MAID for a MUSKET ~ Planning, Auditions, Concept, Musical Collaboration

www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

As part of the War of 1812 Celebrations, Ontario Visited is excited to share some “SCOOP” about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor. Together with Ian’s input, we continue …

Auditions, Planning, Concept, MUSICAL Collaboration … MAID for a MUSKET …

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, shares with us that nearly 1000 submissions from actors across the country wanted to audition for the season, which includes Hamlet. I was able to ask Ms. Frangione, how long did it take to come up with the concept and then create and write “Maid for a Musket”? I was surprised by her answer … “I didn’t have a lot of time, actually. A year and a half. I usually like to have two years at least. I had a lot of history to wade through too, but it was all very interesting and fun work.” Ian Farthing goes on to tell us … “As Lucia mentioned, we've done the whole new play creation process in just over 18 months, but in terms of planning the mainstage season, things are usually mapped out 2 years ahead”.

Ontario Visited wondered what Ms Frangione duties/roles are prior to and during a production for “Maid for a Musket?” She tells us …“I really hand over the reigns to the director but I’m around to make any edits and changes to the script that they inevitably discover in rehearsals. In this case, I am around for the first week of rehearsals and the last week right up to opening night.”

Maid for a Musket, at this year’s St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival features Original Music by Melissa Morris. We have had the privilege of watching Melissa Morris over the course of the past 4 years at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival and enjoyed her roles and performances. Melissa is a drama and music graduate of Queen's University. She is also an actor and singer, music director and composer. I asked Ms. Frangione if she could tell us a little about her experience and collaborations with Melissa pertaining to “Maid for a Musket” creation. Lucia replies … “Our collaboration was long distance so we didn’t get to talk much. She was quick accommodating and super talented. It was easy because she’s utterly capable.”

Stay tuned for more exciting “SCOOP” from Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!

MAID for a MUSKET ~ Forget the History Lesson ~ St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

As part of the War of 1812 Celebrations, Ontario Visited is excited to share some “SCOOP” about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor. Together with Ian’s input, we continue …

Forget the History Lesson …

Merging Historical Characters into a Fiction Story …without it being just another “HISTORY LESSON”

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, is also an accomplished Director/Actor/Singer/Performer. He is also “witty” “cleaver”, kind, generous and thoughtful! I was fortunate to have Ian’s input with the next question for Lucia Frangione.  Ian asks Ms. Frangione … “How does one tell a story clearly without it becoming a “history lesson?”

Lucia replies …“This is always the danger. I love history and it’s easy to get engrossed in details I find utterly fascinating but they don’t move the plot forward. For instance, the whole history of the Glengarry Light Infantry and the Macdonells…a whole trilogy of plays right there. The trick is to touch on it enough to pay tribute without getting too histrionic. Same with the historical characters. I am writing a fiction, an outrageous fiction, based very loosely on some historic events and people. I want to include the names of people who were around in order to honor them and to give the audience a little historical tidbit of interest. But if I get too precious with them and turn them into saints, that’s a strange sort of disrespect in and of itself. And let’s face it, perfect people are boring. I don’t know the dark side of Red George and Bishop Macdonell. History books don’t like to share that. So, I have lovingly and respectfully rendered them but I’ve invented a little rivalry all in good fun. This way they are human.”

Stay tuned for more exciting “SCOOP” from Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!

MAID for a MUSKET ~ A Tough Act to Follow ~ St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

www.stlawrenceshakespearefestival.ca

Lucia Frangione, International Award Winning Playwright

Ian Farthing, Artistic Director, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival

The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival is gearing up for a full exciting Festival Season. Just recently, Ontario Visited had the pleasure of making the trip to the quaint town of Prescott to experience Yours Ever, Jane.

As part of the War of 1812 Celebrations, Ontario Visited is excited to share some “SCOOP” about their upcoming performance “MAID for a MUSKET”, a brand new comedy by Lucia Frangione, Original music by Melissa Morris. Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has kindly introduced us to Ms. Lucia Frangione, internationally produced award winning playwright and actor. Together with Ian’s input, I have lots of to share with you!

A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW... MAID for a MUSKET … Expectations …

Ontario Visited had the privilege of seeing “Trouble on Dibble Street” in 2010 at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival. The audience “loved it”. It might be a tough “act to follow”. I wondered if Lucia Frangione had obtained any inspiration from this production and; if she was concerned of “living up to such high expectations” from Patrons of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival?

