June 15 to September 3, 2016
Groups 2016
GIL GARRATT
Artistic Director
Original Canadian theatre... It’s worth the drive to Blyth!
A beacon. This is what great stories are in our lives, beacons calling to us, flashes of brightness that orient and re-orient our constant travels. Great stories, told with passion and flare, courage and comedy, are what carries us through the world, and ultimately what comes to define who we are. For 42 years, this is what the Blyth Festival has been, a bright beacon in the distance, calling us home. And this year we will be doing that singular magical thing that Blyth does best: premiering four new plays. Come to Blyth in 2016. I promise you an incomparable season of Heroes and Heroines, History and Hilarity; all of it homegrown, all of it as true to the technicolor spirit of Blyth as the sun setting over Huron.
2015-2017 Season Sponsors
2016 Media Sponsor
@GilGarratt Cover image by Greg Sherwood: Huron County Back Road, Summer Evening. Image photography for The Birds and the Bees, If Truth Be Told, and The Last Donnelly Standing by Terry Manzo.
2016 SEASON - Four World Premieres! June 15 to August 6
OUR BEAUTIFUL SONS: REMEMBERING MATTHEW DINNING Written by Christopher Morris | Directed by Gil Garratt
Matthew Dinning, was a dynamic, funny, and charming young man. Matthew’s first posting with the Canadian Forces was at Petawawa in May 2004, as a member of the Military Police. In April of 2006, at 23 years young, Cpl Matthew Dinning was killed in Afghanistan. A year later, his younger brother, Brendon, volunteered for active service. The Canadian Forces called his parents, and asked them how to proceed. Should they grant his request, knowing the sacrifice this family had already made for their country? How do a loving mom and dad make a decision like this? This is a play about the bonds of family, the search for bravery, and the always complicated paths to manhood, motherhood, and peace.
June 22 to August 6
THE BIRDS AND THE BEES
Written by Mark Crawford | Directed by Ann Hodges From the writer of 2014’s runaway hit Stag and Doe, comes a raucous, hilarious new comedy with huge, honeyed, heart. A retired empty-nester, Gail has been quietly raising bees in solitude. Unexpectedly, her grown daughter Sarah returns home; it seems twenty years of artificially inseminating turkeys has taken a toll on Sarah’s love life, and she and her husband are through. Throw in a meddlesome neighbour, a little internet dating, and the last pair of tickets to the final Turkey Days Dance of all time, and you have a racy recipe for relentless laughter.
July 27 to September 3
IF TRUTH BE TOLD
Written by Beverley Cooper | Directed by Miles Potter She won awards for her writing all over the country, and made a name for herself internationally, by writing stories set in the small town where she grew up. But when she moves back home, her childhood friends and neighbours are anything but impressed, and a concerted campaign begins to have her work banned in the local high school. In her fight against the zealous censors, she befriends a teenage girl who is herself an aspiring young artist. What follows is a high stakes lesson in what it means to tell the whole truth, what it means to tell a good story, and what it costs to fight the good fight.
August 4 to September 2
THE LAST DONNELLY STANDING
Written by Paul Thompson and Gil Garratt | Directed by Paul Thompson When the rest of the family had moved away after the fateful murders of 1880, Robert Donnelly refused, and instead took up residence in a house on Lucan’s main street, pacing his porch as the murderers among them walked those very roads. The Last Donnelly Standing details the rise and fall of a defiant young man, who stood in the face of history, and dared to burn it all down with a smile.
2016 CALENDAR
Truth If Truth Be Told
13
19
20
26
Donnelly The Last Donnelly Standing
27
3
Phillips Studio 209 Dinsley Street
4
10
YoCo Young Company
11
JULY
2:00 Dinning 17
18
2:00 Birds 24
31
7
25
AUG
Birds The Birds and the Bees
MON
12
JUNE
Dinning Our Beautiful Sons: Remembering Matthew Dinning
SUN
1
Civic Holiday
8
TUES
14
21
WED
15 CKNX Night
THURS
FRI
16
8:00 Dinning Preview
8:00 Dinning Preview
22
23
SAT
17
18
5:45 Opening Gala Dinner
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
8:00 Dinning Opening
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Dinning
24
25
6:15 Supper: Blyth United
6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion
1
2
8:00 Birds Preview
28
29
30
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Birds
2:00 Birds
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning
5
6
7
8
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Birds
8:00 Birds
8:00 Dinning
12
13
14
15
16
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Birds
2:00 Birds
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
19
20
21
22
23
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Birds
6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
26
27
28
8:00 Truth Preview
8:00 Truth Preview
3
4
2
8:00 Birds Opening
2:00 Birds
8:00 Birds Preview
JULY
Mainstage Blyth Memorial Community Hall 431 Queen Street
Happy Canada Day!
