The Buzz - May 2021

May

Monica MacDonald

Indian River Festival

All local lineup

25th anniversay celebrates exclusively Island artists

Music returns to Historic St. Mary’s in Indian River this summer for the 25th anniversary of the Indian River Festival (IRF). The Festival showcases folk, jazz, blues, roots, classical, choral, traditional and contemporary music.

For 2021, the Festival will have a pared-down concert schedule compared to regular seasons with approximately 11 concerts throughout the summer, plus various community events. The 25th anniversary season will shine the spotlight on exclusively Island artists, paying homage both to the rich musical history of PEI and the committed group of Islanders who saved Historic St. Mary’s from demolition and brought IRF to life.

The lineup for IRF’s 25th anniversary season includes Rose Cousins, Irish Mythen, Catherine MacLellan, Gordie MacKeemon & his Rhythm Boys, Sirens, Tina Bouey, Magdalena von Eccher, Liam Corcoran, members of the PEI Symphony Orchestra, Meaghan Blanchard, Logan Richard, Emmet MacLellan, Nicole Bellamy, Jillian Clow, Nathan Keoughan, Andrea Núñez, Sébastien Comtois, Max

Keenlyside, and Glen Montgomery.

In addition to concerts, IRF is committed to fostering a sense of togetherness through a series of community events such as songwriting workshops, masterclasses and more. Open Stage, where community members are invited to take to the stage themselves, will also make a return this summer.

“Supporting local has never sounded so good,” says Executive Director Lindsay Connolly. “There has always been an extraordinary level of talent on the Island, and we are honoured to feature many established and emerging [local] artists this summer. It feels even more special to be focusing on Island artists because this is our 25th anniversary season!”

IRF is offering a special early bird incentive for 15% off tickets until May 17. Tickets can be purchased by calling (or visiting) the Festival office in Kensington at 836-4933 or online at indianriverfestival.com.

St. Marys’ Church is located at 1374 Hamilton Road in Indian River.

DARRELL THERIAULT

Making it happen

teams, and she is now piloting Collaboration in a Box. This pilot includes a deck of cards that Kirstin has created after decades of working with teams. The cards are real-life conflict scenarios that come up in the workplace and teams can work though the conflict in role-playing settings.

“Learning the skills to navigate conflict and build collaborative teams benefits all of us in both our professional and personal lives.”

Though the whole world has made the shift to online learning in the past year, Kirstin was ahead of the game as she trained for and enhanced her online presence in 2016. This move to online training meant that the pandemic didn’t change her work too much. In fact, the online presence that she cultivated for the few years prior meant that her work flourished throughout the past year.

“Relationships are the foundational aspect of collaboration,” Kirstin enthusiastically notes.

It was clear in our conversation that Kirstin’s relationships are broad and diverse and her collaborations have brought many ideas into action. Kirstin doesn’t only spend her time working with and through conflict or enhancing political structures and systems. She also uses her innovation and creativity to address all kinds of issues and gaps in social realms. For example, she started roller derby on PEI about 10 years ago and she co-founded a women-only improv company, Side Hustle, after previous iterations dismantled.

Kirstin Lund is an innovator and manifester who continually builds community through collaboration. If she sees a gap, she does what she can to help fill it. While many of us avoid or run away from conflict, Kirstin embraces it and has found a comfortable home in helping the rest of us in uncomfortable circumstances.

“The way I understand conflict is that it stems from someone having unmet needs,” she says.

During her time in Law School in the early 1990s, Kirstin recalls her interest in mediation growing when reading the book Getting to Yes. Rather than the adversarial process taught in Law School, the book opened up notions of principled negotiation that focuses on interests, not positions.

Kirstin reminisces about those early days in her training and recalls saying at the time: “If I could do anything, I would do mediation in family violence contexts.”

And that is just what she did. Within a year from stating that dream, Kirstin

acquired funds from the Status of Women and began her longtime career in mediation. For more than 20 years, she specialized in mediation in family violence situations. She also created organizations and projects to address women’s needs, such as Justice Options for Women, Circles of Safety and Support, Engaging Island Women for Political Action Project, and the Coalition for Women in Government.

“For many years I was the only one or one of few women who were doing this work.” Kirstin’s leadership and innovative actions have encouraged other women to follow.

“It strikes me over and over that I don’t have to wait for someone else to do something. If I want it, I can build it myself.”

Kirstin was also instrumental in the creation of the UPEI Centre for Conflict Resolution and she runs her own business, the Collaboration School. Over time, Kirstin has shifted to workplace conflict and that is her current specialty. She offers training, facilitation and coaching for workplace

As if there are more hours in Kirstin’s day, she also talked about the ways she likes to unwind, which include reading, writing, and watching movies. Kirstin recently realized that she was interested in working on a musical so for curiosity’s sake, she posted that interest on social media.

“I just put it out there on social media and other people were enthusiastically responding that they were also interested,” she says. A few Islanders have mobilized and are now co-creating a musical.

After a short conversation with Kirstin, it was evident that she has cultivated a compassionate and caring life where she brings all her gifts to everything she does. Her straight-forward, no-nonsense approach to relationship-building and mediation is inspiring and I’m left with eager anticipation to learn the transformative impact of conflict-as-collaboration.

“I use the process and skills in everything I do, and it’s helped me create a lovely career and life for myself—as free of conflict as I want it to be.”

BUZZ

Profile: Kirstin Lund by Julie Bull

Atlantic String Machine

Last concert in The Harris Project at St. Paul’s—May 29

A permanent home

PEI Symphony Orchestra partners with Confederation Centre

Atlantic String Machine will present the final concert of their 2020-21 season on May 29 with performances at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown.

Titled The Harris Project, this season’s concerts have featured music that celebrates the life and work of esteemed Island architect William Critchlow Harris. The previous concerts in the series have presented premiere performances of compositions by Atlantic String Machine members alongside works from Harris’ lifetime in conversation with works from our own lifetime.

This final concert in the series will highlight repeat performances of the original works composed for the project. Audience members can look forward to hearing: Karen Graves’ “The Sound Does Not Return,” an exploration on Harris’ artistic sentiment and his work in Broughton (NS); Sean Kemp’s “Arches,” a sonic tour of some of the churches that Harris built on PEI; Natalie Williams Calhoun’s “Rochford Square,” a playful garden party tune straight out of the 19th-century; and Adam Hill’s “A Single Juniper Post,” a meditation on the acoustic qualities of Harris’ buildings. Advance reservations are highly recommended. For tickets email atlanticstringmachine@gmail.com.

Confederation Centre of the Arts (CCOA) has announced a new agreement with the province’s largest community orchestra. The agreement solidifies a two-year partnership between the Centre and the PEI Symphony Orchestra (PEISO), including four annual concerts in the Mainstage Theatre.

The organizations will share marketing and ticketing resources to promote PEISO programming and other classical concerts. Audiences can anticipate more fluid and affordable access to entertainment, both live from the Mainstage and through digital presentations.

“Sustaining a symphony orchestra is an enormous challenge in any market, and [CCOA] applauds [PEISO] and Bruce Craig for providing Islanders with outstanding symphonic music as part of the Island’s rich cultural fabric,” offers Steve Bellamy, CEO of Confederation Centre. “This partnership contributes to the stability of PEISO and supports the consistent delivery of great music in a great venue, four times each year.”

The new agreement for 2021-2023 will allow the two organizations to better collaborate to deliver excellence in classical music.

This marks the debut of the Centre’s

new Lou MacEachern Community Partnership Program, which supports Confederation Centre initiatives to engage in strategic partnerships with local organizations, such as PEISO, who share priorities with the Centre.

PEISO President Bruce Craig says, “For years, the PEI Symphony has performed from time-to-time at Confederation Centre. Today, we are delighted to announce that with this agreement in hand, when our 65-plus musicians take to the stage next season, the Island’s orchestra will have a new permanent home. This venue is one that both acoustically and visually will provide Islanders with concert experiences second to none. We are delighted to call the Mainstage our new permanent home.”

The PEISO will be perform a unique chamber music event, A Mighty Wind— Music for Brass and Organ this spring at Zion Church in Charlottetown and St. Simon and St. Jude Church in Tignish. Additionally, soloists from within the orchestra will perform at Historic St. Mary’s as part of the Indian River Festival on July 11. Announcements will be made this summer regarding the orchestra’s 2021-22 season at the Centre and beyond. peisymphony.com confederationcentre.com

DARRELL THERIAULT

PEI Symphony Orchestra on the Mainstage at Confederation Centre in 2019

Confederation Centre of the Arts

Charlottetown Festival

Three Mainstage musicals and Young Company production

The Fathers of Confederation Buildings Trust, known as Confederation Centre of the Arts, has recently appointed Esmahan Razavi to its national board of directors.

Razavi is a trained mediator and an associate principal with Champion Communications and Public Relations in Alberta. She carries a wealth of leadership experience, including working on diversity and inclusion initiatives with the Government Relations Institute of Canada and as a public affairs consultant in British Columbia.

The Charlottetown Festival returns with three musicals on the Mainstage at Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown: Dear Rita, Between Breaths and OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story; as well as THE RISING! from the Young Company. The 2021 Festival will run from June 3 to September 4.

Festival tickets can be purchased online at confederationcentre.com, via phone at 1-800-565-0278, or in person at the box office.

Between Breaths

June 3–19

Inspired by a true story, Between Breaths sails through the journey of Newfoundland’s Dr. Jon Lien, who spent his life’s work saving whales trapped in fishing nets. “The Whale Man” rescued over 500 whales and earned the respect of the province’s fishers, but his biggest fight came late in life as dementia threatened his body and mind.

Featuring a live score composed by St. John’s based trio The Once, Between Breaths is a profound play about the parts of ourselves we hold on to after everything else is gone.

Dear Rita

June 29–August 6

Dear Rita, a musical toast celebrating the life, tenacity, and musical legacy of singer and songwriter, Rita MacNeil will make its world premiere in 2021. The cabaret musical is woven around a script by Cape Breton’s Lindsay Kyte featuring traditional and new, re-imagined arrangements of Rita’s songs.

Music direction, orchestration and arrangement is by PEI’s Mike Ross. featuring traditional and new, re-imagined arrangements of Rita’s songs.

OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story

August 12–September 4

Making its Island premiere is the internationally-acclaimed OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story, presented by Nova Scotia’s 2b Theatre Company. The life-affirming musical tells the true story of two Romanian refugees meeting at Halifax’s Pier 21 as they await entry into Canada. The story moves forward to their lives as a couple in Montreal and backward to the horrors of the Continent

Starring East Coast sensation Ben Caplan, this Klezmer music-theatre hybrid explores how to love and find a shared humanity after facing the horrors of war.

THE RISING!

July 9–August 21

The 2021 Festival will also mark the return of the Confederation Centre Young Company, in partnership with TD Ready Commitment.

The Young Company will perform the new production THE RISING!—a high-energy journey exploring protest music and moments in time where society stood up for civil and judicial rights. Weaving songs from such artists as Tracy Chapman, Lady Gaga, Macklemore, CCR, and Bob Marley, THE RISING! is about striving for a better and more equitable humanity. This production will be presented in the outdoor amphitheatre.

Esmahan has served on the boards of a number of organizations at the local and national level, and has co-founded two organizations, including Ask Her—dedicated to increasing the number of women running municipally in Calgary.

Ben Caplan will star in OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story

STOO METZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Justin Shaw’s Midnight Baby

One-person comedy at Kings Playhouse—June 4

Desert

Island Theatre Company

will bring the one-person comedy Midnight Baby by Justin Shaw to Kings Playhouse in Georgetown on June 4.

Midnight Baby tells the story of a man obsessed with planning and how this obsession has impacted his relationships. He shares stories of his experiences floundering as a sentimental junior high dweeb, as an awkward adolescent incapable of deviating from routine, and as an adult faced with a poor self-image and the dietary habits of a raccoon.

Exploring anxiety, shame and embarrassment, Midnight Baby strives to answer the question: How can you be enough for another person?

The new comedy is written and performed by Island storyteller, actor and comedian Justin Shaw (Popalopalots, Culture Shock and Salt-Water Moon).

Shaw’s debut solo show The Wrestling Play earned the Patron’s Pick distinction at the 2017 Island Fringe Festival and was later presented at Edmonton’s Nextfest Arts & Culture

Festival. Shaw has performed stand up comedy across Canada and opened for Scott Faulconbridge, Elvira Kurt, and the late Mike MacDonald. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada and loves making people laugh.

Midnight Baby is directed by Desert Island Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Benton Hartley.

Info/tickets: kingsplayhouse.com

Review by Norah Pendergast

Post modern cabaret

Good Girl Trailside Music Hall

April 20

In two lavish sets of music and monologue, Melissa MacKenzie gives a courageous  performance of her story growing up as a “Good Girl” evangelical Christian in PEI and the challenges her puritanical foundation caused when she arrived in the irreverent atmosphere of theatre school.

The comedy is rich as she recounts her experience, with the air of young Ann Margaret, she finds herself cast in all the sexy roles. Humour masks the awkwardness and distress of dating and sexuality as the confines of her belief system shatter and she gains autonomy and emphatically rewrites herself as the protagonist of her life.

The show featured performers Melissa MacKenzie (writer, vocals, keys), Morgan Saulnier (piano), Jessica Burrett (vocals, percussion), Brielle Ansems (vocals, guitar), Morgan Wagner (vocals, violin, percussion) and Marlee Saulnier (saxophone). Chris Coupland was on sound and lights.

MacKenzie’s extraordinary vocal range is animated by Morgan Saulnier on piano. Brielle Ansems, Morgan Wagner and Jessica Burrett endow ensemble pieces with graceful power. The vocal harmonies and commanding stage presence of this chorus support the music and narrative of liberation.

The Trailside Music Hall’s evocative 1940s décor is the perfect setting for this musical reclamation of femininity.

Classic selections like “Getting Married Today,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” and “Quando m’en va,” embody the legacy of female leads subverting gender

expectations on stage, a tradition MacKenzie expands upon.

Originally sequestered in a fragile purity, then thrust into the sexually charged atmosphere of theatre school, with a holy trifecta of, “anxiety, shame and type A personality,” Melissa vividly narrates the depths of her psyche. The grace at the core of her being empowers unrelenting confidence that culminates in a delightful mastery of her own fate.

The impulse to own your story and evolve is a testimony that emanates from all the musicians who take the stage. Highlights of the show include Melissa’s original songs, especially “Out Here,” about sitting on the deck at Baba’s lounge, hiding from acquaintances and small talk after a pandemic forced homecoming.

A silver lining of the pandemic, Melissa has relocated home and local audiences can look forward to seeing her Charlottetown Festival debut this summer in Dear Rita! at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

MacKenzie proves that pausing tourist industry favourites on Island stages is far from tragic; this summer our theatres have the profound opportunity to repossess local talent and diverse contemporary storytelling, like Kit Bag Theatre’s Good Girl

Justin Shaw stars in Midnight Baby

The vocal harmonies and commanding stage presence of this chorus support the music and narrative of liberation.

