The World's End Theatre Festival is proud to bring both professional and community-based productions to Fogo Island and Change Islands. Here's a look at what we've been up to since we started up in January, 2008.

Fighting Fire with Snow

Remounted by director Brad Hodder and designer Meaghan Harding, old favourite Fighting Fire with Snow made a second appearance on the beautiful outdoor stages of Fogo Island Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings during the World's End Theatre Festival 2009.

Photo: Fighting Fire with Snow performs at Etheridge's Point, Joe Batt's Arm.

Next Stone, Next Story

Next Stone, Next Story was commissioned by the World's End Theatre Company to premiere at Festival 2009 and played Friday and Saturday evenings throughout.  Written by Newfoundland playwright Rory Lambert, directed by Brad Hodder and designed by Meaghan Harding, this original play featured ghost stories from Fogo Island and Change Islands.  A crowd-pleaser for audience members of all ages, this one was a hit!

Photo: Next Stone, Next Story performs at Salmon Point, Little Seldom

Stories and Songs

Stories and Songs ran Wednesday evenings during the World's End Theatre Festival 2009, and was a great success.  With direction by Sharon King-Campbell and design by Meaghan Harding, performers Carol Penton, Greg Kelly, Greg White, and Musical Director Aaron Cobb wowed the crowds with a program of songs they wrote themselves, local tunes, tales and recitations, and a few good jokes. Many thanks in particular to Roy Dwyer and Robert Blake for allowing us to use their writing.

Photo: The cast of Stories and Songs performs at the SUF Hall in Change Islands.

An Evening of Storytelling

After leading a day-long workshop, renowned author and storyteller Dale Jarvis was the guest of honour at the first official Storytelling Performance in Fogo Island for quite some time, if ever. Held at Kenna's Pub (Central, Fogo Island) on Saturay, January 24th, the evening was a great success. Despite stormy weather, the pub was packed with intent listeners as participants in the day's workshop, enthusiastic members of the audience, and of course, Mr. Jarvis, took a place against the bar to tell a story or two. Many thanks to Dale for his help in getting this event on its feet!

Photo: Roy Dwyer, of Tilting, performs a recitation.

Here Comes We: A Celebration of the New Year (2009)

A new tradition has been started: for the second Old Christmas Eve in a row, members of the community took the stage in what is now an annual holiday event.  Beginning with a Mummer's Play performed on Change Islands around 1900, and featuring performers from all over the island, this show guaranteed a good time and did not disappoint. More than 100 people (plus the 20 participants!) came out to Fogo Island Central Academy on Monday, January 5th to enjoy the show... they even got a sneak peak at the upcoming 60-minute documentary on *The Great Fogo Island Punt Race to There and Back 2008!

Photo: The Mummers are here to entertain!

Fighting Fire with Snow

Running for five shows August 6-9, 2008, World's End Theatre's first original production hit the stage - or rather, the scenery. Performed in five different communities across Fogo Island and Change Islands, this show performed outdoors whenever weather permitted, and indoors only in case of rain. Residents and ex-patriots alike took the performance to heart, and the reaction was so positive that we remounted it for the second annual World's End Theatre Festival in July and August 2009!

"I watched the play, and from start to finish and I was enthralled, and highly emotional.  I actually felt silly for crying so much, but this play touched me so deeply.  I was seeing Fogo Island, my island, with a fresh set of eyes. ... I hope that during my next summer vacation on beautiful Fogo Island there will be another play.  I've been telling my family and friends about it. ... WOW!  You got it right.  Excellent work."

Photo:Dave Shea (Dave) and Jason Hoven (Jacob) discuss the state of the fishery.  

Here Comes We: A Celebration of the New Year (2008)

Our first show, performed January 5, 2008, was a roaring success. Singers, dancers, musicians and comedians from across Fogo Island strutted their stuff on the stage at the Fogo Island Central Academy cafeteria.  Also featuring the first public screening of 25-minute documentary film, The Great Fogo Island Punt Race to There and Back and a Mummer's Play once performed in Change Islands, the standing-room-only crowd had a laughing-out-loud, toe-tapping good time. Many thanks to FICA, and especially to Carol Penton for spearheading this event!

Photo: Dave Shea performs "Smokeroom on the Kyle."