Frangione shares … “I am a big fan of John Lazarus as a writer and as a person. I have not read his script yet because I don’t want to worry about any parallels. I’ll read it later. I’m so glad the audience loved Dibble Street: hooray for new Canadian plays and to Ian for commissioning them! The Prescott audience is intelligent: they’re theatre-goers and many of them know their history and know their Shakespeare. So, I do hope I’ve dotted all my i (s) and crossed all my t (s). Obviously these are patrons who love language and also love a good night out along the water with a glass of wine and a bunch of friends. It’s a great audience to write for: super smart but unpretentious and up for good quality fun. I have felt nothing but freedom here. I can throw this audience complex thought and wit and poetic language and they’ll soak it up with ease. I can throw them some naughty jokes and silly physical humor too and the husbands will chuckle and the wives will swat them, or vice versa, heck! They’re a good bunch. It’s a party. I’ve had the privilege of sitting in the audience several times, of meeting the community one on one and doing a public reading of a first draft of this script. Prescott really does have something special here. That’s why Ian Farthing and so many others have worked so hard to keep it going.”

Stay tuned for more exciting “SCOOP” from Lucia Frangione and Ian Farthing, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival! Check out their website for the details (www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca), plan on a fun, and great, memorable time!

ROUTE 1812 … Time to Explore! …

Welcome to Route 1812 ~ Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814 website at www.westerncorridor1812.com

Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814

Adrienne Horne, M.A., Regional Project Manager, Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance ~ Interview Continues

ROUTE 1812 … Time to Explore! …

Finally, to this Series of Route 1812, Adrienne shares with us … Route 1812 is a collection of historic trails used 200 years ago by Native warriors, British soldiers and settlers throughout Southern Ontario. These trails will take you on a historic journey as you learn what happened in Upper Canada (Southern Ontario) during the War of 1812. Feel free to explore these trails in any direction and order. You will find historic sites, museums, events, and even colourful Barn Quilts along the way; all telling the local story of how the war effected various settlements. Stop at the communities along the way to fully explore the local sites as you learn how the original settlers defended their homes and forged our nationhood.

There are several resources available to navigate Route 1812, to learn the stories, see the images and hear the music. Further information can be found at www.westerncorridor1812.com.

There is a mobile app for Route 1812 and can be accessed through the WCA website; click on the button on the home page for Route 1812. The mobile app shows the roads to take and lists all the sites along the Google map. When you click on a site the story comes up in text format and you can activate the sound recording for that site. It will either be a narrator or storyteller. The app also shows you where the local restaurants and hotels are as well as the museums and other attractions in the area. here is also a printed map & guide for Route 1812. The map shows the nine trails in a large overview of Southern Ontario and then each trail is introduced and shown how to navigate that area in detail maps. Each trail also includes the relevant 1812 historical sites as well as the relevant museums with 1812 stories to tell. There is also a full index in the map giving detailed information on the sites listed. This information is just enough to get you going on a search of your own.

We have also produced a CD of the audio clips on the mobile app, so a visitor can insert the cd and play it without navigating the app.

The app and map are free of charge, but the CD is $10. You can also purchase the music on the app and publications that also talk about the stories along Route 1812 through the WCA Etsy account. Go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/WesternCorridor1812 to see all the 1812 items from WCA members. You can also access the shop through the WCA site and Shoppe tab. Please check their website at www.westerncorridor1812.com for all the details. Enjoy Route 1812!

Route 1812 ~ Keeping Sponsors “Happy”! … Funding …

Welcome to Route 1812 ~ Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814 website at www.westerncorridor1812.com

Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814

Adrienne Horne, M.A., Regional Project Manager, Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance ~ Interview Continues

Route 1812 ~ Keeping Sponsors “Happy”! … Funding …

With the economic challenges today, it would seem it critical to obtain/maintain Sponsor funding and Other Sources of funding. I asked Adrienne how did they about obtain funding?

There was the coordinated financial support from the Hamilton Halton Brant Regional Tourism Association, Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation, The Trillium Foundation, WCA members including municipalities, tourism organizations and museums as well as private businesses. Each of these entities funded, granted and purchased ad space all in an effort to see Route 1812 become a reality. Adrienne tells us … We applied for many grants and were able to receive funding from the newly formed Regional Tourism Organizations in Southern Ontario. The Trillium Foundation provided funding to print the map & guide book. We also sold ad space in the printed map & guide book to help cover the costs. The businesses involved were also generous and lowered their standard rates for the project.

