The Fighting Days

written by Wendy Lill

directed by Melodie Hull 2020

ORIGINAL MUSIC for set changes, dance and song: 'Winding road to Wattsburg' and 'Mrs. B's Waltz'

by Barry Coulter and Christina Blaskovich

The Cast

Jelena Jensen ................. Francis Marion Beynon

Alison Platt ...................... Lilly Beynon
Nathaniel Leigh ............ George McNair

Anita Wishart ................. Wolfwillow
Candice Fisk .................... Nellie McClung

Kathleen Simon ............ Western Sister
Sandy Ashby ................... Sunflower/Anonymous

Amanda Casey ............... Chucklehead/Anonymous
Candace Wilson ............. Prairie Woman/Anonymous
Rhonda Sheridan .......... Sunbeam/Lonely-at-Home/Anonymous

The Crew

Gordon Sheridan ............ Producer

Margaret Gilmour ......... Prompter
Lorraine Harvey ............... Stage Manager

Barry Coulter ..................... Photography
Kirsten Taylor .................... Poster Design

Jean-Ann Debrecini ....... Costumes
Kirsten Taylor (lead), &

Melodie Hull ........................ Set Design

Sanjay Fisk (lead) &

Melodie Hull ........................ Lighting Design
Nathan Taron (lead) &

Melodie Hull ........................ Sound Design
Jean-Ann Debrecini, Sheila Schell (leads), Lorraine Harvey, Ellen Johnson & Dawn Storgaard ............ Costume Team
Lorraine Harvey (lead), Sandy Ashby, Heather Begin,
Beth Crawley, Greg Ross &

Rhonda Sheridan .............. Stage Crew
Rhonda Sheridan (lead), Jean-Ann Debrecini, Lorraine Harvey,

Melodie Hull & Kathleen Simon .... Properties
Peter Schalk (lead), Dave Hall, Thom McCaughey,

Kelly Reekie & Barry Wood ..... Set Construction
Jason Zimmer ........................ Finishing Carpenter
Melodie Hull (lead), Sandy Ashby, Heather Begin, Beth Crawley, Alexander Gilmour, Allison Platt, Anita Wishart &

Kirsten Taylor ........................ Set Painters
Margaret Gilmour (lead), Bev Raymond &

Krystal Wills ............................ Concession
Harriet Pollock (lead), Marge Kemp &

Jim Cameron .......................... Front of House

About

Set in Winnipeg during 1910-1917. The play focuses on the life and work of Francis Marion Beynon, a Manitoba journalist and political activist. This story is about the polarities of public and private lives, and about issues of racism and pacifism within the women's movement, The Fighting Days deals with timeless moral concerns. Francis Beynon, says the playwright, "gave up everything for her beliefs and one can only hope the world's a better place for it.