Moments in Algoma looks to provide a 'unique theatre experience'

NEWS RELEASE
ERMITINGER-CLERGUE HERITAGE DISCOVERY CENTRE
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For three nights only, experience the Group of Seven like you never have before. Join fellow Group of Seven enthusiasts, lovers of local history, and passionate theatre-goers, at an intimate evening of dinner and theatre at the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site. Each evening begins with a special performance of Theatre in Motion’s one-man show Moments in Algoma, followed by an exclusive culinary experience at the Old Stone House.

Moments in Algoma has been running successfully for the past five summers, engaging audiences from Canada, the U.S., and abroad. And now you too can immerse yourself in the story of the Group of Seven and their love-affair with the glorious northern wilderness. On Aug, 29, Sept. 29, and Oct. 4 only, enjoy the unique theatre experience that is Moments in Algoma, as well as a three-course Group of Seven inspired meal and dessert. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and tickets are $55.

Algoma is closely connected to the Group of Seven, Canada's most revered group of landscape artists. Art historians have long acknowledged the role Algoma played for these important Canadian artists. They discovered inspiration in the breath-taking beauty of the northern wilderness, and in the process helped to change the course of Canadian art. Their paintings capture the exquisite splendor of the region, how they felt, and what the landscape meant to them. Today, over 100 years later, these seven men are firmly established as part of our Canadian identity. But who were they really, and what inspired them to come north into the wilderness to paint?

Written by local playwright and Theatre in Motion founder, Wendy Hamilton, and directed by Sandra Forsell, Moments in Algoma tries to answer these very questions. Told through the eyes of founding member Lawren Harris, the piece is based on the actual writings of Group of Seven members Harris and J.E.H. MacDonald. Starring Rob MacDowell as an irrepressibly charismatic Lawren Harris, this 25-minute performance takes audiences on a journey back to those first moments of discovery in 1918.

Well-known for her dedication to telling local stories, Hamilton has been writing plays inspired by her Northern Ontario home for 30 years. “I write from the perspective of bringing the magic of theatre into non-traditional spaces” she says, adding that it was her early career as a copywriter that established her affinity for creating theatre for a specific audience.

For director Sandra Forsell, “It has been inspiring to be a part of a project that has had a 5-year run. It allows for the work to grow and develop.” She adds “It is very little-known fact how important this geographical area – Algoma – my home – was to the inspiration of the Group of Seven and it is something to be extremely proud of and to celebrate.”

So come and discover the Group of Seven and their first Moments in Algoma at the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site.

DETAILS

Event Dates: Aug. 29, Sept. 29, and Oct. 4, 2019

Times: Reception at 5:30 p.m. featuring wine and appetizers. Show begins at 6:15 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m.

Dinner: Featuring a three-course Group of Seven inspired meal.

Cost: $55.00 per person

Register Online: Click here or here.

Phone: (705) 759-5443

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