Victoria Playhouse

Summer by the sea

Two theatre shows playing in Victoria this season

news THEATRE

Drop-in improv classes

HA Club drop-in improv classes by Laurie Murphy and guest instructors will be held May 5 and 12 from 7–8:30 pm at the Haviland Club in Charlottetown. Improv is creating characters, scenes and situations on the spot, and it is as fun and terrifying as it sounds. No prior improv experience is required. Students must be 16 years of age or older. Pre-registration is recommended. Info: info@marram.ca, marram.ca

Improv workshop

During the four-session workshop, instructor Jody Racicot (TV, film, theatre actor and teacher—see imdb.com), will help participants assemble sound, video and lighting, select and use video recording and editing apps for iPhone and Android, and discuss industry standards for self tape auditions including video composition, sound, lighting, file formats and sharing platforms. Participants will also practice filming themselves and give/get constructive feedback. Bring a camera phone or tablet with enough memory to record 30 minutes of video. Info: theguildpei.com

MTS camps and classes

Victoria Playhouse in Victoria-by-thesea will return this season with two funny and entertaining shows—Off The Grid by John Spurway and The Good Time Radio Variety Show—playing all summer long.

While some things will be a little different for audience members at the Playhouse this year, staff are determined to offer the magical experience of live theatre. Stay tuned for their Monday Night Concert Series lineup to be announced soon.

Off The Grid by John Spurway

July 1–September 5

Off The Grid is the first Atlantic Canadian production by Fredericton playwright John Spurway. Marty is an architect anxious to learn more about self-sufficient houses so she can write a magazine article about living “off the grid.” Her husband Leonard is a loans officer who has reluctantly agreed to spend a week without his creature comforts. While Leonard adjusts to life without TV, the internet or a flush toilet, Marty gets some guidance from Lowell, their reclusive next-door neighbour who has been living in the middle of nowhere for two years. Leonard is wary of this recluse—It seems like Lowell might be hiding something, and he’s not the only one keeping secrets.

Directed by Mark Fraser, Off The Grid will feature Melissa Kramer (Dancing Lessons, 2018), Lee J. Campbell (On A First Name Basis, 2017) and Jim Fowler, a Nova Scotia resident and veteran of stage and screen.

The Good Time Radio Variety Show

July 9–August 28

Victoria Playhouse presents Farmgate Theatre’s original production, The Good Time Radio Variety Show. The venue will be transformed into the sound stage of Island Radio Station CRPO for the weekly broadcast. A modern take on the classic radio variety show with music, mystery, comedy, adventure and thrilling sound effects all performed live in front of a studio audience. It’s always a good time for a good time.

The cast for The Good Time Radio Variety Show includes nationally recognized performers who all make PEI their home. Actors Julain Molnar and Cameron MacDuffee are regulars at the Charlottetown Festival and musicians Karen Graves and Adam Hill are members of Atlantic String Machine. Director Charlotte Gowdy’s credits include the Stratford Festival, PEI’s Watermark Theatre and two previous shows for the Victoria Playhouse.

Tickets are available by calling the box office at 1-800-925-2025 or online at victoriaplayhouse.ticketpro.ca.

The Guild Improv Workshop with instructors Graham Putnam and Rob MacDonald will take place at The Guild in Charlottetown beginning May 11. The seven-week workshop is designed for those with little-to-no improv or acting experience and for those who would like to refresh their skills. Participants will learn the Basics of Improvisation, Advancing the Scene, Character Development, Object Work, and Creating an Environment. Info: theguildpei.com

Video audition workshop

An Actor Video Audition Workshop will take place on Wednesdays through May at The Guild in Charlottetown. The workshop is for actors who are submitting themselves for film, TV, theatre, or auditioning for a performing arts school.

Musical Theatre School (MTS) at The Guild in Charlottetown offers a variety of performance-based opportunities for students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, and focuses on the singing, acting and dancing aspects of stage performance. The 10-week spring/summer program (ages 9–18) runs from May 2–August 19. Various week-long summer camps are available for students in kindergarten to grade nine. For details or to register, call the Box Office at 620-3333 or visit theguildpei.com.

JUNE DEADLINE

Submissions and advertising for the June issue of The Buzz:

FRIDAY, MAY 14TH

EXHIBITS galleries and museums

Confed Centre Art Gallery

On view: Holland College School of Visual Arts Spring Showcase to May 2; The Drive to May 2; Gerard Clarkes: A Haunted Land to May 16. 145 Richmond St, Charlottetown. confederationcentre.com

Cornwall Library Art Gallery

On view: Spring Group Art Show to May 7; Everything Under The Moon by Lindy Nichols, May 11–June 18. Contact the library for information on displaying in the gallery. 15 Mercedes Dr, Town Hall, Cornwall. 629-8415, cornwall@gov.pe.ca, library.pe.ca

Lefurgey Cultural Centre

On view: Culture Summerside Sixty Days of Fame exhibit Love’s Hidden SymMeTrees by Patricia Clarkin. Free admission. 205 Prince St, Summerside. culturesummerside.com

Receiver Coffee Co.

On view: this town is small presents

Accumulations: Sea Glass by Phil Mercier to June 4. 128 Richmond St, Charlottetown. thistownissmall.com

Eptek Art & Culture Centre

On view: Quills, Ash, and Bone: Current perspectives on traditional Mi’kmaq art to April 30; ArtsSmarts exhibition, May 19–28; Music PEI Album Art to May 30. Visit the permanent exhibition on the history and architecture of Summerside. Admission is by donation. Eptek is a site of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. 888-8373, peimuseum.com

Gallery @ The Guild

On view: The Time of our Lives to May 9; PEI Photo Club Annual Print Show, May 26–June 13 with opening May 26 at 7 pm; The Many Faces of Fire presented by PEI Crafts Council, May 12–24 with opening May 12 at 7 pm. 115 Richmond St, Charlottetown. theguildpei.com

Kings Playhouse Gallery

On view: First Bloom, featuring student artwork from Souris Regional School and Montague Regional High School, from May 6–June 18. 65 Grafton Street, Georgetown. kingsplayhouse.com, 1-866-346-5666

Two exhibits at Eptek

Music PEI Album Art and ArtsSmarts on display in May

Many Faces of Fire

PEI Crafts Council presents group exhibit at The Guild

Eptek Art & Culture Centre in Summerside will showcase two exhibitions in May.

Music PEI Album Art will be on display throughout May, featuring the album cover artwork from this year’s Music PEI award nominees from categories that recognize new recordings.

The annual ArtsSmarts exhibition will be on display from May 19–28, showcasing student art projects from schools across PEI.

Eptek’s on-site gift shop carries

a variety of Island art and craft, as well as books on local themes. Be sure to visit the permanent exhibition on the history and architecture of Summerside.

Eptek Art & Culture Centre is a site of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation and is located at 130 Heather Moyse Drive in Summerside. Open Tuesday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm and Sunday, 12–4 pm. Closed May 16 and 28. Admission is by donation. Info: 888-8373, peimuseum.com

The Many Faces of Fire, a group exhibit presented by the PEI Crafts Council, will open May 12 from 7–9 pm at The Guild in Charlottetown.

Featured artists express their passion through fire in wood, glass and clay. On view will be Trudy Gilbertson’s carved wood with a fired finish, the work of glass artists

Accumulations

PEI’s artist-run centre this town is small presents Accumulations: Sea Glass, a solo exhibition of photographs by Phil Mercier, on view at Receiver Coffee in Charlottetown to June 4.

Sea glass is known by many names—mermaid’s tears, beach glass, jewels of the sea, and sea gems. It is formed from glass objects that have been weathered by the ocean. It takes between 20 and 50 years under the weight of the waves and the interaction between the sand, rocks, and salt for a piece to form. Perhaps it is this lengthy process, spanning decades, of broken shards rotating through the waters to then emerge beautiful and smooth that has led to such romanticized names. The series presented in

Dean Smith and Cathy Krolikowski who explore glass work through stained and fused glass, and Robert McMillan’s experimentation with reconstructed shapes and unexpected layers of colours.

The Many Faces of Fire will run from May 12–24 at The Gallery @ The Guild, 115 Richmond St, Charlottetown.

this exhibition is a photographic investigation of these objects.

Phil Mercier is a visual artist living in Brookfield, PEI. He can often be found tending to his plants or developing film in his bathroom.

Receiver Coffee is located at 128 Richmond Street in Charlottetown. thistownissmall.com

Sea glass photo by Phil Mercier

Pottery by Robert McMillan

Music PEI Album Artwork of the Year winners Lawrence Maxwell, Almost Natural (Aidan Searle) and Dylan Menzie, Lost in Dreams (Ashley Anne Clark/Cohen McDonald)

Solo photo exhibit by Phil Mercier at Receiver

Confederation Centre Art Gallery

A Haunted Land

The art and music of Gerard Clarkes—May 30

The Confederation Centre Art Gallery invites the public to a free event May 30 at 2 pm, celebrating the many talents of Gerard Clarkes. The PEI painter, whose work is currently on display at the CCAG in the exhibition Gerard Clarkes: A Haunted Land, is also a musical composer.

This event is an opportunity for the public to experience his music. It will feature two short musical performances presented by Don Fraser, director of the Choral Music Programme at Confederation Centre, on piano, with vocalist Suzanne Campbell.

The performances will be followed by a conversation between Clarkes and exhibition curator Pan Wendt. Both Fraser and Campbell have performed Clarkes’ compositions before and will delve into his unique pieces. As Fraser explains,

”Gerard’s work as a composer is varied and utterly fascinating. His knowledge of traditional harmony and voicing allows him to move in freer and by times daring directions sometimes preserving traditional structures and other times expanding the bounds of possibilities.”

Attendees are asked to pre-register online at confederationcentre.com.

Clarkes in his Winnipeg studio in the early 1950s

MILLEFIORE CLARKES AL GUEST

Gerard Clarkes in 2011, in front of The Procession, 1980.

The Guild Summer Festival

Mainstage Series

Pleasureville

June 26 - July 23

Singalong Jubilee - A Musical Tribute

July 10 - August 10

Tapestry - A Tribute To Carole King

July 30 - August 14

Sponsors

• Province of PEI • City of Charlottetown

• Canadian Heritage • The Other Ocean Group

• The Joan & Regis Duffy Foundation

• KKP • Modo Yoga • PEI Brewing Co.

• Rodd Hotels • TicketPro

Founding member of Theatre PEI

2021 GUILD PRESENTS

MAY

Popalopalots: Live Improv Comedy

April 30 & May 8

The Stars Began to Shine: A Showcase of The Advanced Music Theatre School Class

May 7 & 22

Gallery @ The Guild:

The Time of Our Lives - Artwork by UPEI Seniors College

On display until May 9

Gallery @ The Guild:

The Many Faces of Fire - Artwork by the PEI Crafts Council

Opening Reception May 26

PEI Photo Club Annual Print Show

Opening Reception May 26

The Guild Music Theatre School

Spring Summer Session, and weekly Summer Camps

Artistic Director Lori Linkletter - Register Today

The Guild’s Improv Classes

Instructors Rob MacDonald & Graham Putnam

May 11 - June 22

Actor’s Video Audition Workshop

Instructor Jody Racicot

May 5 - 26

Job Opportunity: Part-Time

Front of House Manager Visit our website for details.

www.theguildpei.com

902.620.3333

The Guild Summer Festival

Shows annouced for 2021 season in Charlottetown

Artistic Director Georgie Brown and CEO Alanna Jankov recently announced the lineup for The Guild Summer Festival in Charlottetown. Running from June through August, the Summer Festival will include a Mainstage Series, Celebration Series, and Children’s Series.

The Summer Festival Mainstage Series will feature Pleasureville by Ellen Denny, Singalong Jubilee—A Musical Tribute, and Tapestry: A Tribute to Carole King. Pay-what-you-can preview performances are available for all three productions.

The Celebration Series will showcase performances by The Serenades, Ava + Lily, Popalopalots Improv Comedy, Alicia Toner, Oshun Dance, Noah Malcolm, Vince The Messenger and Shane Pendergast.

The Children’s Series will feature Disney’s Aladdin Jr., Disney’s The Beauty & The Beast Jr., and The Guild Musical Theatre School Kids Ceilidh.

Pleasureville by Ellen Denny

June 26–July 23

The Guild has partnered with Pride PEI for the production of Pleasureville by Ellen Denny. Featuring one of the first non-binary roles in professional Canadian theatre, this modern comedy is bursting with heart as its characters learn to claim their power and their pleasure. Directed by Geordie Brown and starring Steph Hood, Rebecca McCauley and Charlotte Moore.

Singalong Jubilee—A Musical Tribute

July 10–August 10

A theatrical celebration of the music, the people and the stories of Singalong Jubilee, one of the most-watched television programs in Canadian history. Conceived and directed by Geordie Brown, this feel-good tribute will

Tapestry: A Tribute to Carole King

July 30–August 14

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Carole King’s album Tapestry Conceived and directed by Geordie Brown, this concert-style tribute will take the audience through chart-topping songs including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “You’ve Got A Friend,” and “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman.” Starring Steph Hood, Charlotte Moore, Rebecca McCauley, Geordie Brown, Julien Kitson and Andrew Murray.

Info/tickets: theguildpei.com

Popalopalots

Popalopalots will perform their make-it-up-on-the-spot improv sketch comedy at The Guild in Charlottetown April 30 and May 8 at 8 pm. The performers will have you laughing when they succeed and laughing even harder when they fail. theguildpei.com

feature Julien Kitson, Charlotte Moore, Rebecca McCauley, Geordie Brown and Andrew Murray.

(l–r): Steph Hood, Charlottete Moore and Rebecca McCauley star in Ellen Denny’s Pleasureville

Seasonal suds

Local brewers create new products for warmer days

COMING SOON | JUNE 18-21, 2021

The island’s new yoga & wellness festival. A celebration that blends health, movement and a dash of whimsy in Charlottetown.

FIND YOUR CALM, SOAK UP SOME VITAMIN SEA.

As the weather warms and we move toward the summer of 2021, our local brewers are looking to brew up new brands of beer that aim to capture the essence of the season. The two largest beer producers on PEI have both lined up new beers they hope will capture the splendor of summer on Prince Edward Island.

First up, PEI Brewing has a new brand positioned as a guiding light to beer drinkers. Beacon Blonde Ale is an easy drinking ale that aims to bridge the gap between refreshing lagers and ales with a bit more complexity. Pale blonde in colour, with low bitterness and a refreshing finish, Beacon hits all the marks of a summertime beer.

Typically, blonde ales are fairly bountiful in other beer markets, but on the Island the only other readily available blonde ale would be Copper Bottom’s Centennial Stock Blonde Ale, which was one of the initial offerings from Montague’s first brewery. Next time you visit a PEI Liquor Store, grab a can of each to see which Blonde Ale provides the refreshment you need for grilling in the sun or to slack your thirst after a walk on the beach. Beacon Blonde Ale is available in four packs of 355ml cans and Centennial Stock Blonde Ale in 473ml single cans.