One of my important questions I like to ask is how do you keep “Sponsors” interested in supporting your efforts and “keep them happy”? Adrienne’s reply was precise …You deliver on your end of the arrangement and continue to provide them with projects that they can support.

My final question in this Blog to Ms. Horne…    In what capacity do you feel our Governments (Local, Provincial and Federal Governments) play a role in assisting with the ongoing pursuits of this important Project ~ Route 1812? She tells us … The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport provided the resources to create the 1812 regions. It was the coordination efforts of those regions that made this project possible and will see to the legacy of the route so that it continues to be utilized by local communities. Join us next time for “Time to Explore!” Stay tuned for more news …

Route 1812 ~ Co-ordinating Efforts … Obstacles & Overcoming Them …

Welcome to Route 1812 ~ Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814 website at www.westerncorridor1812.com

Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814

Adrienne Horne, M.A., Regional Project Manager, Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance ~ Interview Continues

Route 1812 ~ Co-ordinating Efforts … Obstacles & Overcoming Them …

Route 1812 was an enormous coordinated effort. The Western Corridor Alliance made up of 16 municipalities and Counties, set up a working group. This group consisted of 15 people, both historians and curators. The 15 people represented areas along the route, so each person (usually in pairs) were responsible for their area, determining the route and sites to list. The group members then went back to their communities and asked their local historians and elders for the information and stories about the activities of the War of 1812. As many of the members of the committee were historians themselves, much of the research was their own. It all came together to create a comprehensive history of this area of Upper Canada.

At the same time that the WCA’s working group was developing Route 1812, a class of Canadian History students at Western University were tasked with doing the same for the Tecumseh Parkway in the Southwest 1812 region, which includes the Chatam-Kent and Windsor-Essex Counties. Find the routes, locate the sites, tell the stories and find images when possible. Then the 2 1812 regions joined forces and combined the trails to complete Route 1812 throughout Southern Ontario. Join us next Blog for Keeping Sponsors “happy”! … Funding … Stay tuned for more news …

Welcome to Route 1812 ~ Low Cost Family Fun! …

Welcome to Route 1812 ~ Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814 website at www.westerncorridor1812.com

Pathways to Peace ~ Western Corridor War of 1812-1814

Adrienne Horne, M.A., Regional Project Manager, Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance ~ Interview Continues

Route 1812 ~ Low Cost Family Fun! …

As our interview continues, I was interested to know from Adrienne what the demographic of the Route 1812 Project would consist of and where will the key visitors to Route 1812 come from?

We promote to three types of people; those with time and resources, usually retired people who are interested in history; then families looking for local fun activities that don’t cost a lot, and finally adventure seekers looking for experiences and unique trips that again are not too expensive. So we look to locals who want to plan “staycations”; but we are also encouraging the same sort of people from the States, as they may journey into Canada on their travels looking for more local stories. Ms. Horne goes on to tell us … As part of regional tourism marketing campaigns, word about Route 1812 is part of national and international call outs. The Western Corridor Alliance webpage has all the information to learn more about the route and to get the items needed to travel the route, such as the mobile app, the map & guide and the cd of stories of the War of 1812 along the way.

Route 1812 ~ Challenges Along the Way …

Ontario Visited wondered what might be some of the challenges that the “visitors” might expect during their “Tour through Route 1812”? Adrienne tells us … I would expect that navigation is going to be the most challenging aspect. The mobile app is based on a Google map, so that gets to the detail needed to get to the sites which are mainly off the beaten paths. We did produce a paper map, which also gives that level of detail, but I would imagine that people might still have challenges along the way. The whole point of Route 1812 is to follow the original trails from 200 years ago, so it naturally follows the smaller roads.

Unfortunately, we have not created uniform road signage for the trail. There have not been the resources to coordinate such an effort, as it requires working with all the municipalities and counties along the route and a lot of signs would be required.

To overcome some of these challenges, Adrienne says … Well, I encourage people to use the mobile app; it gets to the detail needed to navigate the route. The mobile app also has other information about the area, such as restaurants, hotels and other attractions to make the journey more enjoyable.  Stay tuned for more exciting news …