List of Plays

THE MULGRAVE ROAD SHOW a collective creation * 1977.
Songs and sketches reflect the changes that occur in Guysborough Co. with the construction of the Canso Causeway. Toured Nova Scotia. Remounted 1979.
LET’S PLAY FISH a collective creation* 1978.
The fisherman’s strike of 1970-71 affected everyone involved in the fisheries. This is one family’s story.
Toured Nova Scotia

THE COADY CO-OP SHOW a collective creation with Chris Heide* 1979.
A musical interpretation of the Co-op and Credit Union movement in Nova Scotia highlighting the struggle of Father Moses Coady and Jimmy Tompkins. Toured Atlantic Provinces

ONE ON THE WAY by Gay Hauser* 1980.
Songs and sketches about the women of Guysborough Co. Toured Nova Scotia

BRING BACK DON MESSER by Chris Heide & the company * 1980.
Interwoven with the songs of Don Messer’s Jubilee, modern technology and communications threaten to destroy one rural family. Toured Atlantic Provinces.

EVERYMAN’S CHRISTMAS a collective creation* 1980.
The first annual Christmas show. Toured Nova Scotia, including Guysborough County Schools

GUYSBOROUGH GHOSTS a collective creation* 1981.
A compilation of traditional Nova Scotia ghost stories set to music. Toured Nova Scotia, Bread & Circuses Festival in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

VICTORY! THE SAGA OF WILLIAM HALL, V.C. a collective creation * 1981.
A play based on the life of a Nova Scotian who was the first black man and first Canadian to win the Victoria Cross. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick.

EVERYMAN’S CHRISTMAS a collective creation * 1981.
Second annual Christmas show. Toured Nova Scotia Schools.

ANOTHER STORY a collective creation * 1982.
Songs and sketches about the “stories” and the people who watch them. Toured Nova Scotia

TIGHTEN THE TRACES/HAUL IN THE REINS by Robbie O’Neill with Leo Kennedy * 1982.
The life and times of Leo Kennedy, the peddler from Canso. Toured Nova Scotia

ROAD REVIEWS a collective creation * 1982.
An irreverent look at Nova Scotia’s “Old Home Summer”, featuring popular scenes from earlier Mulgrave Road productions. Toured Nova Scotia

LOST SALT GIFT OF BLOOD a collective creation * 1982.
A dramatization of the book of short stories of the same title by Alistair MacLeod. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick.

THE NIGHT BEFORE a collective creation * 1982.
The third annual Christmas show. Toured Nova Scotia, mostly to schools.

TIGHTEN THE TRACES/HAUL IN THE REINS & THE BOAT by Robbie O’Neill with Leo Kennedy * 1983
A revised version of the play about Leo Kennedy, together with a new version of the second act from The Lost Salt Gift of Blood. 1983: toured Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Maine, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Documented by CBC TV. 1984: toured United Kingdom, National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto. 1985: Quizaine International du Theatre, Quebec and Vancouver Folk Festival. 1986: EXPO, Vancouver, BC.

HOLY GHOSTERS by Mary Vingoe* 1983.
A play about the impact of the American Revolutionary War on a prominent Nova Scotian family. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick.

PRESENTS by Carol Sinclair* 1983.
A Christmas play about the spirit of giving. Toured Nova Scotia, mostly to schools

SPOOKS: THE MYSTERY OF CALEDONIA MILLS by Cindy Cowan* 1984.
A series of psychic events force a Guysborough Co. family to leave their home. Toured Nova Scotia.

IN MY FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS by Robbie O’Neill* 1984.
A play about a young man who encourages his father to confront his WW II experiences that still affect his life. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick. 1985 in Toronto, followed by Bread & Dreams Festival, Winnipeg.

HOLLY AND THE BLIZZARD BARN by Gary Vermeir * 1984.
The fifth annual Christmas show, in which a young girl learns the true meaning of the holiday season. Toured Nova Scotia, mostly to schools.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS a collective creation * 1985.
A musical play about unemployment. Toured Nova Scotia.

A CHILD IS CRYING ON THE STAIRS a collective creation based on the book by Nanette Cormier.* 1985.
A play about a woman’s struggle to come to terms with a personal history of family violence. Toured Nova Scotia, mostly to schools.

WHEN THE SNOW FLIES a collective creation * 1985.
A play for Christmas, about a young hockey player’s attempt to save the magic snow crystal. Toured Nova Scotia, mostly to schools.

