Monday, January 25, 2010

paper wheat...

A little nostalgia...a little culture...a little music...and a lot of Canadian history...is what we were immersed in for a few pleasant hours over the weekend. Paper Wheat is a production of the theatre department of our local university...and in honour of their 30th anniversary...they are performing this Canadian play for the second time.


We saw it back in 1982 the first time around...and must have liked it, since we decided we should go see it again. Here's the funny thing......though it hardly seems that long since we last saw it...it was all new to us this weekend. We had forgotten more than we remembered!

In 1982 it was under the direction of Clint Hames...who was a young whipper snapper at the time. He has played on many stages since that time...including local politics...where he served as councillor and also as mayor for a time. He is back on stage with Paper Wheat...as director and actor. He managed to involve many of the actors and musicians who performed in the play the first time around...
...along with a wonderful caste of young actors.

Paper Wheat follows the struggles of early homesteaders in western Canada and their gradual realization that isolation and economic helplessness could best be overcome by co-operation in institutions such as the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and the Federated Co-operative....and credit unions. The audience is totally in support of the farmers and their co-operative effort...but we all left with questions as to what happened along the way. The co-ops and credit unions seem to have gone the way of the 'big business' they replaced.

The play is funny...and includes humorous glimpses into the lives of the early Canadian homesteaders. It was worth seeing...twice! I'm wondering which parts of Paper Wheat I will remember a few decades from now. A little comedy...a little history...it's all good.


Have a great day...

8 comments:

  1. Here I am, first comment of the day - nothing like a fresh page!
    That sounds like a good play. it isn't often that we get a chance to see something about the history of our own country. We're going to a play on Thursday night - about the residential schools. It's apparently a comedy. We'll see.
    See you later!

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed the play- my sister and I and friends have tickets to see it tomorrow! Looking forward to it. There should be some familiar faces on the stage, and in the band. Dairymary

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  3. It sounds quite interesting. You're an honest soul to confess that you forgot more than you remembered. That'd be my confession, too.

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  4. It sounds like a very enjoyable production! I have great admiration for the early settlers, farmers, and miners. It is because of them that our countries prosper!

    I do commiserate with forgetting entertainment venues that we enjoy. I see many of the same operas year after year but there is always a portion that will surprise me with its beauty, as if I am seeing and hearing it for the first time!

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  5. What a great way to learn history while having fun! Are credit unions really gone in Canada now? They are big here in the US...and with all the banking problems, they may even get more popular.

    I just saw that Vancouver is having an exhibition of Di Vinci's atomomical drawings...the biggest exhibition ever outside of London. Sounded like a once in a life time opportunity to me. Hope someone up there goes and blogs about it (hint hint...)

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  6. I haven't ever heard of this play before today..I always learn someting new here Judy. It looks like it was awesome. I like to support local talent. . . hmmm .. maybe I'll look it up to see if they are finished.

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  7. I saw it in the local papers...but I guess it will have to wait till next time...Sounds down to earth.

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  8. This looks like an interesting production. I do appreciate your honesty in confessing that you forgot more than you remembered. That sounds familiar to me. That happens quite often to me. Rather alarming to me, although my husband assures me it is because I have too much to remember. Sounds good to me.

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