The next new offering you will see this summer is Upstreet Craft Brewing’s Cavalier Light Premium Lager. It will be available across PEI. Looking to find space as a local option in the larger Light Lager category traditionally dominated by brewing giants like Coors and Budweiser, Upstreet created a 4% lager that has 90 calories and 3 grams of carbohydrates per can. Sold in stylish 12 packs of 355ml cans, Cavalier will face stiff competition against the seasoned and established Light Lager giants. Grab a pack of Cavalier at your local PEI Liquor Store or try a pint in Charlottetown at Upstreet’s Allen Street taproom or at Craft Beer Corner downtown.

The only other time a local brewery has entered into this beer category was when PEI Brewing Company launched Rix Light Craft Lager in 2018—named after Billy Rix, founder of Island Brewing Company and brewers of Red Rock in the mid 1980’s.

Be sure to check out the options local brewers have available. There will certainly be more new beers offered through the summer. Judging by the strong start this year, Islanders will certainly have a great selection of locally produced beer available to be enjoyed in the warm Island sun.

YOGA CLASSES

WELLNESS WORKSHOPS

STARGAZING WALKS

GUIDED MEDITATIONS

UNIQUE VENUES

CULINARY EVENTS

RAINBOW RUN

HOTEL PACKAGES

TAKE A DEEP BREATH & WE’LL SEE YOU IN JUNE!

The Brew by Bryan Carver

New summer beers from Upstreet and PEI Brewing Company

BRYAN CARVER

CONCERTS

Apr 30, May 1, 8 pm

The East Pointers

Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

May 1, 7 pm

Lawrence Maxwell

Featuring Nick Doneff, with guests

Bridgette Blanchard and Rowan Gallant. PEI Brewing Co., Charlottetown

May 2, 8 pm

Dennis Ellsworth

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 3, 8 pm

Anna Ludlow

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 4–5, 8 pm

Gordie Sampson

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 6, 8 pm

Nolan Compton

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 7–8, 7:30 pm

Julain Molnar, Shane

Pendergast, Kris Taylor and Mike Ross

Harmony House, Hunter River

May 7–8, 8 pm

J.P. Cormier

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 9, 8 pm

Meaghan Blanchard

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 10–12, 8 pm

Adam Baldwin

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 14, 8 pm

Charlie A’Court

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 14–15, 7:30 pm

Vince The Messenger, Joce

Reyome, Alicia Toner and Mike Ross

Harmony House, Hunter River

May 15 & 29, 2 pm

Got Blues Matinee

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 15, 7:30 pm

Mo Kenney

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

May 15, 8 pm, May 16, 2 pm

Wharf Rats: Grateful Dead

Tribute Band

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 16, 8 pm

Mo Kenney with Lucy Farrell

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 17, 8 pm

Greg Bungay & Gordie Cox

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 19–20, 8 pm

Paper Lions

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 21, 8 pm

The Love Junkies

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 21–22, 7:30 pm

Michelle Bouey, Kierrah

Celeste, Noah Malcolm and Mike Ross

Harmony House, Hunter River

May 23, 8 pm

Tradition Music Concert

Featuring Órla McCague, Seán Ó Feinneadha, Karine Gallant and Ian Macinnes. Old Triangle, Charlottetown

May 24, 8 pm

Matt Minglewood

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 22, 7:30 pm

Hillsburn

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

May 26 & 30, 8 pm

Garrett Mason

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 27, 8 pm

Sarah Pagé

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 28, 7:30 pm

Garrett Mason

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

May 28, 8 pm

Rube & Rake

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

May 28–29, 7:30 pm

Brielle Ansems, John Connolly, and Jenna-Marie Gallant and Mike Ross

Harmony House, Hunter River

May 29, 2:30 pm, 7:30 pm

Atlantic String Machine

St. Paul’s, Charlottetown

May 30, 2 pm

Gerard Clarkes: A Haunted Land

Featuring Suzanne Campbell and Don Fraser. Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

May 29, 7:30 pm

Rube & Rake, Joce Reyome, and Lawrence Maxwell

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

Jun 5, 7:30 pm

Logan Richard

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

June 18, 7:30 pm

Ava & Lily

The Guild, Charlottetown

College of Piping

Three summer shows at Celtic Performing Arts Centre

The College of Piping’s Celtic Performing Arts Centre in Summerside will stage three shows this summer— Pendy’s Pub, Richard Wood: Through the Years, and Highland Storm.

Michael Pendergast, with his house band The Keggers present Pendy’s Pub on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, showcasing Island entertainers in the convivial atmosphere of a local tavern. Audience members can voyage around the world through three decades of music and memories on Wednesday evenings this summer with Richard Wood: Through the Years.

Highland Storm, directed by Peter Gallant, has been revamped for the 2021 season. The show promises an exhilerating evening of Celtic music and dance. Performances will take place Thursday evenings.

The Celtic Performing Arts Centre at The College of Piping is located at 619 Water St East in Summerside. For info and tickets, call 436-5377 or visit collegeofpiping.com.

Covers and originals

2 ‘N’ 2 Festival at Harmony House in Hunter River

Harmony House in Hunter River will present the 2 ‘N’ 2 Festival on Friday and Saturday evenings in May. Each week, the limited series will feature three different PEI songwriters collaborating with Mike Ross.

Each performer will bring two songs they wrote and two songs they love, sharing the stories behind them. Mike Ross will host every night and will arrange selected numbers for the full ensemble, showcasing artists in collaboration.

Every songwriter has been influenced by the music that came before them. The audience will learn what tunes affected some of their favourite local musicians and why, and also experience the link between those older songs and what is being written today. An evening of discovery and collaboration that may introduce a new favourite song to take home.

Performing May 7–8 are Julain Molnar, Shane Pendergast and Kris Taylor. The weekend of May 14–15 will showcase Vince The Messenger, Joce Reyome and Alicia Toner. Michelle

Bouey, Kierrah Celeste and Noah Malcolm will be on stage May 21–22, with Brielle Ansems, John Connolly and Jenna-Marie Gallant performing May 28–29.

All shows begin at 7:30 pm. Lounge opens at 6 pm. Reservations required. Harmony House has partnered with Cured Creations in May and charcuterie boxes can be pre-ordered when making a reservation. Call 964-2255 or email harmonyhousepei@gmail.com.

Tickets are available in bubbles of four. It is possible to add one or two tickets to a bubble. Requests can be emailed to harmonyhousepei@gmail. com. Tickets can be purchased through harmonyhousepei.com

Joce Reyome

STAGE

May 7 & 22

The Stars Begin to Shine

The Guild, Charlottetown

May 8, June 19, July 24, Aug 21

Popalopalots

The Guild, Charlottetown

June 3–19, 2 pm, 8 pm

Between Breaths

Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

June 4

Midnight Baby

Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

June 17 & Aug 26

The Serenades

The Guild, Charlottetown

June 26–Jul 23, select dates

Pleasureville

The Guild, Charlottetown

June 29–Aug 6

Dear Rita

Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

July 1–Sep 5

Off The Grid

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria-By-The-Sea

July 9–Aug 28

Good Time Radio Variety Show

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria-By-The-Sea

Jul 9–Aug 21

THE RISING!

Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

Jul 10

Mi’kmaq Legends

Watermark Theatre, North Rustico

Jul 10–Aug 10, select dates

Singalong Jubilee

The Guild, Charlottetown

Jul 12, 7:30 pm

Oshun Dance

The Guild, Charlottetown

Jul 13–31, select dates

The Gin Game

Watermark Theatre, North Rustico

Jul 14–Aug 28, Wed–Sat

Les Filles de la factrie

Mont-Carmel Parish Hall, Mont-Carmel

Jul 17–Aug 28

Le Paysan et le Roi

Mont-Carmel Parish Hall, Mont-Carmel

Jul 20–Aug 24

La Cuisine à Mémé Rebootée

Mont-Carmel Parish Hall, Mont-Carmel

July 23–25, July 30–Aug 1

The River Clyde Pageant

New Glasgow

Jul 30–Aug 14, select dates

Tapestry: A Tribue to Carole

King

The Guild, Charlottetown

Aug 12–Sep 4

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story

Confederation Centre, Charlottetown

Aug 10–28, select dates

Cottagers and Indians

Watermark Theatre, North Rustico

Summer puppetry

River Clyde Pageant returns and offers two workshops

The River Clyde Pageant will return this summer with six outdoor performances running July 23–25 and July 30–August 1. A program of artist-led workshops for all ages will launch in early May.

The first two workshops in puppet-building and performance are now ready for registrations, with other sessions in music, dance, lantern-making and drama coming soon.

The Animate Forest, a workshop in puppetry and performance with Nova Scotia scenographer and puppeteer Ian McFarlane, explores puppet building techniques and performance creation with reclaimed and organic materials. Participants will create their own puppet scenes to be featured in the 2021 Pageant. This workshop will run every Wednesday at 6 pm from June 16–July 14. No previous experience is required.

For those seeking more in-depth training in puppetry and performance, McFarlane and Evan Medd are leading a workshop in ensemble-based material performance titled Object, Landscape, Collaboration. This month-long workshop will run every

Thursday at 6 pm from June 24–July 15 and will feature technical training in parade-style puppetry, group movement and site-specific performance. Capacity is limited in both workshops. To sign up for all workshops, visit riverclydepageant.com/ get-involved.

All are welcome in the creation of the 2021 River Clyde Pageant, and anyone interested in joining the process as a performer, musician, volunteer or builder can contact organizers at riverclydepageant.com. Tickets will go on sale in early July.

The Future is Fossils

The PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation presents The Future is Fossils, May 23 and 24 from 10 am–4 pm, at Beaconsfield Carriage House, 2 Kent Street, Charlottetown.

For more information and to register for this free, family-friendly event, visit peimuseums.ca.

SUBMITTED

Mont-Carmel

Trois spectacle pour l’éte

French dinner theatre returns this summer

Courthouse Theatre adapts for 2021

coming together.”

The Courthouse Theatre team includes volunteers Sarah Branje and Luc Trottier. Branje, who recently relocated to St. Peters Bay, has an extensive background in event management. Trottier, a filmmaker and artist, will be the Artistic Director for the season.

SPADC will be filming the upcoming TV show “The St. Peters Bay Community Players” in June. The five episodes will air in September on Bell Fibe TV1.

The team is currently working on scheduling and events. Visit courthousetheatre.ca for updates as they secure talent and performance dates.

French-language dinner theatre will return to Mont-Carmel this summer thanks to Paul D. Gallant, the director of La Cuisine à Mémé dinner theatre sketch and music show which began in 1985 in the Evangeline region.

Gallant will put on three different productions, including a reboot of La Cuisine à Mémé, at the Mont-Carmel Parish Hall from July 14 to August 28. The shows will be accompanied by meals prepared by Chef Andrew Fisk of À la Cuisine.

Les filles de la factrie

Wednesday–Saturday at 7 pm

July 14–August 28

This summer’s flagship production is the musical Les filles de la factrie (The Girls from the Factory). The company will consist of seven female actors, singers and musicians. The story takes place in a fish plant in the old days and the workers are not allowed to talk at work. One day, one of the workers pours a potion concocted from an old family recipe into the floor lady’s tea, which makes her sleep all day. The girls agree to do their jobs but still take time to chat, tell jokes, dance and sing lively old-time music.

La Cuisine à Mémé rebootée

Tuesdays at 7 pm

July 20–August 24

La Cuisine à Mémé rebootée will see a return to its original concept when the dinner theatre was held at the old Acadian Pioneer Village in the mid1980s and the character of Mémé was a puppet, a kind of mistress of ceremonies. She and the rest of the company performed comedic sketches based on various characters. Author and artistic director Paul D. Gallant shares that while the reboot will feature the Mémé

grandmother character as a puppet, the music, script and skits will all be brand new.

Le Paysan et le Roi Saturdays at noon

July 17–August 28

Le Paysan et le Roi (The Peasant and the King), presented in the style of oldtime children’s stories, is aimed at a young audience and will feature two acts with a combined duration of 25 minutes. A short musical section will be added at the end to showcase the singing, dancing and musical talent of the Young Company.

This production has two objectives—to create a space for young artists (ages 7–12) to perform and to provide the public, especially young Island families, with an activity designed with them in mind.

A special children’s menu will be offered at an affordable price.

For more information, contact Les Productions Cuisine à Mémé 2021 at 439-4750. Mont-Carmel Parish Hall is located at 5786 Route 11, Mont-Carmel.

Musical theatre

The Stars Began to Shine will be on stage at The Guild in Charlottetown May 7 and 22 at 7:30 pm.

Presented by The Guild Musical Theatre School Advanced Class, The Stars Began to Shine will feature solos, duets and ensembles showcasing music theatre hits from the golden era to the present.

The show contains mature adult themes and language. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Courthouse Theatre in St. Peters Bay is reinventing itself for the 2021 season. The St. Peters Bay Area Development Corporation (SPADC) will offer their Courthouse Theatre as a venue for showcasing local talent and special events such as small weddings, meetings and functions.

SPADC invites artists to reach out if they are looking for a venue to perform or anyone in need of a small venue for a function.

“[Pandemic] uncertainty has created challenges for everyone but it is also creating opportunities for our small theatre,” says SPADC President Julio Sanchez. “We have an amazing team in place. Our community is really

Cast from an earlier version of the play Les filles de la factrie

New AD at The Guild

Geordie Brown was recently appointed as the new Artistic Director (AD) of The Guild’s Summer Festival. Brown has a long list of credits as a performer, director and creator in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

Brown created and directed The Guild’s production of Singalong Jubilee—A Musical Tribute in 2019. He also directed Stan Rogers: A Matter of Heart at The Guild in 2016.

As an actor and singer, Brown has performed on stages across Canada. His acting career began in the film and television industry, leading to many noteworthy credits including a supporting role in Jodi Picoult’s The Tenth Circle alongside the late Kelly Preston.

Outside of the arts, Brown has made a second career as a community outreach worker and youth care practitioner with high-risk and marginalized communities. He holds certifications from the Canadian Centre of Diversity and Inclusion, Indigenous Awareness Canada, and Pride at Work Canada.

As AD, Brown will oversee all programming during The Guild’s summer season, in addition to directing professional theatre productions.

Funnier in an Hour

Comedic storytelling webinar with Heather Jordan Ross

Island comedian Heather Jordan Ross, in partnership with PEI Writers’ Guild (PEIWG), will host the webinar Funnier in an Hour: Comedic Storytelling on May 6.

Brown looks forward to connecting with the community amplifying historically underrepresented voices. “Seeing yourself and your stories up on stage is incredibly powerful, and it’s not something that all of us have had the chance to experience,” he explains.

He will also collaborate with Lori Linkletter, The Guild’s Artistic Director of children’s programming, to explore new practical learning opportunities for aspiring artists at The Guild’s Music Theatre School.

theguildpei.com

Ross previously partnered with PEIWG in February to offer a threeweek comedic storytelling workshop that drew participants from across Canada and had a wait list. Funnier in an Hour, PEIWG’s response to Ross’ popularity, will offer another chance for aspiring and established writers to practice their comedy skills. It is open to anyone who is considering stand up comedy, prepping for their next fringe show, or who just want to tell better stories at parties.

Funnier in an Hour will guide participants through basic joke structure, performing with confidence, and how to make a good story great and a great story funny. There will be a Q&A at the end of the session.

