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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Internationally Renowned Voice Actress Pays Local Studio a Visit

Voice actress Marina Pratt made an appearance at Treblecock Studios in downtown Peterborough to record a voiceover for a client on Wednesday.

Pratt has her own Youtube channel focusing on health, wellness, spirituality and beauty. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Pratt was lending her voice for an animated marketing series for an undisclosed company in the United Kingdom (where Pratt currently resides).

The Toronto-born actress was in the area visiting family as they own a cottage in Bancroft. She sought the services of David Joyce and Treblecock Studios after finding him on as the first result of a Google search.

“I do a lot of animated series. I do video games. I do all kinds of interesting bookings that require me to be available anytime in any season,” explained Pratt.

David Joyce (left) in front of Treblecock Studios with voice actress Marina Pratt (left). Joyce got the name “Treblecock” from a small coffee-roasting company in Ajax where he was from. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Pratt is no stranger to Peterborough as she has been in town on other occasions aside from family. She has attended art shows and worked in health and wellness expos that were run by her entrepreneur friends.

“What I've always loved about Peterborough is how friendly everybody is,” exclaimed Pratt. “The arts community here is so amazing and I love that any day of the week if you want to experience live music, you can go just go anywhere downtown.”

Pratt as the voiceover for Tresemmé’s latest shampoo commercial.

Pratt has made appearances in films such as And I Feel Fine, Hitman Hobbies: The Magic of Friendship and Belushi's Toilet. She has done voiceovers for commercials and video games including the popular series, Skyrim.

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Hometown PTBO: Linda Kash Discusses Her Most Prominent Roles, East City and How She Made Peterborough Her Home

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks to actress Linda Kash about her most famous appearances in Seinfeld, Fargo and the Philly Angel, East City and how she made Peterborough home.

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