FORGOTTEN VOICES: BEYOND THE CONFLICT OF THE WAR OF 1812 Kicks Off Today

? Lakeshore Arts and Sirius Theatrical Company announce a special one-night only performance of Forgotten Voices: Beyond the Conflict of the War of 1812 at historic Queen's Park on the lawn in front of the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, July 11 at 7pm as part of their series of performances of the play from today, July 4 to July 14 in celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

A FREE community-based collaborative theatre project, 34 actors perform Forgotten Voices: Beyond the Conflict of the War of 1812 which runs Thursdays-Sundays at various outdoor park settings, primarily in South Etobicoke, except for the July 11 performance at Queen's Park.

Audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket and picnic dinner to enjoy during this family-friendly play written by Sirius Theatrical Company Artistic Director Heather Dick, with dramaturgy by playwright Emil Sher.

Men head off to battle; women stay behind tending children and home - a timeless and universal story set in a crucial time and place: the War of 1812. Against the backdrop of a historic conflict that would shape a continent and forge a nation, Forgotten Voices shines a light on the lives of those who experienced it first-hand, examining the impact of the war on a more human scale.

Based on original source materials, this fictional account centres on three "late Loyalist" families, living side by side, who had come to Etobicoke following the American Revolutionary War 29 years earlier. Shedding tears of sorrow and joy, marching to the drums of war and dancing at a wedding, parting and reuniting with loved-ones, the cast of dozens (aged 12-70+) ¬- including professional actors and community participants - resurrects local voices forgotten through the course of time. Family histories, letters, diaries and historical records are weaved into a story of courage, perseverance and sacrifice, revealing the challenges that afflicted the people left behind.

Leading up to the show, Lakeshore Arts and Sirius Theatrical Company invited local residents to participate in a series of free workshops covering script writing and development, acting, period dancing, set/costume design and construction and other essential elements of live theatre; material that has been incorporated into the production. One of the participants - who was subsequently cast in the play - was drawn to the project in part by a family connection to the period: a distant relative who, as a Loyalist who remained in the U.S. after the revolution, died from being tarred and feathered.

Heather Dick has been performing, directing and producing for more than 30 years. She is Artistic Director of Sirius Theatrical Company which produces cross-disciplinary performance pieces that integrate dance, photography, live music and spoken word. Her one-act play Dinner at Le Papillon Blue appears in Canadian Imprints (2011). Forgotten Voices is her first full-length stage play.

Emil Sher has written for young audiences and the once-were-young. His stage works include Sanctuary, Beneath the Banyan Tree, Mourning Dove and his acclaimed adaptation of Hana's Suitcase. emilsher.com

Celebrating its 20th year, Lakeshore Arts, a registered charity under the leadership of Executive Director Susan Nagy, is committed to improving the availability of arts, cultural and heritage activities in South Etobicoke, encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the arts as a way of enriching their lives and strengthening the community.

Lakeshore Arts and Sirius Theatrical Company premiere of Forgotten Voices: Beyond the Conflict of the War of 1812, runs today, July 4-14, 2013 running Thursdays through Sundays at 7pm at various parks in Etobicoke area except July 11 on the lawn in front of the Legislative Assembly at Queen's Park, Toronto.

A collaborative theatre project with 34 Actors, Written by Heather Dick, Dramaturgy by Emil Sher, with Set & Props by Arber Makri, Costumes by Sonja Rainey, Music by Jeff Vidov, and Technical Director: Clyde Whitham.

For more information, visit www.lakeshorearts.ca or www.siriustheatrical.com, or call 416 201-7093.

To post a comment, you must register and login.