Ross’ personal, acerbic storytelling has been featured on OutTV, CBC’s “The Doc Project,” and BBC Radio 4. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College and a Masters in Screenwriting with Distinction from

Screen Academy Scotland. Originally from Fortune, PEI, Ross currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Since Ross’ last session sold out quickly, interested participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible at peiwritersguild.com.

PEIWG also offers two bursaries for marginalized writers or for those who find the cost prohibitive. For more information or to apply, email peiwritersguild@gmail.com.

Heather Jordan Ross

The Guild Artistic Director Geordie Brown

Way up West by Jan Cox

From fibre to finish

MacAusland’s Woolen Mills uses old tech for quality product

I was looking forward to spending time at MacAusland’s Woolen Mills in Bloomfield—watching the process, and learning the technology—and I was not disappointed. I was blown away by the size of the building first of all and the rich, wonderful oil smell of lanolin (and machine oil), and the ageless wooden floor boards—worn to such a deep beautiful brown, exposing every wood grain. The Mills were silent when I stopped by late in the afternoon, but I could sense the hustle bustle atmosphere of the room. Room is not accurate. I was in the immense first floor, with the machinery and the history.

The building began its life as a saw and grist mill in the 1870s. By 1910, seasonal wool processing had begun and in the 1930s, making blankets full time had taken over due to high demand. There was a fire in 1948 and a “temporary” building was erected circa 1950—the same building I was sitting in, taking it all in, as a beaming Monica MacAusland guided me through.

Monica is the sixth generation MacAusland to be involved in the Mills. As a teenager, she worked at the Mills on and off, and in 2012 she began working full time. Even while masked, I could tell how excited and proud she is to be part of this family tradition. Her eyes said it all.

“The process hasn’t changed over the years—beginning with raw wool product then washing, drying, dyeing, carding, spinning into yarn and weaving into the finished product—a MacAusland blanket,”she told me.

The Woolen Mills employ eight full time workers and primarily use Canadian wool. “There is newer tech nology out there,” says Monica “But, we’re old school. Sure, we use 50’s and 60’s technology still, but, if it ain’t broken, why fix it?

“We do miss the tourists. We welcomed that foot traffic. I think wool is trending upwards with the desire for natural fibres back in ‘fashion.’ Wool is never out of date.“ Spoken like a true upcoming manager!

MacAusland’s reputation caught the eye and ear of Mr. Arnold Smith, President of the Farmers’ Bank of Rustico & Doucet House Museums. He and his partner Carter Jeffery approached Monica with an idea for a Museum renovation fundraiser. They designed a blanket in honour of 300 years of French and Acadian presence in PEI. The blankets are for sale and Arnold said their initial run of 17 blankets has sold out with another three runs (17 in each) ordered and more expected over the summer months. “We will do custom orders, but not the design work. Arnold and Carter came to us ready, and it has been a great time, really positive,” Monica said.

You cannot deny the quality. You cannot deny the proven history. It was a joy to be invited into the workings of the MacAusland’s Woolen Mills.

Active spinning frame at MacAusland’s Woolen Mills, Bloomfield

This will be Jan’s last column for The Buzz. We are grateful for all the Islander’s stories she has brought to our readers.

Perfumes

April 30–May 2

PG. Dir: Grégory Magne, France, 2020, 100 min. Emmanuelle Devos, Grégory Montel, Zélie Rixhon. In French with English Subtitles

story featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as a Hitchcockian everyman who becomes the unlikely conduit to a Soviet leaker of secrets in 1960... British and American espionage officials were understandably eager to gather information from Oleg Penkovsky (the terrific Merab Ninidze), a high-ranking Soviet official who has grown increasingly alarmed by leader Nikita Khrushchev’s willingness to seek confrontation with the West. But they need a way to gain access to what Penkovsky knows, using someone ‘who the KGB won’t suspect’ in order to collect his secrets. They wind up approaching Cumberbatch’s Greville Wynne, a rather staid family man who periodically travels to Moscow on business. ‘I’m just a salesman,’ Wynne protests... Cumberbatch is very good at portraying Wynne as an ordinary bloke thrown into extraordinary circumstances, whose MI-6 and CIA handlers are concerned about his welfare but still willing to endanger him thanks to the valuable information that Penkovsky is feeding them. The movie’s heart, however, resides in the bond forged between the two central characters, whose loyalty to and compassion toward each other eclipses international boundaries and tensions, unfolding prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis as a sobering reminder of the stakes involved.... On that level, and others, The Courier more than delivers.” - Brian Lowry, CNN

The 7th Annual Gbeck Future Film Festival

“Astutely adapting his acclaimed play, Florian Zeller makes a breathtaking directorial debut with his wrenchingly perceptive look at advancing dementia and the toll it takes on those close to the afflicted. Anthony Hopkins is the elderly, proud Englishman suffering memory loss and increasing confusion; Olivia Colman is the concerned daughter trying to balance parental love and care with her own life needs. Zeller’s masterstroke is in conveying the experience of a disintegrating mind through distorted realities and dramatic shifts in perspective. The subtle visual tricks and thriller-like twists become a literal representation of the devastating illness. Meanwhile, the cast is perfection: Colman, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams and Mark Gatiss add superb nuance to Hopkins’ paranoia. But it’s Hopkins who is truly astonishing, giving a career-best performance as the shattered soul slowly capitulating to the enemy inside his own body.”- Alan Jones, Radio Times

Singing to Myself

Tuesday, May 25, 7 pm.

“A middle-aged love story? Yes, possibly, but this gentle comedy drama is as subtle as the fragrances our protagonist conjures up. Anne Walberg is a professional ‘nose’ - someone whose sense of smell is so precise they are sought after for everything from perfume creation (at least, she used to be) to corporate jobs disguising the horrible smell seeping from a factory into a nearby village. Her reputation took a knock a few years ago and as she tries to rebuild it, she happens upon Guillaume - a single dad, himself looking for direction. He is tasked with chauffeuring the aloof Anne on her rounds. As the story develops, so too does their relationship... What begins as a master and servant dynamic eases into something more even and co-dependent. It’s the type of companionship you rarely look for in life, but are happy for when it arrives. As with most Gallic rom-coms, it’s shot and presented in an unassuming and casual way - stylish and sexy without ever really attempting to be either. You know, French. I found the performances captivating, particularly the dishevelled Guillaume’s Robin Williams-esque attempts to maintain a relationship with his daughter... When Harry Met Sally for people old enough to know better.”

- Jamie East, The Sun

The Courier

May 5, 6 & 12–16

PG, Mature Subject Matter. Dir: Dominic Cooke, UK/US, 2020, 111 min. Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan.

“Anyone with a taste for Cold War dramas will find an intriguing addition to the cinematic library with The Courier, a fact-based

May 7–9

Films are in Chinese with English Subtitles.

Unrated (Mature Themes) Dir: Harmony Wagner, Canada, 2016, 75 min. Sophie MacLean, Bryde MacLean, Carl Peterson, Adi Vella, Russell Louder, Andrew Murray, Yanik Richards

her stash into euros and hauls her adult son Malcolm to sunny Paris... Frances is practically the definition of ‘privilege’ - a woman so used to the comforts of her pampered life that she can’t imagine living without them - and her triple threat of bored/rude/ depressed could easily be off-putting. But she is indelible, even delightful, because she has given her a sense of humor, a quirky devotion to her son and a curious but definite moral code... Another actor might come off as mean or unworthy of our compassion, but Pfeiffer finds the humanity and humor in lines such as ‘My plan was to die before the money ran out but I kept not dying and here I am.’ Pfeiffer handles the almost Jane Austen-like formality of deWitt’s lines beautifully but can also make one word hilarious... It’s a study of a character unlike any other I can recall, an unorthodox woman who achieves a kind of nobility in her insistence on maintaining her dignity... Years from now, I bet we’ll be saying of it what Frances’ attorney says of her: ‘They broke the mold with that one.’” - Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune

Welcome to City Cinema from The Charlottetown Film Society

City Cinema is owned and operated by our non-profit Society. We will continue to present a diverse mix of films and welcome your suggestions and support. Become a member, bring friends, share feedback!

Advance Tickets

Our new website citycinema.ca is live. We now accept all major credit cards online and both debit and credit at the cinema. Seating is limited—advance tickets are strongly recommend.

Limited Seating

Youth, future, and new films! Gbeck Future Film Festival is a competition of original films created by filmmakers from around the world, designed to discover and support young filmmakers. The 2021 edition of the Festival is the seventh annual, and the third to be presented in PEI. City Cinema will host the event again, the Festival will be held at City Cinema on May 7 - 9 with evening shows and matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets and schedule available at www.citycinema. ca and www.gbeck.com. Reserved seating is recommended as they may become limited or unavailable at showtime.

The Father

May 20–23

PG, Not Recommended for Young Children, Mature Themes. Dir: Florian Zeller, UK/France, 2021, 97 min. Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss

Nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress and Screenplay.

Dissatisfied with her options in the world of striving, a young deaf woman, Iris, decides to give up on yearning to connect. Instead she floats along, working at a greenhouse, embracing her silent solitude and learning to be happy with less. Everything seems fine until she meets a thrilling musician named Celeste. Beautifully shot on Prince Edward lsland, and winner of the 1KWave Award, Periscope Pictures’ Singing to Myself is an intimate gaze into the complexity and ease of female friendship. Presented by Watching Interesting Films Together.

French Exit

May 27–30

14A. Dir: Azazel Jacobs, Canada/ Ireland, 2020, 110 min, Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Tracy Letts.

“’I want to see the Eiffel Tower, then die,’ replies Frances (Michelle Pfeiffer) when a customs officer asks what she plans to do in Paris. It’s a joke, but it also might be the truth... Frances was onc e incredibly wealthy but her money has run out, so she converts

We’re selling a reduced amount of our 70 seats per show, with checkerboard seat arrangement for distancing.

One-way Traffic System

To help with social distancing we created a one-way traffic system, just follow the arrows!

Masks

Please wear a mask when not eating your delicious popcorn. We have paper masks available free.

Subject to change

Film availability and provincial COVID-19 guidelines are subject to change. Check our website on the day of the show.

Rent City Cinema

City Cinema is available for rent for private film viewings! We provide the projectionist and will have the the canteen and bar open for your group. Info/rates: chtownfilm@gmail.com.

CITY CINEMA TIMETABLE

Gbeck Future Film Festival at City Cinema

7th annual event returns to PEI for a third year

The Charlottetown Film Society will host the 7th Annual Gbeck Future Film Festival from May 7–9 at City Cinema in Charlottetown. This is the third year that screenings are taking place on PEI and the second time at City Cinema.

Gbeck Film Festival organizers Alan Lau and Cindy Fan say they are excited to showcase the results from the 2021 film competition.

“More than 200 films were submit ted to the competition this year,” says Lau, “We’ve selected the top 10 percent for presentation here at City Cinema.”

Produced mainly by young Chinese filmmakers, all the films have English-language subtitles. They are categorized as drama, documentary or animation, and they range in length from three to 110 minutes. Each screening will last about 100 minutes in total. The screenings are themed with different topics such as childhood, the complexity of human nature, and the absurdity of the real world.

“We invite audiences to ask questions as well”, says Fan.

The screenings close on May 9 with a full-length documentary called When We Meet Under The Same Sky. This film is a story of migrant workers and another kind of explanation about Chinese society. In this film, two different groups of heroes interweave together. They have very different lives and can be interpreted as some of the modern Chinese society tragicomedy.

Box office opens 20 minutes before showtime Book tickets in advance at citycinema.ca

citycinema.ca

Annual Memberships Regular $25

Tickets are on sale at citycinema.ca as well as at the door. Reserved seating is recommended.

City Cinema is located at 64 King Street in Charlottetown. citycinema.ca gbeck.com

July 18th - 25th

news ART

Riverworks art proposals

Creative PEI and The River Clyde Pageant announce Riverworks, a call for public art proposals to accompany the construction of living shorelines. The selection committee is seeking proposals that engage with processes of environmental transformation (growing, weathering, decay, rusting, etc.). Funding ($7500/artist) is available for two artists. Successful applicants will install their artwork this summer or fall along the banks of the Hillsborough River. Send submissions to Alexis Bulman at albulman@ upei.ca with the subject line Riverworks by May 7 at 5 pm. Info: riverclydepageant.com/riverworks

Glenaladale call for artists

Glenaladale Heritage Trust is requesting proposals from emerging and established PEI artists/artisans for permanent works to be displayed in the new Glenaladale Sculpture Forest at 257 Blooming Pt Rd, Tracadie Cross, PE. As many as 10 permanent pieces will be installed. Details and the call for submissions application can be found at glenaladalepei.com. Info: 218-8533, vcglenaladalepei@gmail.com.

this town is small

this town is small’s 2021-2022 membership year has started and folks are invited to renew their membership or become a member. Find more information about this process at thistownissmall.com/membership or contact Lisa Theriault, Executive Director at thistownissmall@gmail.com.

Arts grants applications

PEI professional artists are invited to apply for funding during the spring 2021 round of arts grants to support their growth and creativity. Applications for funding can be submitted online at princeedwardisland.ca/artsgrants for three types of grants: creation, dissemination, and professional development.

followed by the Canada Council of the Arts. There is $100,000 available in this round of funding, with another round of $50,000 in the fall. Since the fall of 2016, the Province has supported 130 projects by Island artists with $475,220 in grants.

SSNAP artist submissions

The Salt Spring National Art Prize (SSNAP) call for artist submissions is open to May 31. SSNAP is offering 10 prize awards totalling $41,000. Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada (ages 18+) are invited to submit their work for consideration. SSNAP was established in 2015 to recognize, showcase and publicize the accomplishments of Canadian visual artists and to advance public appreciation of visual arts. Finalists’ artwork will be exhibited online and at a month-long live exhibition this fall. More details at saltspringartprize.ca.

Puppetry workshops

Two River Clyde Pageant artist-led workshops for all ages will begin in May. The Animate Forest workshop in puppetry and performance with scenographer and puppeteer Ian McFarlane, who explores puppet building techniques and performance creation with reclaimed and organic materials. Participants will create their own puppet scenes to be featured in the 2021 Pageant. This workshop runs every Wednesday at 6 pm from June 16–July 14. No previous experience is required. For more in-depth training, McFarlane and Evan Medd are leading a workshop in ensemble-based material performance titled Object, Landscape, Collaboration. This month-long workshop runs every Thursday at 6 pm from June 24–July 15 and features technical training in parade-style puppetry, group movement and site-specific performance. Music, dance, lantern-making and drama workshops coming soon. Advanced registration is required at riverclydepageant. com/get-involved.

PEI Modern Quilt Guild

The PEI Modern Quilt Guild meets every fourth Thursday of the month from 7–9

will be held virtually via Zoom or in-person. Follow @peimqg on Instagram. Info: peimqg@gmail.com

Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild

The Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild meets from 7–9 pm on the third Wednesday of each month (except July, August and December) at the Irish Cultural Centre, 582 North River Rd, Charlottetown. Masks are required, social distancing and contact information will be recorded (please bring a pen). There will be no food or refreshments served at this time but attendees can bring their own tea or coffee if they wish. New members and visitors are welcome. For more information, contact Roberta at 393-3222 or follow on FB for updates.

