on the efforts that raised $104,500 for the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund.

The City of Peterborough donated $40,000 to the fund.

“Local artists and arts organizations provide Peterborough with an amazing cultural life, one that we appreciated even more during the pandemic as their work lifted our spirits, offered us meaning and brought us together,” said Berrill. “It’s so important that we continue to support them through this difficult period and into the future, so they can keep doing what they do best.”

To view a full list of grant recipients, click here.

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