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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Peterborough Theatre Guild Brings 'Paradiso Inn' For 10 November Dates

The Peterborough Theatre Guild’s next theatre production ‘Paradiso Inn’ is holding ten shows for November, with the first date on Nov. 3.

The play is about an urban couple cycling on a northern Ontario rail trail to enhance their relationship and stumble upon the Paradiso Inn. 

The Inn is described as sketchy and run down but the innkeepers work hard to earn those infamous Trip Advisor stars. Deep within its walls are hope, kindness, humour and an opportunity to make real-life changes, not only for the cyclists but all of the Inn's characters.

Paradiso Inn is a story about second chances; it reminds us all that growth and transformation are possible, even in the unlikeliest of places.

The play is a brand new, all-Canadian inspirational comedy written by actor/director and Peterborough’s Hugh MacMillan.

Shows are scheduled for the following dates: Nov. 3, 4, 5*, 9, 10, 11, 12*, 16, 17 and 18. Matinee performances are at 2 p.m. while evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

*denotes matinee show

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Hometown PTBO: Michael Bell Taking His 'The Bowie Lives' Act To Showplace Theatre On Oct. 21

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks to Michael Bell about his magazine 'The Wire,' Peterborough generating world-class musicians, his past 'The Bowie Lives' shows and the next one at Showplace Theatre on Oct. 21.

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The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival is Coming to Town This Saturday

The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival returns this Saturday, July 8 to Isabel Morris Park in Lakefield.

file photo.

Enjoy a day of jazz music, colourful works for sale by artisans and crafters, local food and beverage vendors.

The grooving begins at 11 a.m. at 20 Concession Street and finishes up at 10 p.m. Admission is $10 per person with tickets available for cash only at the gates

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own water bottle for use at the on-site water refill station and cutlery.

A shuttle bus will be available for free on Saturday, July 8 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with stops at Trent University, the Lakefield District Public School and the Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival.

Visit the website for details.

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The City’s Public Art Program Announces Selected Poets for the Renaissance on Hunter Poetry Gardens

The City of Peterborough Public Art Program has announced the selection of poets commissioned as part of the Renaissance on Hunter Poetry Gardens Project.

photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.

From mid-July to mid-October the Renaissance on Hunter Poetry Gardens will feature works by local poets; Laurie Graham, Jen Cole, Bruce Whiteman, Jon Hedderwick, Justin Million, PJ Thomas, Chantel Daniels, Bon Scott, Esther Vincent and Laura Murray.

The poems are installed in the temporary planters adjacent to the Renaissance on Hunter Road Murals on Hunter Street between George and Aylmer streets, and will change monthly over the course of the summer.

In June the gardens featured poetry by the 2023 Poet Laureate, Ziysah von Bieberstein and Peterborough’s first Poet Laureate, Sarah Lewis.

As part of the project, GreenUp was commissioned to design and install the gardens that form the backdrop for the poems. The gardens feature an array of perennial native plantings that are drought-tolerant and thrive in full sun. Plantings include purple coneflower, yarrow, hairy beardtongue, anise hyssop, brown-eyed Susan and nodding wild onion, as well as a selection of prairie grasses. Many are now in full bloom.  

This announcement coincides with the completion of the 2023 road murals, created through the Road Mural Mentorship Program.  

The road mural artist teams by site are:

Site 1: Odoonabii II by mentor Aaron Robitaille, with mentees Kelly King, Em Farquhar Barrie, and Holly Edwards.

Site 2: Glacial Formation II by mentor Josh Morley, with mentees Sarah St. Pierre and Bethany Davis.

Site 3: Flight of the Pollinators II by mentor Brooklin Holbrough, with mentees Justine- Marie Williams and Deanna Henry.

Site 4: Nothing Out of Reach II by mentor Nuin-Tara Morin, with mentees Aryan Bhagat and Cassandra Shaw.

Twenty-three local artists were commissioned as part of the Renaissance on Hunter public art projects this year. For more information about the projects and the artists visit the City’s Public Art website.

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Three Local Girls Are Representing Canada At Dance World Cup in Portugal

Three 11-year-old Peterborough girls Ashlynn Evoy, Sophie McCarthy and Hazel Fuderer are going to take the stage in front of an international audience representing Canada at the Dance World Cup in Braga, Portugal.

Ashlynn Evoy (left), Sophie McCarthy (middle) and Hazel Fuderer (right) all trained at the Premier Studio of Dance to hone their skills. Photo courtesy of Hannah Fuderer.

All three girls are competing in the ‘13 and under’ group of Canada’s World Performers Team and will have roughly 30-35 teammates of the same age performing with them. Roughly 140 dancers are representing Team Canada at the event.

“I’m so excited to travel to Portugal with my world performers, dance team and represent Canada at the dance World Cup,” explained Evoy. “I have made so many new friends across Ontario at different dance studios and we have worked so hard to get here. It’s even more exciting that I get to experience all this with my two best friends.”

The girls qualified for the World Cup after a tryout qualifier in Toronto, making the team last August. Jazz, acro, hip hop and ballet are some of the dance styles the girls are performing for the upcoming event.