PEI Crafts Council AGM

PEI Crafts Council will hold their Annual General Meeting June 2 at their location in Charlottetown (98 Water St). Registration will begin at 6:30 pm with the Call to Order at 7 pm. For more information, email peicraftscouncil@gmail. com or call 892-5152.

Call for artist submissions

The Summerside Arts Festival (July 19–21) is seeking artist submissions for the Refresh Art Project: Celebrating the Creative Reuse of Materials presented by Wyatt Heritage Properties Inc. Artists are invited to submit a proposal for the creation of a sculptual piece made with recycled material that has been scrounged, hoarded, bartered or gifted. Only adhesives may be newly purchased. The work must: be free standing; be at least five feet high and two feet wide; be able to withstand outdoor weather for three days; and take public safety into consideration. Selected artists are responsible for transporting, installing and dismantling their work at the display site in downtown Summerside. The artist fee is $800. Submissions can be emailed to wyatt.programs@city.summerside.pe.ca or delivered to Lefurgey Cultural Centre, 205 Prince Street, Summerside. The deadline to submit is May 21 at 4:30 pm. Selected artists will be notified by May 31. Visit wyatt.progams@city.summerside.pe.ca or culturesummerside.com for submission details.

Arts Grants

The spring round of the PEI Arts Grants will open applications on April 16, 2021 at noon and will close on May 14, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. There are three streams of grants available for artists who are PEI residents:

• Creation grants are for the creation of artistic projects by professional artists

• Dissemination grants are available for professional artists to present their completed works to the public

• Professional development grants are for both professional and amateur artists who wish to advance the development of their career through targeted training or conference

For more information visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/artsgrants

Subventions aux arts

Le programme de subventions aux arts de l’Î.-P.-É. acceptera les demandes dans le cadre de la série automnale de subventions du 16 avril 2021 à midi jusqu’au 14 mai 2021 à 16 h.

Trois types de subventions sont offerts aux artistes qui résident à l’Île-duPrince-Édouard :

• Les subventions de création pour la création de projets artistiques par des artistes professionnels

• Les subventions de diffusion pour aider les artistes professionnels à présenter leur travail à la population

• Les subventions de perfectionnement professionnel pour appuyer les artistes amateurs et professionnels dans le développement de leur carrière grâce à des conférences et à de la formation ciblée Pour plus d’information, allez à www.princeedwardisland.ca/artsgrants

Payé par le gouvernement de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard

Paradise Lost and Found

Holland College SoVA spring showcase at Confed Centre

The Holland College School of Visual Arts (SoVA) Spring Showcase is on display at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown until May 2. The theme of this year’s showcase is Paradise Lost and Found

The exhibit features work by graduating students from the Holland College’s Photography and Videography, Graphic Design, Video Game Art and Animation, and Fundamental Arts programs.

“Our students are always excited about this show,” said Liam Corcoran, Program Manager for the School of Visual Arts. “The pieces that the visitors to the exhibit will see represent a culmination of all that the students have learned during their time at Holland College, and will be the backbone of their portfolios as they transition into the workplace.”

The public is encouraged to visit the

39th annual print show

PEI Photo Club at the Gallery @ The Guild—Opening May 26

First Bloom

Souris and Montague schools student exhibits at Kings Playhouse—Opening May 6

Spring is here and Kings Playhouse Gallery in Georgetown is ready.

Opening May 6, The Gallery will present First Bloom, an art exhibit featuring the work of students from Montague Regional High School and Souris Regional School.

The exhibit will celebrate both the new beginning that spring offers and the emerging artists who will be sharing their art.

The exhibit will be presented in two parts. Works from Souris Regional School students and Junior students from Montague Regional High School will run from May 6–May 30, with works from Montague Regional High School’s Senior students on view from May 31–June 18.

For more information, call 1-888346-5666 or visit kingsplayhouse.com.

JUNE DEADLINE

Submissions and advertising for the June issue of The Buzz:

FRIDAY, MAY 14TH

galleries now open 9-6pm brackley beach dunesgallery.com

The PEI Photo Club will present their 39th Annual Print Show at the Gallery @ The Guild in Charlotteown from May 26 to June 13. The public is invited to attend the grand opening on May 26 at 7 pm.

For this year’s show, PEI Photo Club members were encouraged to work on their personal bodies of work to best express who they are as artists. The show was not given a theme, or even a title, so all members could focus on the works that speak to them, or works that best express who they are as artists.

“This new non-competitive

approach to our annual show is really helping our members develop their skills and their own personal styles in photography,” says club president, Paul Vreeland. “This show is an opportunity for our very talented club members to showcase their work and we hope that viewers will be impressed by the amazing variety, and the quality, of the photographs that will be displayed.”

Gallery hours are 9 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday, and 12–5 pm on weekends.

peiphotoclub.com

theguildpei.com

Concourse of the Confederation Centre to experience the student exhibit.

Cenotaph by Paul Vreeland

Artwork by Azaria Durant

BOOKS PEI

Mill River Malice

Anne Hotchkis

Released on March 24, Mill River Malice is the fifth book in the Camden Mystery Club series by Island author Anne Hotchkis.

Rob Camden and Coady Freeman plan a Christmas surprise for their teenage children—a weekend at Mill River Resort in Prince County, PEI. Trish and Charlie Camden and John and Josie Freeman are excited about this winter vacation, but they find themselves in the midst of a murder investigation of a Mill River staff member. Paul arrives to help solve the crime. The Camden Mystery Club is in full force trying to find the blackmailer who murders for money.

Mill River Malice was printed at Kwik Kopy in Charlottetown. Copies are available at Bookmark and Indigo in Charlottetown.

If, When Bren Simmers

Island poet Bren Simmers is launching a new collection of poetry with Gaspereau Press called If, When. This conversation across generations links the author’s contemporary experiences while living in Squamish, British Columbia, with those of her great-grandparents, who lived in the nearby mining town of Britannia a century earlier.

Exploring the complex layers of relationship that

make up a place—the many interactions and negotiations that transpire as different people live and work together within a specific environment—Simmers offers a fresh and empathetic take on the inevitable tensions between land stewardship and economic development, finding, ultimately, much potential for connection and community.

Simmers will be launching her book alongside Island author Laurie Brinklow (My island’s the house I sleep in at night) on May 15 at Beaconsfield Carriage House. Two shows (3 pm and 7 pm) will feature musical guests Adam Hill, Sean Kemp, Chris Corrigan, and Mike Mooney. Pre-registration is required at ispstaff@upei.ca. Both books are available for purchase at Bookmark in Charlottetown.

Bren Simmers is the author of three books: Pivot Point (2019), Night Gears (2010), and Hastings-Sunrise (2015), which was a finalist for the City of Vancouver Book Award. Her work has won the Arc Poem of the Year Award. She lives in Charlottetown and works as the managing editor of Island Studies Press at UPEI.

The Rosary and the Rifle: the Murder of Mary Ann MacKinnon

Ernie MacAulay

Acorn Press will release a deep dive into Island history, The Rosary and the Rifle: the Murder of Mary Ann MacKinnon by Island author Ernie MacAulay this May.

The non-fiction title explores the MacAulay/ MacKinnon family history and grapples with the deeply troubling trial of Joey MacDonald, the impact of which continues to reverberate through their descendents alive today.

On July 1, 1931, Mary Ann MacAulay married John Charles ‘JC’ MacKinnon at St. Mary’s Church in Souris, PEI. This mother of 12 children was a busy farmer’s wife, whose optimism shone through her weekly column in The Charlottetown Patriot entitled “Mrs. Wiggs and Her Garden Patch.” Mrs. Wiggs’ writings not only identify her as an astute observer

and chronicler of local events, educational issues, agricultural practices and economic issues, but also that Mary Ann was one of Mother Nature’s admirers. Mary Ann’s oldest child, Estelle, was 19 years old in 1951. Not long after graduating Grade 11, Estelle was assaulted by an ex-boyfriend, Joey MacDonald. Before Joey’s trial for attempted rape, Mary Ann and family sat down to say the Rosary. About halfway through, they heard glass breaking. Immediately when the sound was heard, Mary Ann swayed on her seat and fell backward. Her family members saw blood coming from behind her left ear and they then realized she had been shot. Mary Ann died on the second anniversary of her husband’s death leaving behind eleven orphaned children.

Author Ernie MacAulay was born and raised in St. Catherine’s, PEI and is the grandnephew of the case’s victim, Mary Ann MacKinnon. He worked in federal policing and commercial crime investigations units for much of his career. As a member of the RCMP, he filled a variety of roles including Officer in Charge of the Vancouver Commercial Crime Section and Officer in Charge of Richmond Detachment. This law enforcement background, combined with dedicated academic research and ancestral history, has formed the basis for Ernie’s insights into the legal issues at the heart of this story. He retired from the RCMP in 2001 and currently lives in Charlottetown.

The Rosary and the Rifle is available in May where books are sold.

The Big Kid’s Magical Path to Shapes in Nature

E Jean Simpson

A & J PEI Treasures released The Big Kid’s Magical Path to Shapes in Nature, the third book in The Big Kid’s Magical Path series by E Jean Simpson.

The book introduces very young children to the magical path of finding shapes in and around nature through real photographs from PEI. It is available at amazon.ca and in a variety of formats through Draft2Digital.com.

A gift of Island Poetry

EVERYTHING RETURNS, EVENTUALLY… for Frank Ledwell

Frank Ledwell (1930–2010) was a writer and poet who mentored thousands of Prince Edward Islanders—including me—in his role as English and Creative Writing professor at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Wrecked boats, messages in bottles, lifebuoys, jetsam, fishermen lost at sea.

—Joanne Harris, Coastliners

You would like that I’d remembered flatter than piss on a plate to describe the Bay at sunset when the wind drops and, becalmed you take up your deck chair pour two fingers of The Captain sneak another smoke and watch the sun slip day’s net

As violet night comes down you bide your time waiting to hoist your sail for that last short leg to home

Laurie Brinklow. My Island’s the house I sleep in at night, Island Studies Press, 2021. Each month Deirdre Kessler selects a poem by an Island poet for The Buzz.

Eptek Book Club

The members of the Eptek Centre Book Club will meet May 6 at 7 pm to discuss the book The Woo Woo by author Lindsay Wong.

The Woo Woo has been described as a witty and touching memoir about the Asian immigrant experience, and a harrowing and honest depiction of the vagaries of mental illness.

This is a free event but attendees are asked to contact Eptek Centre or the book club organizers to register in advance, as space is limited. Eptek Art & Culture Centre is located at 130 Heather Moyse Drive in Summerside. Info: 888-8373, peimuseum.com, facebook.com/EptekCentre

New collections

Bren Simmers and Laurie Brinklow launch books—May 15

Island poets Laurie Brinklow and Bren Simmers will launch their new poetry collections, My island’s the house I sleep in at night and If, When, on May 15 at the Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown. Two shows at 3 pm and 7 pm will feature musical guests Adam Hill, Sean Kemp, Chris Corrigan and Mike Mooney.

This hour-long event is free to attend and open to all. Due to limited seating, pre-registration is required. Reserve your spot of two, three, or four

people by emailing ispstaff@upei.ca.

Dr. Laurie Brinklow teaches in the Master of Arts in Island Studies program at UPEI. Previous books include Here for the Music (Acorn, 2012).

Bren Simmers is the managing editor of Island Studies Press at UPEI. She is the author of Pivot Point (Gaspereau, 2019), a memoir about a wilderness canoe journey, as well as two other books of poetry.

For more information, contact Bren at 566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

Island poets Bren Simmers (left) and Laurie Brinklow

Climate change webinars

The UPEI School of Climate Change and Adaptation’s Climate Webinar Series 2021 continues until May 28. The free one-hour webinars run weekly on Fridays at 3 pm. Upcoming webinars are: The Pledged vs. Actual Reductions in Greenhouse Emissions Five Years

After the Paris Agreement (April 30); Adaptation Pathways for Responding to Increasing Drought Conditions on PEI under Climate Change (May 7); Tracking PEI Coastal Erosion Using Pin Measurements and Drone Technology (May 14); and Taking Precise Measurements of Storm Damage on PEI Agricultural Fields Using Drone Technology (May 28). To register, visit files.upei.ca/climate/upei_climate_webinar_series.pdf

Online grief support

A monthly grief support group is held online via Zoom every third Thursday of each month at 7 pm. The drop-in sessions are facilitated by Social Worker Blanche Ward and Hospice PEI Grief Support Coordinator, Lynn Butler. To register, contact Lynn at 330-3857. First time Zoom users are welcome to join. Technical support can be arranged a few days before the session. One on one grief support Hospice volunteers are also available for private phone conversations.

New Ways for Families®

A new therapeutic family justice program will benefit Island families experiencing separation or divorce. New Ways for Families® is an innovative program that empowers parents with skills and strategies to manage high conflict situations. The free pilot program is available to Islanders by referral and complements existing supports offered at the Family Law Centre. The program is delivered online or in-person to eligible Island families depending on their needs. Participants will learn foundational skills known as the 4 Big Skills™ to help ensure their actions are based on managed emotions, moderate behaviours, flexible thinking and self-reflection. Parents can apply these skills to help them make big decisions, reduce/ avoid conflict, reduce/avoid alienation, reduce refusal and resistance, reduce violence and reduce harm to the children. Program training will also be offered to lawyers and other therapeutic providers who work with families going through separation or divorce. Info: 368-6928

Community gardens

Applications are available on the City of Charlottetown website for the public to express interest in two City initiatives to grow food on municipal lands. The two new applications for a community garden as well as for community vegetable planters will allow the City to implement a new review process and help gauge public interest in leading and supporting these initiatives. The City of Charlottetown has two urban agriculture programs to encourage the growth of healthy and local food in public spaces.

COMMUNITY #1

Mascot design challenge

Vimy Ridge pop-up exhibit

In honour of the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the City of Charlottetown has partnered with The PEI Regiment Museum and Veterans Affairs Canada to launch a pop-up exhibit that explores the history of the battle that many consider to be a turning point in Canada’s history.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place in northern France on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, and lasted until April 12, 1917. The area, which is on a long, high hill that dominates the surrounding landscape had been captured by Germany early in the First World War and was well fortified. Previous unsuccessful attempts by the Allies to retake the position resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. The well planned, but difficult offensive would be the first time that all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together as one formation and is widely considered to be a pivotal chapter in our nation’s history as a strong and independent country. The battle was a success, but it came at a terrible cost with 3598 Canadians killed and another 7000 wounded in the brutal fighting.

The display is on view at the Confederation Court Mall in Charlottetown until May 24. Find past exhibits at charlottetownstories.wordpress.com.

The community planters program is currently operating in six City parks and provides vegetables in raised planters for the public on a first-come, first-served basis. To apply for a community planter, visit charlottetown.ca. The community gardens program provides space for community groups to deliver a membership-based garden with plots for personal food growing and requires strong community leadership to be successful. Gardens must be led by an established group of volunteers or non-profit group, which has funds or a funding structure to build and maintain a community garden.

