Lakeshore Arts, Sirius Theatrical to Premiere War of 1812 Drama FORGOTTEN VOICES, 7/4-14

Lakeshore Arts and Sirius Theatrical Company premiere Forgotten Voices: Beyond the Conflict of the War of 1812, a collaborative theatre project in celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. Written by Sirius Theatrical Company Artistic Director Heather Dick, with dramaturgy by playwright Emil Sher,Forgotten Voices is a fresh look at the human dimension of the War of 1812 and the story of those left behind when the soldiers went off to the battlefield.

This community-based project is FREE and runs Thursdays-Sundays from July 4 to July 14 at various outdoor park settings in South Etobicoke. Audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket and picnic dinner to enjoy during the performance of this family-friendly play.

Men head off to battle; women stay behind tending children and home - a timeless and universal story set in a crucial time and place: the War of 1812. Against the backdrop of a historic conflict that would shape a continent and forge a nation, Forgotten Voices shines a light on the lives of those who experienced it first-hand, examining the impact of the war on a more human scale.

Based on original source materials, this fictional account centers on three "late Loyalist" families, living side by side, who had come to Etobicoke following the American Revolutionary War 29 years earlier. Shedding tears of sorrow and joy, marching to the drums of war and dancing at a wedding, parting and reuniting with loved-ones, the cast of dozens (aged 12 - 70+) - including both professional actors and community participants - resurrects local voices forgotten through the course of time. Family histories, letters, diaries and historical records are weaved into a story of courage, perseverance and sacrifice, revealing the challenges that afflicted the people left behind.

Forgotten Voices is not only a play about Etobicoke residents; it is a play by Etobicoke residents - some of whom even have a personal connection to the time period of the war.In the months leading up to the show, Lakeshore Arts and Sirius Theatrical Company invited local residents to participate in a series of free workshops covering script writing and development, acting, period dancing, set/costume design and construction and other essential elements of live theatre. These workshops, led by professionals involved in the play, developed important new material that has been incorporated into the production. The entire process has, moreover, benefited enormously from the generous cooperation of community partners: the The Assembly Hall, Mimico-By-the-Lake BIA, Montgomery's Inn, TPL - New Toronto Library and Mimico Presbyterian Church.

Heather Dick has been performing, directing and producing for more than 30 years. She has worked with theatres across the country such as the Sudbury Theatre Centre, the Banff Festival, the Great Canadian Theatre Company, Huron Country Playhouse and Lunchbox Theatre (Calgary) to name a few as well as in film and television. She is the Artistic Director of the Sirius Theatrical Company which produces cross-disciplinary performance pieces that integrate dance, photography, live music and spoken word in staged presentations. Her one-act play Dinner at Le Papillon Blue appears in Canadian Imprints (2011). Forgotten Voices is her first full-length stage play. www.siriustheatrical.com

Emil Sher has written for young audiences and the once-were-young. His stage works include Sanctuary, Beneath the Banyan Tree, Mourning Dove and his acclaimed adaptation of Hana's Suitcase. emilsher.com

Celebrating its 20th year in existence, Lakeshore Arts, a registered charity under the leadership of Executive Director Susan Nagy, is committed to improving the availability of arts, cultural and heritage activities in South Etobicoke. Encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the arts as a way of enriching their lives and strengthening the community, Lakeshore Arts plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for people who live and work on, and visit, the Lakeshore. www.lakeshorearts.ca