A WOMAN FROM THE SEA by Cindy Cowan * 1986.
A play about a woman’s encounter with a mythical creature from the sea. Toured Nova Scotia

CRY FOR THE MOON by Robert E. Kroll * 1986.
A play about life in a Halifax poorhouse. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick.

BEINN BHREAGH by Cindy Cowan * 1986.
The story of Alexander Graham Bell and Mabel Bell at Baddeck, Cape Breton. Toured Nova Scotia, EXPO 86, Ottawa, Ont. New Brunswick and PEI. 1987 and. 1988 Festival of the Arts, Baddeck, Cape Breton.

A CHILD IS CRYING ON THE STAIRS a collective creation based on the book by Nanette Cormier.* 1987.
A revised version of the original production, in co-operation with the National Arts Centre, Ottawa. Toured Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

IDYLL GOSSIP by Carol Sinclair ** 1987.
A play about five women from rural Nova Scotia, who learn to make music together and achieve self-respect. Toured Nova Scotia.

TEN YEARS AFTER a collective creation * 1987.
A salute to ten years of Mulgrave Road productions. Toured Nova Scotia.

THE SINGING FOREST by Ian Pygott & Emmy Alcorn * 1987.
A participatory theatre experience where young audiences take part in and complete the story. Toured schools in Northeastern Nova Scotia.

FEELING YES, FEELING NO by Dennis Foon (adapted for a rural context) 1988 & 1989.
A child sexual abuse prevention program aimed at children aged 5 to 12. Toured elementary schools in Guysborough County.

THE PROMISED LAND by Chris Heide * 1988.
A play about rural poverty in Nova Scotia and how it is perpetuated. Toured Nova Scotia, From the Ground Up Festival in Toronto.

K.C. SUPERSTAR a collective creation with Ric Knowles * 1988.
A musical play about billionaire K.C. Irving. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick and Maine.

THE WITCH’S STORY by Michael Gosbee * 1988.
A play about an elderly lady and the many experiences in her life. Toured Northeastern Nova Scotia.

TIME OUT a collective creation * 1989.
A play initiated and performed by a group of theatre workers which focused on literacy and learning.

TIGHTEN THE TRACES/THE BOAT by Robbie O’Neill with Leo Kennedy 1989.
Remount of the 1983 production. Toured Nova Scotia.

UNDER THE MAP a community creation * 1989.
Canada’s first large-scale community performance saluting 100 years of the history of Port Hawkesbury. Played in Port Hawkesbury.

BATTLE FATIGUE by Jenny Munday ** 1989.
A play exploring the experiences of three women who served in the war and how it affected their lives. Toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

CANSO BENEFIT 1990.
Old and new Co-op members performed a retrospective of former Co-op shows to raise funds for the Canso Community Survival Task Force.

EASTBOUND ON THE HAUNTED 604-A CANADIAN TRAVESTY by Bryden MacDonald * 1990.
A lively comedy written in response to the VIA rail cuts in Northeastern Nova Scotia. Toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

THE SEWER SHOW by the Creations Writing Workshop with Bryden MacDonald * 1990.
An environmental comedy/modern day fable performed for the first annual Mulgrave Road Co-op Summer Theatre Festival. Guysborough, NS

THE SEWER SHOW, CLOUDING THE ISSUE by Ewan (Sudsy) Clark * 1991.
Environmental comedy. Toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

FROM FOGARTY’S COVE by Ric Knowles * 1991.
A play based on the imagery of Stan Rogers music and his ties to Guysborough Co. Toured Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Dublin, Ireland. It was part of the 2nd summer festival.

A STREET CHRISTMAS-D.O. EH? a co-production with Brainstorm Productions * 1991.
Toured to Jr. and Sr. High Schools in Nova Scotia encouraging youth to stay in school.

SAFE HAVEN by Mary Colin Chisholm ** 1992.
A play about the impact of AIDs in rural Nova Scotia. Toured Nova Scotia.

MORE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS a collective creation * 1992.
Remake of the 1985 musical comedy about unemployment. Toured Nova Scotia.

THE ONLY LIVING FATHER by Tom Cahill. 1992.
Co-production with Cal Mac Enterprises of Newfoundland. Based on the life and times of Joey Smallwood. Toured Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Ottawa, Ont.

AN ISLAND WOMAN by Marguerite McNeil * 1993.
A one-woman show that examines how travel abroad can define our sense of home. Nova Scotia and Maritime regional tour.

