Northern Light Theatre Presents THE GREAT WHOREHOUSE FIRE OF 1921

Northern Light Theatre presents the professional premiere of Edmonton playwright Linda Wood Edwards' comedic-themed, historically based drama about small town gossip, support, and sabotage.

"Our season is based on existentialism, artistry, failure, and the resilience of the human spirit to recover and try again," says Artistic Director and The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921 Director Trevor Schmidt. "This play is the perfect story to start the year and an opportunity to welcome audiences back to live theatre, after a long time away, with compelling story-telling and dynamic actors."

December 29, 1921 Big Valley Alberta News:

"Big Blaze near Big Valley. A house occupied and owned by a woman named Hastings who was living a mile and a half North of town was totally destroyed by fire at 4:30am on Monday morning. The cause of the fire is unknown. The occupants had a very narrow escape, as when they awoke the house was full of smoke and fire. Nothing was saved and the loss is estimated at $4,000. [approx. $50,000 in contemporary funds]. The Hastings woman and another person who was staying with her had to walk into town clad only in night attire with blankets over them, and had a terrible time from cold and exposure. The police are investigating the affair."

There was no investigation, and no charges were laid. Any references to 'a woman named Hastings' and the person who was staying with her the night of the fire have disappeared from the official annals of Big Valley's history, being passed down only through local, communal memory: a group of townswomen who banded together to defend their community by burning a local 'brothel' to the ground. Linda Wood Edwards' play imagines the events as they played out. Moving beyond the stereotypes, the play looks at the uneasy intertwining of prostitution and 'proper' society, and the ways that women support and sabotage one another. This historically based drama is laced with, humour and heart. The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921 features Sue Huff as Hastings and Twilla MacLeod as Smith

Directed by Trevor Schmidt, the production includes Production Designer Alison Yanota with Original Composition Sound Design by Mason Snelgrove. The Production Manager is Chris Hicks, the Stage Manager is Elizabeth Allison, the Cinematographer and Video Editor is Ian Jackson (Epic Photography) and the Make Up Artist for the promotional image is Kendra Humphrey.

The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921 was first presented to sold out houses at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival in 2018, Produced by Maa & Paa Theatre, Directed by David Cheoros, and starring Linda Grass and Sue Huff. Maa & Paa Theatre's work focuses on historically based Alberta stories.

Northern Light Theatre's 2021-2022 season is informed specifically by the plight of artists (and people in general) who have had their immediate plans halted by the pandemic and are struggling with the loss of a sense of purpose and function. NLT intends to acknowledge the suffering head-on in three affirming works that depict struggle, resilience, and hopefully rising again after difficult circumstances.

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