Live Bait Theatre and Saint John Theatre Company partner for provincial tour the Canadian theatre classic, Billy Bishop Goes To War.
Live Bait Theatre and Saint John Theatre Company have teamed up to present a commemorative New Brunswick tour of the play Billy Bishop Goes To War, written and composed by John MacLachlan Gray in collaboration with Eric Peterson.
These performances planned to mark the centenary of World War I, will be directed by Charlie Rhindress and feature Ron Kelly Spurles.
“This production marks some major milestones for Live Bait Theatre,” said Spurles, who also serves as Live Bait Theatre’s Artistic Director. “We are returning to touring our mainstage productions for the first time in many years. And we’re so excited to finally be partnering with the Saint John Theatre Company, something that has been in the works since I became Artistic Director last year, and started with a collaboration on a directing workshop.
“And of course it’s special because of the anniversaries associated with it – 100 years since the end of WW1, and also 40 years since the show was first produced. We’ll be presenting shows right around the actual anniversary of those two dates (both happened in November), so it’s going to be a very powerful experience. Finally, doing the show for high school students will be very exciting, as it’s a bit of history probably most of them don’t know, and it will be great to help bring it to life for them.”
Billy Bishop Goes To War is the award-winning story of Canadian World War I flying ace Billy Bishop and has been called “one of the most successful and endearing musical dramas in history”.
“I think it’s just very important to do this type of show, especially around the anniversary,” said Spurles. “I find when I think of veterans I tend to think of the older men my parents were friends with from the Legion – and I don’t think of them so much when they were younger, and what it must have been like for them at the time. This play gives a sense of that.”
Upcoming Performances:
Oct 11 | STU Black Box Theatre, 51 Dineen Dr., Fredericton
Oct 17 & 18 | Royal Canadian Legion, Sackville, 15 Lorne St, Sackville
Oct 24 | Théatre l’Escaouette, 170 Botsford Street,Moncton
Oct 26 & 27 | BMO Studio Theatre, 112 Princess St, Saint John
Nov 14 | W.C. O’Neill Arena Complex, 24 Reed St, St. Andrews
Nov 16 | Sussex Regional High School, 55 Leonard Dr., Sussex