10
2:00 Dinning
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
8:00 Birds 9
6:15 Supper: Walton Hall
8:00 Dinning
2:00 Birds
6:15 Supper: Walton Hall
2:00 Dinning
8:00 Birds
2:00 Birds
8:00 Birds
8:00 Dinning
29
30
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
8:00 Truth Opening
5
Bonanza
6:15 Supper: Blyth United
9
8:00 Dinning
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning 6
Bonanza
2:00 Birds Closing
Supper: Fish Fry Lower Hall
8:00 Donnelly Preview 8:00 Donnelly Opening 8:00 Dinning Closing
11
12
13
25
2:00 Birds
31
7
Bonanza 2:00 Truth
AUGUST AUGUST
7
Bonanza 2:00 14 Truth
2:00 Donnelly
14
2:00 21 Donnelly 21
28 28
25
AUG
31
AUG
24
1
1
Civic Holiday
Civic 8 Holiday
8
15 15
22 22
29 29
8:00 Dinning
19
20
2:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning
26
21
27
27 8:00 Truth Preview 28
2
3
3
8:00 Truth Preview 9
2:00 Truth
10
2:00 Donnelly
9 8:00 Donnelly
10
16 Truth 2:00 8:00 Donnelly
2:0017Donnelly
168:00 Truth
17
2:00 23 Donnelly 8:00 Truth
2:0024Truth
23
24
2:00 30Truth 8:00 Donnelly
2:0031Donnelly 7:00 YoCo
2:00 Donnelly
2:00 Truth 8:00 Donnelly
302:00 Donnelly
8:00 Truth
2:00 Donnelly 8:00 Truth
2:00 Truth
2:00 Donnelly 7:00 YoCo
312:00 Truth
2:00 Truth
22
8:00 Birds 29
23
8:00 Dinning
30 2:00 Birds
2:00 Birds 8:00 Birds 8:00 Dinning 1.877.862.5984 blythfestival.com 8:00 Truth 8:00 Truth 8:00 Dinning
2:00 Dinning 8:00 Birds
26
2
8:00 Birds 28
6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion
Preview 29
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican
Opening30
6 Bonanza Bonanza 6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican 2:00 Birds 2:00 Birds ClosingBonanza Weekend 8:00 Truth Preview 8:00 Truth Opening 8:00 Dinning August 5 to 7 6:15 Supper: Blyth United Supper: Fish Fry Lower Hall Purchase a Bonanza Pass and 8:00 Donnelly Opening 8:00 Dinning Closing 4 8:00 Donnelly Preview 5 Bonanza 6 Bonanza see four plays in three days. A 2:00 Birds 11 12 13 Closing 6:15 Supper: Blyth United Supper: Fish Fry Lower Hall Blyth Festival tradition! 2:00 Truth 8:002:00 Donnelly Preview 8:00 Donnelly Opening 8:00 Dinning Closing Donnelly Supper: Walton Hall 6:15 Supper: Walton Hall 11 8:00 Truth 12 8:00 Truth 13 8:00 Donnelly Opening Night Gala Dinner June 17 | 5.45pm | $40 2:00 Truth 19Walton Hall 20Hall Donnelly 2:0018 Supper: Walton 6:15 Supper: Begin the season in style at our 2:00 Donnelly Gala Opening Night Dinner in the 8:00 Donnelly 8:00 Truth 8:00 Truth 6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion 6:15 Supper: Blyth United 2:00 Truth Lower Hall. 18 8:00 Donnelly 19 8:00 Donnelly 20 8:00 Truth 2:00 Donnelly Supper: Trinity Country Suppers 6:15 Supper: 6:15 Supper: 2:0025 Truth 26Blyth United 27Blyth6:15Legion Anglican Donnelly 8:002:00 Home-cooked meals served at 6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion8:00 Truth Donnelly 8:00 Donnelly 2:00 Truth YoCo 7:00 YoCo 7:00 YoCo local venues Friday and Saturday 7:00 25 26 27 6:15 Supper: Trinity Anglican Truth 8:00 Donnelly 8:00 Truth evenings. Tickets $19 per person. 6:15 Supper: Blyth Legion Donnelly 2:00 Truth 2:008:00 7:001YoCo 7:00 YoCo 7:00 YoCo 2 3 Blyth Spirit 8:00 Donnelly 8:00 Truth 8:00 Truth 2:00 Truth Closing Members at the $100+ level are 1 2:00 Truth 2 3 8:00 Donnelly 8:00 Donnelly Closing 5:00 Supper: Blyth Legioninvited to join Artistic Director Gil 2:00 Truth Garratt and company members at 2:00 Truth Closing 8:00 Donnelly 8:00 Donnelly Closing 5:00 Supper: Blyth Legion a pre-show reception in the Lower 4
5
SEPT
18
24
SEPT
JULY
17
Hall. RSVP required.
The Blyth Festival is housed in the historic Blyth Memorial Community Hall, 431 Queen Street in the rural village of Blyth. Directions: Located on Huron County Road 4, south of Hwy 86, north of Hwy 8. Parking: Free on all side streets and in the town parking lot across from the theatre. Buses can be accommodated! Proud Member
Supported by an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario
Talk Back Join cast members after the 2pm performance for an informal talk in the Lower Hall.
GROUP PRICES
ANY GROUP OF 12 OR MORE WILL DO!
EXPERIENCE BLYTH
As a group, you’re entitled to special rates on tickets and access to priority seating prior to the general public. Group orders open March 1, so be sure to book early! Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll recieve one complimentary ticket for each group of 12 paid tickets. The Blyth experience is unlike any other. Let us point out a local attraction, a shopping or fine dining destination, a charming country tour, or arrange a country supper ($19/person) - a home-cooked meal served country-style.
$30 preferred | $25 regular | $13.50 youth
CALL TODAY! 1.877.862.5984 | 519.523.9300 Lisa Harper, Audience Services Manager Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
EMAIL: lharper@blythfestival.com MAIL: 423 Queen Street, PO Box 10, Blyth ON N0M 1H0 A 15% deposit is due upon receipt of the invoice (forwarded March 1 or within two days of the order date thereafter). Group orders must be paid in full four weeks prior to the performance date. Orders not paid by these dealdines will be released. A $7 handling fee will be applied to all orders. Be sure to include your motorcoach driver, if applicable, when ordering tickets as many performances do sell out. Wheelchair seating and assisted listening devices are limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Please mention any special requests when placing your order.
1.877.862.5984 blythfestival.com