To apply, visit charlottetown.ca. Info: 6294122, jcorkumgorrill@charlottetown.ca

Home repair programs

The amount of funding available to Islanders for grants through home repair programs is increasing. The 2021-22 provincial budget includes a $678,000 investment for incremental increases to the following programs over a three-year period: eligible grant amount for Seniors Safe at Home will increase from $5000 to $10,000; eligible amount for the Seniors Home Repair program will increase from $2000 to $4000; PEI Home Repair Program funding for seniors and families

in need will increase from $6000 to $12,000; and PEI Home Repair Program funding for people with disabilities will increase from $8000 to $16,000. This new investment brings the total annual budget for the programs to $2.7 million. The incremental increase will take place over the next few months and help Islanders make changes to their home to improve its accessibility, safety, structure, heating, plumbing, and electrical systems to improve energy efficiency. Info: homereno@gov.pe.ca, 1-855-374-7366

Victoria Park tennis courts

The City of Charlottetown Parks and Recreation Department has opened the Victoria Park Tennis Courts for the 2021 season. All eight courts are open for play. Physical distancing of two meters (6 feet) must be maintained and the public is reminded not to hang around at the courts to limit the potential for public gatherings. New in 2021, Parks and Recreation staff will implement an online scheduling option which will be active in early May. The tennis clubhouse and washroom will remain closed, but the washrooms located at the ballfield clubhouse are currently open to the public. Info: 368-1025, charlottetown.ca

The 2023 Canada Games launched a provincewide Mascot Design Challenge contest asking students to help create a character that will become an iconic symbol for PEI leading up to and during the Games. Children (ages 5–12) from across PEI can put their imagination and creativity to the test by choosing from one of five design options: the blue jay, red fox, snowshoe hare, red squirrel, or by making their own unique creation. The new mascot should celebrate the power of sport and bringing people together while reflecting the identity, culture, and heritage of PEI. Entries that best reflect these attributes will inspire the official 2023 Canada Games mascot. The winning design will be announced in June with the contest winner receiving a Canada Games prize pack and a celebratory pizza lunch for their class. The winner will also have the opportunity to be a torchbearer in the 2023 Canada Games Torch Relay. Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes Canada Games staff and volunteers. Following the completion of the contest, the winning design will be brought to life by a local artist before being revealed this October. A separate call-out will be made to the PEI arts community to support the creation and development of a children’s book to help tell the story of the official 2023 mascot. Entry deadline is May 7. Visit 2023canadagames.ca for details.

Annual WI Roadside Cleanup

On May 8, Islanders will take to roadsides across PEI to pick up litter for the 49th year of the PEI Women’s Institute Roadside Cleanup. WI’s yellow clean up bags are available from select Access PEI sites and IWMC locations. As a reminder, former WI bags and clear plastic bags from home can be used. The Dept of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy will pick up the WI waste bags starting May 10. Participants must adhere to public health guidelines. PEIWI and partners are encouraging participation by holding a contest for a chance to win one of 12 cash prizes valued at $100. To enter, email wicontests@gmail.com with contact information and a photo showing cleanup efforts. Deadline for entries is May 29.

Cornwall & Area Watershed AGM

The Cornwall & Area Watershed Group’s AGM will take place May 11, 6–8 pm, at Milton Community Hall, 7 New Glasgow Rd. Guest speaker Gwen Vessey, a professional agrologist, certified crop advisor, CET, and Agri-environmental consultant will present on the Agriwatershed Fund. Guest speaker Matthew McIver, a Forest and Wildlife Technician, will speak about maintaining the value of marginal lands and wet forests. There will be also presentations about local watershed management activities. The meeting will wrap up with elections to the board of directors and executive. The is a free event and food and beverage will be served. Seating is limited. Masks are mandatory. RSVP at cornwall_watershed@yahoo.ca. Info: cawg.ca

Councillor Mike Duffy, Chair of the Planning and Heritage Committee (holding a c. 1914 recruitment poster), Lieutenant-Colonel Glenn Moriarity, Commanding Officer of The PEI Regiment (displaying First World War badges) and Natalie Munn, Heritage Researcher and Collections Coordinator, City of Charlottetown.

Sustainable and equitable

Ronald Colman virtual book launch—May 13

Bookmark in Charlottetown will host the PEI book launch for Nova Scotia author Ronald Colman’s new book What Really Counts: The Case for a Sustainable and Equitable Economy. The free virtual event will take place May 13 at 7 pm.

According to Colman, Politicians and economists fixate on “growing the economy”—measured by a country’s gross domestic product. But this yardstick counts harmful activities such as greenhouse gas emissions, plastic waste, and cigarette sales as gains, and it ignores environmental protection, voluntary community work, and other benefits. What we measure is a choice, and what is and isn’t counted determines what sorts of policies are enacted. How can we shift the focus to well-being and quality of life?

“This is an important book that deserves the attention of politicians, business leaders, activists and concerned citizens. As we look forward to life beyond the COVID19 pandemic there is an opportunity to re-think how we as a society view development, equity and the economy. This is a very timely and accessible book that offers clues as to what a sustainable future could look like,” says Bookmark co-owner, Dan MacDonald.

What Really Counts is a firsthand story of the promise and challenges of accounting for social, economic, and environmental benefits and costs. Ronald Colman recounts two decades of working with three governments to adopt measures that more accurately and comprehensively assess true progress. Chronicling his path from Nova Scotia to New Zealand to Bhutan, Colman details the challenge of devising meaningful metrics, the effort to

MEALS

Annual lobster sale

The Stratford and Area Lions Club

Annual Cooked Market Lobster Sale runs May 6 to June 19. Purchase fresh, cooked lobster weekly on Thursdays from 1–5:30 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am–5:30 pm, pending sell out. The sale is located at the corner of Mason Road and the TCH (near roundabout) in Stratford. Funds raised will support QEH, IWK, and community needs. Info: 569-3389

Lobster takeout

Milton Community Hall is holding their annual Lobster Takeout Meal with a 1 lb lobster (cracked in shell), salads, roll and dessert on May 15. Pick-up is from 3–5 pm at the hall or local delivery can be arranged. Tickets are available until May 12. Ticket orders and e-transfers accepted at miltoncommunityhall@gmail.com, 566-3154 or at 7 New Glasgow Road (Rte 224), North Milton.

Roast beef takeout

lay the foundations of a new economic system, and the obstacles that stand in the way. Reflecting on successes and failures, he considers how to shift policy priorities from a narrow economicgrowth agenda toward a future built on sustainability and equity.

Colman is the founder and former executive director of GPI Atlantic, a nonprofit research group that built an index of well-being and sustainable development in Nova Scotia. He has worked with New Zealand government bodies and communities on measures of well-being and spent ten years in Bhutan assisting the government’s development of holistic progress measures, a new global economic paradigm, and other initiatives.

Link to access the event available by contacting Bookmark at 566-4888 or charlottetown@bookmarkreads.ca.

Central Queens United in Hunter River is holding their Spring Hot Roast Beef Takeout Dinner on May 15. The meal includes all the trimmings and a dessert. Please note that this is a takeout dinner only. Customers are asked to remain in their cars and their meal will be brought to them. Pick up times are 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm. For tickets, contact Lois at 621-0669 or Debbie at 964-2882.

LAMP Education Forum

The Latin American Mission Program (LAMP) will hold their annual Spring Education Forum both online (via Zoom) and in-person on May 16 at 2 pm. All are welcome. The theme of the forum is The Land is Alive. Jill McCormack and Julie Pellissier-Lush are this year’s forum presenters. The small, in-person groups will meet regionally in West Prince, Charlottetown, and Kings County. Registration is available online at eventbrite.ca/e/ the-land-is-alive-tickets-150797043015.

Info: Marie Burge, 894-4573

National Mental Health Week

The Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) National Mental Health Week is May 3–9. This marks the 70th year for the annual mental health promotion campaign. The #GetReal about how you feel campaign, which started in 2020, will continue again this year with a focus on understanding emotions. Recognizing, labeling and accepting feelings are all part of protecting and promoting good mental health for everyone. For more information on CMHA PEI’s virtual Mental Health Week campaign, visit pei.cmha.ca. To download a Mental Health Week toolkit, visit mentalhealthweek.ca.

PEI Sociable Singles

PEI Sociable Singles is a non-profit, non-denominational, social group that began in Charlottetown in 2000. Members are 40+. The group provides the separated, divorced, widowed, and unmarried with an opportunity to participate in healthy group and social activities such as dances, potlucks, movies, walks, hikes, card games, dining, bbqs, games nights and more with other singles. Sociable Singles is not a dating club. Meet compatible people who are unattached and in similar circumstances. The group is not currently holding their weekly socials due to COVID-19. To be added to their mailing list, email sociable_singles@yahoo.com. Info: sites. google.com/site/peisociablesingles

Mental health services

Free mental health services are available to those who work in the fisheries and aquaculture industries on PEI to help support their mental and emotional well-being. Two programs, Fisher Assistance Program and Aquaculture Farm Assistance Program, offer fishers, crewmembers, their families, and aquaculturists access to confidential and professional counselling services. These programs are offered in partnership with the PEI Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA), the PEI Aquaculture Alliance (PEIAA), and the Province of PEI. Members of the PEIFA and PEIAA will receive free, confidential counselling sessions that are available 24 hours a day with flexible appointment hours. For information and to book an appointment, visit Fisher Assistance Program and Aquaculture Farm Assistance Program at princeedwardisland.ca.

COMMUNITY #2

Mother’s Day raffle

St. John’s Anglican Church in St. Eleanor’s is holding a Support Local Mother’s Day Raffle. Gift certificates from Summerside businesses are up for grabs. Tickets are available at the Summerside Farmer’s Market on May 1 or by calling the Church office at 8882234. Draw date is May 7.

May Flower Walk

The Annual May Flower Walk will take place May 2 in Tracadie. If interested, meet at the Tracadie Community Centre at 2 pm. Open to all ages at no expense. For more details, call Marian at 330-2248.

Online charity auction

PEI Ground Search & Rescue is holding an online charity auction from May 1–7 on their Facebook page: PEI Ground Search & Rescue Online Auction. Bidding will close May 7 at 8 pm. There is over $12,000 in merchandise for sale. PEI Ground Search & Rescue is a volunteer, non-profit organization. Volunteers are on call 24/7, 365 days a year as emergency responders for PEI residents and visitors. They are actively involved in the community with programs such as AdventureSmart and Project LifeSaver. All proceeds from the online auction will go toward operational equipment and training. Info: gsardonations@gmail.com

Finding my voice to advocate

Canadian Mental Health Association PEI Learning, Training and Support Hub will offer the online course “Finding my Voice to Advocate” from 7–8:30 pm on May 17 via Zoom. The session will explore how to get more out of your relationships with healthcare and service providers, and cover topics such as advocacy, your rights, and actively seeking out what you need. Email register@cmha.pe.ca or call 628-1648 to register.

Red shores racing schedule

Red Shores Racetrack & Casino has announced that the Charlottetown Driving Park’s opening date for the Spring meet is May 8. Post time is 6 pm. This will officially launch the countdown to the 62nd running of the Guardian Gold Cup & Saucer. Red Shores Summerside will open for the season May 24 at 1 pm. The Prince County oval will also hold a card on May 30 at 1 pm kicking off stakes season with the PEI Colt Stakes. The 53rd running of the Governor’s Plate, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, is slated for July 10. Visit redshores.ca for the complete 2021 racing schedule.

COVID-19 Island Insights

The COVID-19 Island Insights Series entry for PEI is now available online at islandstudies.com/island-insights-series.

The series aims to bring together critical assessments of how specific islands around the world have performed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the extent to which their recovery plans are able to promote long term resilience and sustainability. PEI is one of twenty-five islands around the world participating in this project. Like many islands, PEI has been able to reduce the spread of the virus better than many mainland states and jurisdictions. The international group of researchers behind the project hope it can be a tool for policy makers and island stakeholders. The Institute of Island Studies at UPEI is a partner in this collaboration, which recently released papers focusing on COVID-19 responses in PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Iceland. In May 2021, the Island Insights project team will be hosting online workshops where policy makers and researchers will come together to identify key lessons. The findings will be shared at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), taking place November 1–12 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Advance care planning

April 16 was National Advance Care Planning Day. Advance care planning is about having discussions with close family, friends and health care providers so that they know the health care treatment you wish to have or refuse if you become incapable of expressing your own decisions. It includes developing an Advance Care Plan, which documents your beliefs, values and wishes of your health and personal care preferences. Tools and resources such as the Guide to Advance Care Planning & Interactive ACP Workbook are available at healthpei.ca/ advancecareplanning and advancecareplanningpei.ca.

Affordable housing

Another 24 affordable housing units will be available for individuals and families in need of housing in PEI. The Province is partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association of PEI (CMHA-PEI) and Habitat for Humanity PEI on two projects to build the affordable units. CMHA-PEI will receive $2 million to develop a 20-unit, three-story apartment complex on Fitzroy Street in Charlottetown. Plans include 15 one-bedroom units and five studio apartments, including two accessible units. These units will be for individuals receiving assistance through the organization’s mental health programs. Habitat for Humanity PEI will receive just over $1 million to build four detached family homes. The homes will be three-bedroom rental units and will be for Island families in the Summerside area. Both projects will exceed the requirements of the National Energy Code for Buildings by 20 percent and will be net-zero ready. Construction for both projects will begin later this year and are expected to be completed within a 12-month timeframe.

Museums and venues fund

The provincial government is providing funding to help community museums and cultural venues impacted by the pandemic. The COVID-19 Operational Support Program for Community Museums and Cultural Venues provides support for operational expenses to help compensate for reduced revenue due to the pandemic. Funding up to a maximum of $2500 is available for expenses. The deadline to apply is September 30. For more information on the program and to apply, visit princeedwardisland.ca

A Course in Miracles

A group meets for an in depth study and discussion of the text A Course in Miracles every Friday at 7 pm online via Zoom. The meeting ID number is 458 306 483. Info: 566-1859, ching2tu@yahoo.com

Innovation PEI programs

Innovation PEI has launched four new programs to support Island businesses. The programs are: Equity Investors Incentive—to provide PEI strategic sector businesses with a tool to attract private sector investment; Innovation Fund—to assist businesses to bring a new product, service, or process to market; Small Business Assistance—to increase support to small businesses that serve the local market; and Strategic Improvement Assistance—to improve productivity, profitability and competitiveness in the global market. In addition, all other Innovation PEI programs were reviewed and enhancements were made to some, including an increase to the Capital Acquisition Assistance from $10,000 to $25,000. To learn more about the new programs, visit innovationpei.com.

Island Nature Trust

The Let’s Protect Our Island campaign, a collaboration between Island Nature Trust (INT) and the PEI Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) continues until May 18 with participating suppliers of beer, wine and spirits donating up to $1 from their sales of participating products at PEILCC retail outlets to INT. Signage promoting this initiative—including the featured products—can be found in all 18 PEI Liquor retail outlets across the province. INT is committed to investing in the future of Islanders by working to protect natural landscapes in PEI. Since 2016, funds from the initiative have helped INT protect over 1600 acres of forest, wetlands and coast in PEI. Islanders directly benefit from the ecological services that INT’s natural areas provide with clean water, clean air and an environment resilient to climate change. The pandemic has restricted public access to the outdoors while the lack of interaction with natural spaces in this time has impacted the public’s physical and mental health. This year’s LCC funding drive will allow INT to maintain and steward the trails in addition to hosting education and engagement opportunities. As Islanders face another summer of restricted travel, this focus for the year’s collaboration with the PEILCC will provide benefit to the people of PEI as well as the land.