“I’m so incredibly proud of Hazel, her two best friends and their team,’ said Hannah Fuderer, Hazel’s mother. “They have been working so hard all year (including every holiday) to perfect their routines for Portugal. The girls are ready and so very excited to hit the stage.”

The Dance World Cup runs from June 30 to July 8 at Altice Forum Braga. The girls and selected family members are catching their flight to Portugal on Wednesday evening.

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The Borderless Music & Arts Festival Is Back at The Gordon Best Theatre

The Borderless Music & Arts Festival 2023 is set to feature a line-up that celebrates local artists & cultural diversity through soulful music, poetry, dance and community at the Gordon Best Theatre starting June 23.

photo courtesy of The Borderless Music & Arts Festival.

Since 2016, the Borderless Music & Arts Festival has been a multidisciplinary arts showcase that centres women, BIPOC, intersectional identities, multiculturalism, and inclusive community-building with a mosaic of music, dance, visual art, drag, poetry, comedy, circus and film. For over 6 years, Borderless artists have brought an amazing wealth of diversity, culture, collaboration, innovation and excitement to the City.

Borderless Festival 2023 Begins

Friday, June 23:

Poetry by Robyn Pierson

Dance performance & workshop by Mintu Maria James

Music by:

The Colton Sisters

Will Ward

Harbhajunkie

Shahrazi

Featuring a pop-up booth by Indigenously Infused.

Saturday, June 24:

OMBIIGIZI

Singing Wild Rice Girl (Missy Knott)

Will Ward

Danny Taro

photo courtesy of The Borderless Music & Arts Festival.

Tickets available at the door and through borderlesshearts.ca. For more information, check out the website.

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The 2023 Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival Goes Green

The Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival has announced that the upcoming event held on Saturday, July 8 will strive to be a clean, green event.

photo courtesy of The Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival.

With help from the vendors, volunteers and participants, they will be working towards this goal by:
• setting up a water refill station
• setting up sorting stations and signage for garbage, recyclables and compostables
• encouraging attendees to bring their own water bottle and cutlery
• encouraging attendees to walk, bike (bike racks located right beside the event space), carpool or enjoy the FREE shuttle service (details below)
• encouraging artisans, food and beverage vendors to use less waste

Free Shuttle

The Township is extending The Link bus service for the Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival. The Link bus will be available for free on Saturday, July 8 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.. The bus will have stops at Trent University, the Lakefield District Public School, and the Lakefield Jazz Festival. For parking information and a detailed schedule, visit the website.

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Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival Announces 2023 Music Line-Up

The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival returns riverside on Saturday, July 8 in Isabel Morris Park in Lakefield.

photo courtesy of The Lakefield Jazz, Art & Craft Festival, facebook.

The festival is set to begin at 11 a.m. with dancing and grooving finishing up at 10 p.m. in Isabel Morris Park at 20 Concession Street, Lakefield. Admission is $10 per person with tickets available at the gates (cash only.)

The 2023 music lineup includes:

Ron Marenger Big Band - 11 a.m.

Paul Novotny - 12:50 p.m.

Caity Gyorgy - 2:40 p.m.

Red Hot Ramble - 4:30 p.m.

Lakefield Jazz Septet - 6:20 p.m.

Pat Temple & The HiLo’s - 8:10 p.m.

Lakefield’s Jazz, Art & Craft Festival invites you, your friends and family to enjoy a day of jazz music, local food, beverage vendors (including Publican House Brewery) and colourful art works for sale by artisans and crafters.

Visit the website for sponsorship, vendor, volunteer information and more.

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Electric City Culture Council Announces Bierk Art Fund Bursary Recipients

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) has announced that two $1,000 Bierk Art Fund (BAF) Bursaries have been awarded to local high school students Zijian (Suzanne) Tian of Lakefield College School and Ava Cummings of Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.

photo courtesy of ec3, facebook.

Tian will pursue studies at Parsons School of Design in New York, and Cummings will attend Durham College’s Animation Program.

The BAF is an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough (CFGP), established to recognize arts champion and supporter Liz Bierk, and to honour the contributions she and her husband David Bierk have made to the arts in Peterborough.

EC3 says that many people from many walks of life have contributed to this fund over the years, and it has now grown large enough to support the Bierk Art Fund Bursary Program, which provides two bursaries of $1,000 each to graduating high school students living in the City or County of Peterborough.

These students’ works demonstrate great promise and artistic, showing a serious commitment to pursuing further studies at the post-secondary level in the visual or media arts.

Tian was born in Shanxi, China, and continued her high school studies at Lakefield College School. She has been accepted at the Parsons School of Design, and will pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in their Fashion Design program. She works in media such as watercolour, 3D print, pottery, photography, collage, and fashion design, and says her dream has always been to become an artist.

Ava Cummings is graduating from the Visual Arts Program at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School and will be attending Durham College for 2D & 3D Digital Animation. Between her love of drawing and her fascination with animated episodic productions and feature-length movies, Cummings says she feels drawn to the animation industry.

The Bierk Art Fund Bursary Program application process asks students to present their art portfolios to an assessment committee/panel of local artists and arts professionals. This year’s panel was comprised of professional artist and educator Cyd Hosker, and AGP Curator Fynn Leitch, who were impressed by the talent and potential demonstrated by Zijian (Suzanne) Tian and Ava Cummings.

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