Jake’s Gift

Jake's Gift

A Journey to Juno Beach

July 1 – 26, 2014
Firehall Theatre

“My name is Isabelle, and I have the most important job in the whole of the world.”

 

 

 

Written and Performed by Julia Mackey
Directed by Dirk Van Stralen

  • While revisiting the shores of Juno beach for the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, World War II veteran Jake encounters Isabelle, a precocious 10-year-old from the local village. Her inquisitive nature and charm challenge the old soldier to make peace with his past.

    A multi-award winning tour-de-force, Jake’s Gift uses the legacy of remembrance to make personal the story behind one soldier’s memories.

    “Julia Mackey delivers a stunning performance… It feels like an ensemble show!”
    - CBC Winnipeg

    “If I could give this play six stars, I would!”
    - The Star Pheonix, Saskatoon, SK

    “Jake’s Gift. Mark it down. Get your tickets right away.”
    - Edmonton Sun


    JUST ANNOUNCED: FRENCH PERFORMANCE
    Join us on Saturday, July 19th at 8pm for a French performance of Jake's Gift! Contact the Box Office to book tickets. 613-382-7020

    PeaceQuest in partnership with the Thousand Islands Playhouse present:
    RETHINKING REMEMBRANCE - A Guest Speaker Series
    Join us for a FREE post-show discussion following every Friday night performance of Jake’s Gift. See the details here.

    Exhibits:
    Juno Beach Centre display: Open daily from 11 am - 5pm (and two hours before show times) in the Firehall Theatre lobby.

    Freedom Speech Recording: Playing daily from 11 am - 5pm (and two hours before show times) in the Firehall Theatre lobby.

     

  • Firehall Theatre Logo

    Playing at the Firehall Theatre
    from July 1 – 26, 2014

    Evening Performances: Tuesday through Sunday 8:00pm
    Matinees: Fridays, Saturdays 2:30pm

    Running Time:
 1 hour

    JUST ANNOUNCED: FRENCH PERFORMANCE
    Join us on Saturday, July 19th at 8pm for a French performance of Jake's Gift! Contact the Box Office to book tickets. 613-382-7020

  • Cast

    Performer: Julia Mackey

    Creative

    Director: Dirk Van Stralen
    Lighting Designer: Gerald King
    Stage Manager: Dirk Van Stralen



    JULIA MACKEY (Playwright/Performer)
    For the Playhouse: Debut.
    Elsewhere: All The Way Home, Sally (Electric Company Theatre); Trying, Sarah (Western Canada Theatre); Holy Mo, Guff (Pacific Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Puck (Bard in Barkerville).
    Upcoming: Alberta Tour of Jake’s Gift from September to November 2014.
    Other: Julia Mackey was born in Birmingham, England, and raised in Montreal. Both her maternal and paternal families have had strong ties to the performing arts for many generations. Julia first began creating and writing theatre in the mid 1990’s in Victoria, BC with an exciting independent theatre company called Theatre SKAM. Since 1997, Julia has worked as a professional actor in theatres across Canada. In 2007, she and Dirk Van Stralen created Juno Productions. To date, they have toured Jake’s Gift to over 190 communities across Canada. This June, they were in Normandy, France from the 70th Anniversary of D-Day where Julia performed Jake’s Gift in French at a venue right on Juno Beach in Bernières-sur-Mer. Julia would like to thank everyone at Thousand Islands Playhouse and the Juno Beach Centre in Burlington, Ontarioooo! She dedicates this performance to her band of 90-year-old boyfriends and girlfriends scattered across the country.

    DIRK VAN STRALEN (Director and Stage Manager)
    For the Playhouse: Debut.
    Elsewhere: Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch (No Bells & Whistles); The Sunshine Boys, Ben (Chemainus Theatre Festival); The Woodsman, Walter (Pacific Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bottom (Bard in Barkerville).
    Upcoming: Alberta Tour of Jake’s Gift from September to November 2014.
    Other: Dirk is a four time Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Nominee for acting (Vancouver’s Theatre Awards). He is also an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator, his single panel cartoon, vanstralen, appeared in Vancouver’s The Georgia Straight for 17 years. He is also the illustrator of two wordless kids books: Ben’s Big Dig and Ben’s Bunny Trouble. A third, Ben’s Big Stink, is currently under construction. When not on tour with Jake’s Gift, Dirk works for Barkerville Historic Town, the largest historic site in western North America. www.barkerville.ca

    GERALD KING (Lighting Designer)
    For the PlayhouseThe Number 14.
    Elsewhere: Pagliacci (The Vancouver Opera); La Boheme (Manitoba Opera Centre); The Drowsy Chaperone (The Citadel and National Arts Centre); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Theatre Calgary).
    Upcoming: Tempest, Midsummer Nights Dream (Bard on the Beach); King Lear (Theatre Calgary).
    Other: Gerald's designs are often seen with Pacific Opera Victoria (most recently for Tosca), Bard on the Beach, Theatre Under the Stars, the Arts Club Theatre, Kokoro Dance, Theatre Calgary and Western Canada Theatre. His work has also been seen with opera companies across Canada, Omaha Opera, Baltimore Opera, Ballet British Columbia, the National Ballet of Canada, and the National Arts Centre. He has won eight Jessie Richardson Awards (Vancouver’s Theatre Awards) and is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada.

  • Photos

    [nggallery id=4]

    Julia Mackey. Photos provided by Julia Mackey.

    Video

    Ashlie's Inside Story

    [embed width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaeKasSJap4&theme=light&color=white&rel=0[/embed]

     

    Thousand Islands Playhouse Audience Reactions

    [embed width="640" height="360"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do1rGfrMUZk&theme=light&color=white&rel=0[/embed]

     

    Jake's Gift Tour - Audience Reactions

    [embed width="640" height="360"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11D_1A0FqOw[/embed]

  • Reviews

    "A powerful tribute to Canadian veterans"
    -4 2/3 stars from North Country Public Radio

    "Sad, funny, and, most importantly, terrific."
    -Kingston Whig Standard

    "A Shining Tribute to the Power of Remembrance"
    - A Fresh News Start

    Articles

    Julia Mackey's one-woman play commemorates Canada's role on D-Day in Normandy - The Vancouver Sun

    Quebec Navy Floats Business - Gananoque Reporter. An article about French tourism in Gananoque, and the French performance of Jake's Gift 

     

  • Production Sponsor

    Community Partner

    Exhibit Partner