Top UPEI student

Panther Pitch winners

Three teams of student entrepreneurs will split $45,000 in start-up funding in the first ever UPEI Panther Pitch competition. The winning teams are Chow Time Pet Foods Inc. (Andrew Weeks and Zack Montreuil), LocalBuys (Shion Phelan), and PathCan Consulting Inc. (Nooshin Abedi Dorcheh Abedi, Ali Ravaghi and Jesse Champion).

Rachel Hamilton, a fourth-year history major at UPEI, is ending her year with an impressive list of honours.

She has been awarded the Brendan Curley Memorial Award for the UPEI student going into their fourth year with the highest cumulative mark in the department’s core courses.

Rachel has also been accepted into the Master of History program at Queen’s University, earning herself a pair of entrance prizes along the way. She will receive the Queen’s University James Robertson Carruthers Prize and a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada.

Hamilton’s research for her master’s is entitled, “Suitors or Stalkers? The Media, Monarchy, and Gender in Victorian Britain (1837–1841).” It is a timely project that examines potential risks in the relationship between the media and the monarchy.

The Panther Pitch competition began with 25 teams in January and was narrowed down to seven for the semi-finals, held in late March. The semi-finalist teams made their final pitches to a panel of three judges. The panel selected the three winning teams who will each receive a minimum $5000 start-up grant Each team member also took home $500.

The Panther Pitch competition is part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program.

The MacLauchlan family has endowed an award to help advance and encourage entrepreneurial students at UPEI to build innovative ventures that will grow and benefit PEI communities.

The video pitches for the seven semi-finalist teams can be viewed at projects.upei.ca/pantherpitch/ videopitches/

Rachel Hamilton

the hospitality industry

Artwork for nature

tance from Canadian Heritage. Details and the application for the submissions can be found online at glenaladalepei.com. For more information call 218-8533 or email vcglenaladalepei@gmail.com.

Riverworks

Creative PEI and The River Clyde Pageant recently announced Riverworks, a call for public art proposals to accompany the construction of living shorelines, an initiative led by the PEI Watershed Alliance, the City of Charlottetown, and the Town of Stratford, supported by the Federal

government’s Climate Action Fund.

PEI has over 1100 km of highly erodible sandstone coastline. The Island’s shorelines face significant threat and degradation due to their sensitivity to sea level rise, storms and increased development. Living shorelines are a nature-based solution to coastline protection. Mimicking natural processes, living shorelines slow erosion and are made with natural, biodegradable materials, such as woody debris, planted native species of trees, shrubs and grasses, all of which stabilize the shoreline.

Riverworks is seeking public art proposals that embody the qualities of living shorelines. Proposed works can be sculptural, installation-based, performative or other.

Typically, permanent public art must withstand time and weather, but Riverworks is taking a different approach. The selection committee is seeking proposals and projects that engage with processes of environmental transformation such as growing, weathering, decay, rusting, bio-degrading, and environmental shifts resulting from climate change.

Funding is available to support two artists from PEI or the Atlantic Bubble. Each artist will receive $7500. Successful artists will install their artwork this summer or fall at one of two predetermined sites along the banks of the Hillsborough River in PEI.

The submission deadline for Riverworks is May 7 at 5 pm. Send submissions to Alexis Bulman at albulman@upei.ca with subject line Riverworks. To learn more about the Riverworks visit riverclydepageant. com/riverworks.

Sophia Bell, Server

by the Government of Prince Edward Island

Two initiatives seek submissions from local artists/artisans

Glenaladale Trail

BRITTANY STEELE

Loving your elders

Our native elderberries cause some confusion to those learning about plants. First of all, “elder” sounds a lot like “alder,” but they are two different families of shrubs and look totally different. Elders (common and red-berried) produce fruit, while alders (speckled and downy) produce seeds. It is the berries that I am most interested in, the thing that sparked my interest in these plants.

At first glance, the two native elders can be easily mistaken. The leaves of both are large and compound (having multiple leaflets making up a single leaf). The shrubs tend to be large and a bit unruly. But there are many easy ways to tell them apart, depending on the season. If the plants are fruiting in summer, the common elder—which is actually less common than the red-berried elder—has dark purple fruits. The red-berried elder is aptly named for its bright red berries.

Both plants are fantastic for wildlife, especially when grown together. Redberried elders start to flower in the middle of April, while common elders are at about three weeks later. The red berries that the flowers turn into are an important early food source for a variety of fruit-eating birds—everything from American robins and cedar waxwings to blue jays and woodpeckers. At Macphail Woods, we regularly see large flocks of birds eating the berries.

The common elder, since it flowers later, also produces fruit later. So, instead of leaving an area once the red-berried elder fruit has been eaten, the birds turn to the dark berries of the common elder. By growing both species, you extend the feeding season of fruit eating birds in your area.

While the red-berried elder is a wonderful plant, it is the common elder

that really steals the show. It is one of the showiest of our native shrubs, with large white flower heads against the backdrop of deep green leaves, leading to clusters of dark berries.

The berries have become famous in the music world. Elton John’s “Elderberry Wine“ is just one of many songs that reference the fruit. The berries, when fully ripe, are used in juices, pies, and yes, wines. The raw fruit can be poisonous, so it is recommended to only eat cooked elderberries. The fruits are very high in antioxidants, and common elder is the base for a tonic that is said to help strengthen the immune system. The flower clusters can be lightly battered and deep fried, and are also dried and used as part of many herbal tea mixes.

As a landscape plant, common elder is almost without equal. It generally grows to be about 6 to 8 feet and in the spring is full of beautiful white flowers. Later in August, the fruit becomes the showy part of the plant. And the birds! They’re the real attraction for me. So many different species of birds eat the fruit of common elder. I remember looking out the front door of the Macphail Woods Nature Centre and watching two Northern flickers gorging themselves on elderberries. It was quite comical, as the large woodpeckers were too heavy to sit on the branches, so they had to be content with eating what could be reached from the ground. We tend to think of woodpeckers eating ants and other insects, but they change their diet during the year when there is abundant fruit available.

I love the idea of a beautiful native shrub that produces edible flowers and fruit, and attracts pollinators and some beautiful birds. Very much a win-winwin situation.

PrinceEdwardIsland.ca/

COURTESY MACPHAIL WOODS

Island roads are safer and more enjoyable when cyclists and drivers share the road. Follow the law by leaving at least one metre (3 feet) of space between vehicles and bicycles.

Women in film

Watching Interesting Films Together at City Cinema

PEI’s chapter of Women in Film and Television Atlantic (WIFT-AT) will present Island director Harmony Wagner’s feature film Singing to Myself on May 25 at City Cinema. The screening will kick off its “Watching Interesting Films Together” initiative.

The purpose of the “Watching Interesting Films Together” initiative is to shine the spotlight on a film by a woman director each month at City Cinema in Charlottetown for local filmmakers and film buffs to attend. After the screenings, folks can enjoy each others’ company—and maybe a glass of wine—as they discuss the film and their own projects.

Historically, film has been a male dominated industry but films directed by women, such as the 2021 Oscarnominated films Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao and Promising Young Woman directed by Emerald Lilly Fennell, indicate that progressive change is happening.

WIFT has long represented female filmmakers locally and around the globe through mentoring, training and networking events. Charlottetown producer and WIFT-AT board member Louise Lalonde notes that “Watching Interesting Films Together is one example of such networking opportunities. I love that we are launching it with Harmony’s remarkable film Singing to Myself which received WIFT’s 1K Wave Award in 2016.”

Wagner looks back, “Singing to Myself is an intimate gaze into the intricacies of female friendship, something that I

wasn’t seeing explored very deeply in mainstream television or film. We shot the film using all Island locations, crew and talent to showcase to the world that even early on in our development, the PEI film industry punches above its weight class.”

The growth of the film sector on PEI is encouraging to Lalonde, who has invested in that development over the past 14 years via the PEI Screenwriters’ Bootcamp. “There is a new crop of Island women directors like Trilby Jeeves, Kelly Caseley, Shannon Shura, Sarah Segal-Lazar, and Jahan Bloch dreaming up interesting new works.”

Wagner concurs, “I’m thrilled to be a part of this initiative and I look forward to seeing great films and having great conversations.“

City Cinema is located at 64 King Street in Charlottetown. Tickets available at citycinema.ca.

Montague Rotary Library trivia

Join the Montague Rotary Library at Copper Bottom Brewing for an evening of trivia on May 12 from 7–8:30 pm. Topics will include: Events of 2020; One Letter Answers; Theme Songs; and more. Gather a team of up to six people and email montague@gov.pe.ca to reserve a spot. Wait for confirmation as table space will be limited.

Bryde MacLean (left) and Sophie MacLean star in Singing to Myself by Island director Harmony Wagner

Last summer our school in the Cove celebrated its 200th birthday. To commemorate this milestone we considered holding a lecture series, a photo exhibit, a concert, an historical re-enactment… all this on top of our usual meals and socials. Alas, none of these dreams came true.

The Cove was a different place in 1820. Scottish immigrants had recently arrived to nudge aside whoever was already here—possibly a few French families who had escaped deportation and retreated to the woods, and certainly Miqmak residents. We know that our shore was a well-known destination for indigenous travelers from the other side who established a portage route up and over the hill from the Cove to the West River.

Our coastline featured a solid backdrop of beech and maple forests interspersed with hemlock, white pine and birch. Low-growing species like bayberry, sumac and raspberry held court on the edge of the capes, while blueberries and cranberries reigned over the low meadows. Down at the water’s edge sandbars were alive with millions of softshell clams, and every inlet rippled with lush salt marsh hay. Wildlife abounded, beavers, rabbits, ducks, geese, and fish fish fish.

Now cottages have replaced forests and our coastline has eroded sixty metres or more. Our bed of softshell clams has disappeared, and you’d be hard pressed to find a hemlock tree. Gone also are the Cove’s two corner stores, lobster factory, blacksmith shop, turnip-waxing plant, lumber mill and carriage maker, and living off the land has become an exercise limited to an adventurous few.

On the bright side we have paved roads, electricity and all the mod cons, a Presbyterian Church, and a park on

the site of the lobster factory. We still have Miqmak residents, French neighbors too, plus the Scottish descendents of those old folks who started new lives here so long ago and without further ado established a school and founded a community.

Our little school, “Established 1820,” has been the centre of our community for two hundred years. Now it sits quietly, waiting for something to happen.

Without special events on the calendar, it’s hard to stay in touch with neighbors. We look for any little chance to exchange news on our walks or in the grocery store, to remind ourselves that our community is alive and that we need one another.

But was this ever in doubt? A few days ago our across-the-road neighbor phoned to say that she was making pepper jelly and did we have any hot peppers? Of course. I found some in the freezer, popped a few in my pocket and ran them over. Next day we saw our friend and asked how her jelly turned out. Well, she said, she discovered that she needed pectin so she phoned up the road to see if she could borrow some from Pauline. Then it turned out she didn’t have enough lemon juice and had to call down the road to Kim.

It takes a community to make things happen—even to make pepper jelly! Oh yes, the jelly turned out fine, but maybe a little too much pectin.

New ED for Film Society

the ability to watch together in an intimate space and enjoy many films that would not screen in the national chains,” says Mary-Helen. “As the Technical Director with ChFF and a volunteer at City Cinema I see firsthand how much Islanders appreciate film and our little cinema. I want to help promote film on the Island and get more bums on seats at the cinema.”

PEI Screenwriters’ Bootcamp

The 2021 PEI Screenwriters’ Bootcamp will take place May 22–28 at the Haviland Club in Charlottetown.

The Board of Directors of the Charlottetown Film Society (CFS) has appointment Mary-Helen McLeese as the new executive director.

McLeese has extensive experience working in communications, event coordination, and digital media management. She has been integral in the coordination of the Charlottetown Film Festival for several years, and is herself an independent filmmaker.

“Having a small independent movie theatre in downtown Charlottetown offers the community

Many levels of training for writers interested in film and television will be offered, regardless of training or experience. Some sessions will be offered online and some will be offered in-person. Organizers recommend getting in touch prior to submitting applications to become fully aware of the scenarios.

On June 4, the public can attend Industry Day at the Haviland Club where five writer/producer teams will vie for a $15,000 prize toward producing a “proof of concept” in the Pitch for Your Life competition.

Info: peiscreenwritersbootcamp.net, louise@louiselalondeproductions.com

Charlottetown Film Society Exective Director Mary-Helen McCleese

Blood and Salt Water

Lennie Gallant’s video by filmmaker and fan Susan Rodgers

Lennie Gallant released the music video for his song

“Blood and Salt Water” on April 7 of this year. The video was shot late last summer by a small film crew at Twin Shores Campground in Darnley.

Filmmaker Susan Rodgers commissioned the song for her feature film Still The Water, which was commercially released April 27.

“I had given Lennie the essence of the story in about two lines, and he came back on the first try with an incredible, haunting song that captured fully the tone and message of the film,” says Rodgers.

When Still The Water was finished and on the festival circuit, Rodgers decided to take the song a step further.

“I just couldn’t let it go,” continues Rodgers. “I had the opportunity to visually capture a moment in time featuring a piece of music and a beloved singer-songwriter in a piece of art that I could treasure forever. I ran the idea of doing the music video by Lennie, and we made the dream happen.

VENUES

Copper Bottom

Located at 567 Main Street, Montague. Doors at 6:30 pm with show at 7:30 pm. Tickets in the taproom or at eventbrite.ca. Shows are 19+

Mo Kenny May 14

MoKenney’s willingness to unflinchingly pursue her artistic impulses on her own terms earned her a 2013 SOCAN Songwriting Prize for her song “Sucker,” and a 2016 JUNO nomination for Adult Alternative Album of the Year.

Hillsburn May 22

After wrapping up touring in support of 2018’s The Wilder Beyond, Hillsburn spent much of 2019 workshopping songs for a new album. That process led to an exchange of demos and eventual

“[Lennie] was a good sport—it was freezing that night, gusty and cold, and we were fighting a little technology issue and a quickly setting sun, but we were well rewarded. We enjoyed a stunning sunset, and the video, which was edited with footage from the film, is just beautiful.” stillthewatermovie.com

collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Redekopp. Recording in Vancouver in March 2020, Hillsburn drew on Redekopp’s extensive experience to craft their most refined effort to date. While the energy and urgency of their earlier work remains intact, the stylistic focus is a little tighter, the musical contrasts slightly more subdued.

Garrett Mason May 28

A true bluesman at heart, Mason’s quest to become a blues musician started at a very early age. After watching a video of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “Live At the El Mocambo,” Mason was hooked.

Harmony House

Located at 19814 Route 2, Hunter River. Tickets at harmonyhousetheatre.com, Ticketpro or by phone 1-888-311-9090.