ASSUMING I’M RIGHT by Frank Macdonald ** A tribute to the things that inspire us. Nova Scotia workshop production, 1993.
Remounted in 1994,a revised version for Nova Scotia tour. Maritime regional tour spring 1995.

THE SATCHEMO’ SUITE by Hans Böggild and Doug Innis * 1995 and school tour 1996.
A man’s inner doubts conjure up the image of Louis Armstrong.

THE COMPANY STORE by Mary Vingoe based on the book by Sheldon Currie * 1996.
A play about a Glace Bay coal miner family. Toured Nova Scotia.

THE BUSINESS OF LIVING compiled by Bryden MacDonald and Emmy Alcorn * 1997.
20th anniversary production which featured current works by 18 emerging and established East Coast writers. Toured Nova Scotia.

CARIBOU by Michael Melski ** 1998.
A play that explored the relationship between two very different men. Toured Nova Scotia.

MARION BRIDGE by Daniel MacIvor ** 1998.
A play that looked at the unique relationship that exists between sisters. Toured Nova Scotia. Remounted 1999. Commissioned by MRT. Nominated for Governor General’s Award.

A MARITIME WAY OF LIFE by Charlie Rhindress. 1999.
A co-production with Live Bait Theatre. A farcical look at some of the clichés that are associated with Atlantic Canada. Toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

BRINDLEY TOWN by Lance Woolaver ** 2000.
The power of friendships has never been more important to these two men, one from the abandoned black community and the other from the wrong side of the wharf. Toured Nova Scotia.

THREE STOREY, OCEAN VIEW by Catherine Banks.** 2000.
Three women return home in an effort to keep their lives together. With a cast of 10 women and 2 men this was the largest show the Company has undertaken. Toured Nova Scotia.

RAINING CATS AND DAUGHTERS by Margie Carmichael * 2001.
A dark and poignant play about love, loss and bologna quiche. Toured Nova Scotia and PEI.

NOW LIE IN IT by Bill Forbes* 2002.
A thought-provoking and intimate play about one man’s bed, and the lifetime of secrets it holds. ALL FOUR ONE Playfest.

THE LAWSON HOUSE by Graeme Gillis* 2002.
A Mother and daughter overcome their differences after dealing with the loss of a loved one. ALL FOUR ONE Playfest.

LIVE! NUDE! ANIMAL! by Jackie Torrens 2002.
Tthe story of a lawncare-obessessed father, a chain-smoking mother, a dominatrix older sister and a dangerously passive younger sister, told through the eyes of the middle sister who'd rather the whole thing was a fantasy. ALL FOUR ONE Playfest.

RABBIT TRACKS by John Davie 2002.
A piece of absurdist theatre with dialogue taken verbatim from debates in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. ALL FOUR ONE Playfest.

LAUCHIE, LIZA & RORY by Sheldon Currie 2003.
Set in the 1940’s, this play centres around Lauchie and Rory MacDonald, who are identical twins and share a mutual love for the same woman. Toured Nova Scotia and Eastern Front On the Waterfront Festival. Remounted in 2004 - toured Nova Scotia and Magnetic North Theatre Festival in Edmonton. Toured to five venues in New Zealand in 2005. Winner of two Merritt Awards

HE’D BE YOUR MOTHER’S FATHER’S COUSIN by Mary-Colin Chisholm 2003.
An episodic and hilarious downhome concoction of saucy wit and salty humour. Toured Nova Scotia. Remounted in 2004.

SPIN by Emmy Alcorn* 2005.
This play tackles the myth of ‘responsible gaming’ and challenges the idea that VLTs are worthwhile to society. Toured Nova Scotia.

REVEILLE/AWAKEN by Michael Pellerin* 2005.
An Acadian who doesn’t know he’s Acadian, he runs from one country to another, trying on different roles, until he meets himself in Grand Pre. Originally performed in Larry’s River during Congres Mondial 2004 as Le Sel et Le Poivre. Toured Nova Scotia in 2005.

HOW IT WORKS by Daniel MacIvor* 2006.
A comedy/drama about the re-invention of the family paradigm in the modern world where the focus has become one of pleasing the self in order not to confront the unspoken darkness that each of us carry. Toured Nova Scotia & Southern New Brunswick in the Spring of 2006. Remounted in July 2006 - toured to the Magnetic North Theatre Festival in St. John's, NL.

* WORLD PREMIERE
** WORLD PREMIERE, THEN PRESENTED BY OTHER THEATRE COMPANIES