Plays and Skits
‘A Friend’s Lament’ – stage play
One of the most repeated comments from readers
of my novel, Harbour of my Tomorrows, was, ‘It
would make a great movie or television series’. I
actually had the same feeling while I was writing
the story.
While that has not happened to date, and since I
had wanted so much to see the John Gavin story
come to life, I decided that there was still
something I could do. So, in the winter of 2013, I
wrote the stage
play, A Friend’s
Lament, based
on characters in
the novel.
By that spring, I
had gathered
together twelve
other locals to
take part in the
upcoming play.
We performed the
play during the
Fortune Harbour
Festival in July. It
was much more
than I had
expected, playing
to a sold-out
audience for two shows with standing ovations for
each performances. It was a feeling that I’ll never
forget.
Five of the actors were descendants of the main
characters in the play - a fact that was well
received when mentioned during the last bow. I
was so proud of everyone on stage; such an
emotional and rewarding moment in time.
My husband Joe, local
singer and musician, will
gather everyone who takes
part in the musical side of
the evenings. I write skits
and perform them with my
three friends, Madonna,
Sharon, and Mary. We have
done some hilarious things
on the tiny stage, with the
small audience of one
hundred just cracking up;
their laughter intoxicating!
For a change of pace, a couple of years ago, I wrote a
drama for the Newfoundland show, with lighting and
sound effects; the story of an actual ship that had been
lost at sea with a crew of Fortune Harbour men aboard.
They all perished. The story is a big part of the history of
the area. We received wonderful feedback.
It all plays a part in one’s creativity. Creating anything
brings joy to you, but when others approve and enjoy
your effort and work, it is all worth it, and so much more.
Backstage ---production night of
Valerie’s drama, ‘A Time for Goodbye’.
Performing skits
When you live in Fortune Harbour, NL, you have
to do all you can to raise money for the tiny
community.
Three times a year, we put off theme shows. We
start in March with a St Paddy’s all-Irish show. In
April we do an all-country show. Then, in May, we
do a Newfoundland traditional show.
Valerie and her Fortune Harbour
Players, about to take the small
stage to perform a skit Valerie
wrote ---‘Ma’s girls’.
Valerie & Madonna ready to
serve it up at Miss Valie’s
Saloon
Old Irish woman (Valerie) & Old
Grady, the pig farmer(Joe) about
to take the stage
Plays and Skits
‘A Friend’s Lament’ – stage play
One of the most repeated comments from readers of my
novel, Harbour of my Tomorrows, was, ‘It would make a
great movie or television series’. I actually had the same
feeling while I was writing the story.
While that has not happened to date, and since I had
wanted so much to see the John Gavin story come to life, I
decided that there was still something I could do. So, in the
winter of 2013, I wrote the stage play, A Friend’s Lament,
based on characters in the novel.
By that spring, I had
gathered together
twelve other locals to
take part in the
upcoming play. We
performed the play
during the Fortune
Harbour Festival in
July. It was much more
than I had expected,
playing to a sold-out
audience for two shows
with standing ovations
for each performances.
It was a feeling that I’ll
never forget.
Five of the actors were
descendants of the
main characters in the
play - a fact that was well
received when mentioned during the last bow. I was so
proud of everyone on stage; such an emotional and
rewarding moment in time.
My husband Joe, local singer
and musician, will gather
everyone who takes part in
the musical side of the
evenings. I write skits and
perform them with my three
friends, Madonna, Sharon,
and Mary. We have done
some hilarious things on the
tiny stage, with the small
audience of one hundred just
cracking up; their laughter
intoxicating!
For a change of pace, a couple of years ago, I wrote a
drama for the Newfoundland show, with lighting and sound
effects; the story of an actual ship that had been lost at sea
with a crew of Fortune Harbour men aboard. They all
perished. The story is a big part of the history of the area.
We received wonderful feedback.
It all plays a part in one’s creativity. Creating anything
brings joy to you, but when others approve and enjoy your
effort and work, it is all worth it, and so much more.
Backstage ---production night of
Valerie’s drama, ‘A Time for Goodbye’.
Performing skits
When you live in Fortune Harbour, NL, you have to do
all you can to raise money for the tiny community.
Three times a year, we put off theme shows. We start
in March with a St Paddy’s all-Irish show. In April we do
an all-country show. Then, in May, we do a
Newfoundland traditional show.
Valerie and her Fortune Harbour
Players, about to take the small stage
to perform a skit Valerie wrote ---
‘Ma’s girls’.
Valerie & Madonna ready to
serve it up at Miss Valie’s
Saloon
Old Irish woman (Valerie) & Old
Grady, the pig farmer(Joe) about to
take the stage