2’N’2 Festival features cover songs and originals performed by PEI artists. Each week will showcase three different songwriters collaborating with Mike Ross. Performers for this limited series are Julain Molnar, Shane Pendergast and Kris Taylor (May 7–8); Vince The Messenger, Joce Reyome and Alicia Toner (May 14–15). Michelle Bouey, Kierrah Celeste and Noah (May 21–22); and Brielle Ansems, John Connolly and Jenna-Marie Gallant (May 28–29).

PEI Brewing Co.

96 Kensington Road, Charlottetown. Tickets at peibrewingcompany.com

After being nominated for his first EMCA award, Maxwell has summoned the band for his latest single, “Back to Cape Breton.” The song shares light-hearted memories of summers past on the great island, but it’s no slow lament. Instead, we get a barn-burner of Celtic Bluegrass which celebrates past voyages and raises a toast to the good times ahead. Featuring Nick Doneff and special guests Bridgette Blanchard and Rowen Gallant.

Trailside Music Hall

Located in The Arts Hotel, 155 Kent St, Charlottetown. Doors at 6:30 pm with music at 8 pm. Tickets at trailside.ca.

Anna Ludlow of

Come From Away—Toronto May

3

From Antigonish, NS, Ludlow has been captivating audiences across North America for over 20 years. Studying under and collaborating with some of eastern Canada’s most celebrated artists.

Gordie Sampson May 4 & 5

Sampson is a whirlwind of musical activity. A Grammy award-winning songwriter, he resides and writes in Nashville where his songs have been covered by

Lawrence Maxwell May 1

Lennie Gallant and film crew in Darnley

CAROLINA ANDRADE

artists like Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts.

Nolan Compton May 6

Compton’s country music influences are a reflection of the country lifestyle that he lives. Along with Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley, George Strait, he also appreciates modern artists such as Josh Turner, Chris Young, and Luke Combs.

JP Cormier May 7 & 8

JP’s catalogue of recordings and the 150 or so records he’s produced on other artists, resemble the tapestry he weaves in live performance. Where he used to carry three and four piece bands, he now tours alone.

Meaghan Blanchard’s Special Mother’s Day Show May 9

Wharf Rats Tribute to the Grateful Dead

May 15 (eve) & 16 (mat)

Groovy Grateful Dead tribute band from Halifax featuring Rhéo Rochon, Siobhan Martin, Seamus Erskine, Dan Vorstermans and Pete Davison.

Mo Kenney with Lucy Farrell

May 16

Mo Kenney has received numerous accolades over the past decade including a SOCAN Songwriter Prize, a JUNO nomination and numerous ECMA and NS Music awards.

From Kent in southeast England, singer and songwriter Lucy Farrell crafts mesmerising songs on the human condition with simple accompaniment on tenor guitar and viola.

Greg Bungay & Gordie Cox

May 17

Greg Bungay has been in the PEI music scene for many years as frontman for the band Boys in The Kitchen.

Paper Lions May 19 & 20

ECMA award winning songwriter

Meaghan Blanchard released the most powerful album of her career The Great Escape in 2018; an award winning album that celebrates the struggles and triumphs of real people, the true heroes and heroines of everyday life.

Adam Baldwin May 10–12

One of Canada’s top pop rock groups Paper Lions will play two highly anticipated and exciting home town shows.

The Love Junkies May 21

Local party band the Love Junkies are back for a night of classic covers and there usual shenanigans.

Matt Minglewood May 24

Matt Minglewood is a Canadian music legend from Cape Breton whose style can be described as a blend of country, blues, folk, roots and rock.

Montreal based experimental harpist Sarah Pagé is best known for her work with The Barr Brothers, Lhasa DeSela, and Esmerine. Classically trained, she has been pushing the traditional boundaries of her instrument for over a decade.

Rube & Rake May 28

Singer-songwriter Adam Baldwin has been a mainstay of the Atlantic Canada music scene for over a decade. Starting as a member of rock combo Gloryhound before joining Matt Mays & El Torpedo in 2009, Baldwin’s own music has continued to evolve since his self-titled solo debut EP in 2013.

Charlie A’Court May 14

Canadian singer-songwriter-guitarist

Charlie A’Court is planted at the crossroads of roots and soul. His voice, guitar work and contemporary songwriting have earned him an international following and a host of awards and accolades for his five solo albums to date.

Got Blues Matinee May 15

Join Chris Roumbanis, Reg Ballagh, Mike Robicheau with guests Theresa Malenfant and Scott Bedford for an afternoon Blues. Doors at 1 pm.

Garrett Mason May 26 & 30

Son of Canadian Bluesman Dutch Mason, his favourite tapes at three years old were by Canned Heat and Buddy Rich.

Sarah Pagé May 27

Rube

Got Blues Matinee May 29

Join Chris Roumbanis, Reg Ballagh, Mike Robicheau with guest Logan Richard for an afternoon of Blues. Doors at 1 pm.

TRIVIA

Radley

“Totally Rad Trivia” on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-5200

Darcy Campbell

Entertainment trivia on Thursday at 9 pm. Hunter’s Ale House, 185 Kent St, Charlottetown. 367-4040

Barry Parsons

Trivia on Thursday at 7 pm. PEI Brewing Company, 96 Kensington Rd, Charlottetown. 629-2739

Spencer & Dan

Trivia on Friday at 7 pm. Lone Oak Brewing, 103 Abegweit Blvd, BordenCarleton. 729-2228

Dave Connolly

“Toughest Trivia in Town” on Saturday at 2:30 pm. The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-5200

Andrew Rollins

Music trivia on Sunday at 9 pm. Hunter’s Ale House, 185 Kent St, Charlottetown. 367-4040

Montague Rotary Library

Hosted by Montague Rotary Library at Copper Bottom Brewing on May 12, 7–8:30 pm. Pre-registration is required for teams (up to six people) at montague@ gov.pe.ca. Wait for confirmation as space is limited. 567 Main St, Montague.

& Rake is a folk & roots duo based out of St. John’s, NL, with a primary focus on creating sparse, stripped down songs.

NEW RELEASES

singles & videos

“Dizzy”

Rachel Beck

Visit linktr.ee/KayEm902 and follow the links to stream “Rat Race.”

“Burgundy Jacket”

Ava + Lily

PEI singer and songwriter Rachel Beck will release her new single and music video for “Dizzy” on April 30. “Dizzy” is about being tired of waiting, tired of playing games in a relationship. It’s a relatable theme that many people have experienced where they are wondering what another person is thinking and feeling because of their actions speaking differently than what they say. All components of the track were created and produced virtually. rachelbeckmusic.com

“Rat Race”

Kay Em

“Burgundy Jacket,” the new single and music video by country/pop singersongwriter duo Ava + Lily is set to be released April 29.

“Burgundy Jacket” was produced by Ava, Lily and David Rashed, who also mixed and mastered the song. Cover photo by Louise Vessey.

Stream “Burgundy Jacket and follow Ava + Lily on social media at linktr.ee/Avaandlily.

“Have It All”

Alicia Toner

Emerging PEI rapper Kay Em released his new single “Rat Race” in April with support from Music PEI and established local artists Vince The Messenger, Slime Da Garbage Mane, and Radley.

“Rat Race” was influenced by Toronto’s Clairmont the Second, Kendrick Lamar, and Kid Cudi. The production combines bouncy and fun melodies with hard-hitting beats to create exciting energy. The lyrics cover the struggles of poverty, the pressures of youth and trying to change.

PEI’s Alicia Toner released her new single “Have It All” in March.

With her unique take on Americana music (infusing it with pop, rock and neo-roots), “Have It All” showcases her vocal prowess and songwriting skills. The single is a powerful anthem for those finding their voice.

“This song is for anyone who can’t use their voice,” says Toner. “Whether out of fear or because the system has told you to be quiet, this is for you.” aliciatoner.ca

LOUISE VESSEY

LIVE MUSIC ONGOING

Baba’s Lounge

Island Jazz every Thursday at 8 pm. All Comedy Open Mic with Sam MacDonald every Saturday at 8:30 pm. 181 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-7377

Bogside Brewing

Live music every Friday and Saturday at 6 pm. Nathan Carragher (May 1), Stephen Szwarc (7), Bridgette Blanchard (8), Rodney Perry (14), Carter MacLellan (15), Ashley Gorman (21), Billy White (22), Dave Woodside (29). Brook St, Montague. 940-7403

Brothers2

Live music every Thursday and Friday at 7 pm. Logan Maddix (May 6), Chris & Eric (7), Trevor Cameron (13), Karen & Mike (14), Parker (20), Pat DesRoches (21), Roland Beaulieu (27), Aaron Paugh (28). 618 Water St. East, Summerside. 436-9654

Charlottetown Beer Garden

Live music every Saturday at 7 pm. Kim Albert (May 1), Nathan Carragher (8), Richie Bulger (15), Chris & Eric (22), Taylor Buote & Dennis Dunn (29). 190 Kent St, Charlottetown. 367-6070

College of Piping

Pendy’s Pub with Michael Pendergast and The Keggers every Tuesday and Saturday evening. Richard Wood: Through the Years every Wednesday evening. 619 Water St. East, Summerside. 436-5377

Copper Bottom Brewing

Saturday Jams are every Saturday at 2 pm. Tunes on Tap is every Sunday at 3 pm. Admission is free. 567 Main St, Montague. 361-2337

Dunstaffnage School Centre

Ceilidh (May 2), Hosted by Road Masters Band with special guests. 13529 St. Peter’s Rd, Dunstaffnage. 629-1498

COVID-19

All events, shows and gatherings have been published The Buzz under the assumption that venues and organizers will be following protocols put in place by the Chief Public Health Office and adapting to new protocols as they come.

If you have any specific concerns, please contact the venue or organizer for details about how they plan to keep Islanders safe.

Gahan House

Acoustic live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 pm. Sarah Segal-Lazar (May 5, 20), Dave Woodside (6, 26), Ryan Merry (12), Lawrence Maxwell (13, 27), Fraser McCallum (19). 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown. 626-BEER

Irish Cultural Centre

Fiddlers’ Sons with Eddy Quinn, John B Webster, Keelin Wedge and Courtney Hogan-Chandler (May 14), Lovely Nelly with Mark Douglas, Colin Jeffrey and Claudie MacKula (21), Tip Er Back with Allan Betts, Clive Curry and Wade Murray (28). Music starts at 8 pm. 582 North River Rd, Charlottetown. 892-2367

John Brown Grille

Live music every Saturday at 2 pm. Karen & Mike Penton (May 1), Chris & Eric (8), Kim Albert (15), Richie Bulger (22), Vintage 2.0 (29). 132 Richmond St, Charlottetown. 370-4040

Lone Oak Brewing

John Matthews every Sunday in May, 1 pm. Nick Hann every Thursday in May, 6 pm. Music Saturdays at 6 pm. Brad Milligan & Griffin Arsenault (May 1), Dave Woodside & Brandoin Gillis (8), Brian Dunn (15), Ivan Daigle (22), Nolan Compton (29). 103 Abegweit Blvd, Borden-Carleton. 729-2228

Music at the Manse

Host Tim Archer and local musicians. Jeannie and Charles (May 7). Doors open at 6 pm. Shows begin at 7 pm. 14155 St Peter’s Rd, Marshfield. 213-2861

Olde Dublin Pub

Live music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 132 Sydney St, Charlottetown. 892-6992

The Old Triangle

Traditional Music Session with Órla McCague & Seán Ó Feinneadha (May 22).

Schooner Session with Ward MacDonald & Friends every Thursday at 7 pm. Roy Johnstone & Friends every Sunday at 2 pm. 189 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-5200

PEI Brewing Company

Live music every Friday in the Taproom at 6 pm. 96 Kensington Rd, Charlottetown. 629-2739

Red Dirt Girl Music Room

Garret Mason (May 29). Shows are at 7 pm (unless otherwise noted). Limited tickets—by reservation only at cameronproductionspe@gmail.com or 439-7591. 140 Dunk River Rd, Summerside.

Summerside Legion

Kitchen Party every Saturday at 2 pm, featuring Rheal Arsenault, Andy Paynter and a special guest each week. 340 Notre Dame St, Summerside. 436-2091

Stay tuned to our website calendar at buzzpei.com for new shows and updates throughout the month!

Strummin’ & Hummin’

Small kitchen party and jams will be hosted for liked minded musicians/ singers to get together every 2nd Thursday evening from 6:30–8:30 pm. Open to all levels for learning, mentoring, playing and singing.

Call or text 902 629 0173 if you’re interested. There will be limited space (less than 10). All music styles welcome and encouraged. Organizers will look at having different themes on occasion. Events will be held at 70 Nicholas Lane, Unit 4, in Charlottetown.

Here to Help

BUZZIFIEDS

HANDYMAN SERVICES! No Job Too Small! Contact me to help you tackle your “to do” list! FACEBOOK: Joe Mullen Handyman Services. EMAIL: joemullenhandymanservices@gmail.com

IN MY OPINION. Remember the PEI/ Ottawa politics of 2012-1014? Hot button issues. The Senators scandal. EI issues. Fish kills and more. Read it in the pages of In My Opinion, Kathy Birt’s little book of politics.

ORGANIC VEGGIE DELIVERY

Home delivery of fresh local organic veggies, foods, and other natural products. $25 / $40 / $50 Veggie Boxes or custom orders. Aaron Koleszar 902-629-2575, aaron@organicveggiedelivery.com

GET YOUR OWN BUZZIFIED

30 words $18 (tax included). Buy in bulk to save—6 months for $80 (tax included). Copy & payment due by Friday, May 14.

ISSUE 330 • MAY 2021

Editor: Yanik Richards

Editor: Michelle Ollerhead

Sales: Yanik Richards

Creative Media: Greg Webster

Partners: Maggie Lillo (Ruby Square Graphic Design), Carly Martin (Hawthorne House Media)

Contributers: Laurie Brinklow, Julie Bull, Bryan Carver, Jan Cox, Deirdre Kessler, Monica MacDonald, Takako Morita, Norah Pendergast, JoDee Samuelson, Gary Schneider

The Buzz is published monthly by Little Kit Bag Inc.

Cover: What’s The Buzz?, acrylic on canvas, Feathered Friends series.

Monica Macdonald is a professional artist living and working on PEI. She studied at Sir Wilfred Grenfell School of Fine Art in Corner Brook, NL and NASCAD in Halifax, NS, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Art in 1996.

Monica’s work can be found hanging in private and corporate collections nationally and internationally, including the Prince Edward Island Art Bank Permanent Collection.

Office: 75 Fitzroy Street, Suite 201 Phone: 902-566-7770

Email: sean.casey@ parl.gc.ca

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Compensation for errors in advertising copy which are the proven responsibility of the publisher is limited to a maximum of the cost of the placement of the advertisement.

Office: 160 Richmond Street, Charlottetown, PEI

Snail Mail: P.O. Box 1945, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N5 Phone: 902-628-1958

E-mail: info@buzzpei.com

Social Media: @buzzpei

JUNE DEADLINE

Submissions and advertising for the June issue of The Buzz:

FRIDAY, MAY 14TH