Project Description
A SUMMER IN NEWFOUNDLAND
Eli Greene moved his family from Newfoundland more than 25 years ago in hopes of finding a better life in Calgary. Now, he’s brought his granddaughter Annabelle back with him for one last summer in the family house before it’s sold and leaves the family forever. His daughter back in Calgary, Susan (who knows that Eli has recently been diagnosed with dementia) has relented to Eli having this one last summer as long as Annabelle is there to look after him.
While trying to pass on as many traditions and memories as he can to an uninterested granddaughter, Eli must adjust to his traditional outport town now being a tourist hotspot, while also putting the wheels in motion to go against his daughter’s wishes and spend his final days in Newfoundland.
Full length play (2M, 2F) in development.
PRODUCTION HISTORY:
This play was a part of the Thousand Islands Playhouse Playwright’s Unit 2015, and is currently in development.
Much of this show is based on my own experience of working in summer theatre in a small town in Newfoundland. How were they adjusting to the influx of tourists? Are they preserving the history of the place for themselves, or for the tourists who are helping the economy yet buying up all the homes? I’m also interested in the rights of the elderly to stay independent as long as possible, which seemed an idea worthy of dramatization.
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COMMISSION/GRANTS:
A Summer in Newfoundland received development support from an Ontario Arts Council Theatre Creators’ Recommender Grant.
