Shelburne elephants

Basement Theatre staging original screenplay by local playwright about actual Shelburne event

An incident in Shelburne has been turned into a stage play.

Basement Theatre will be staging an original screenplay by a local playwright about an actual Shelburne event from decades ago. The show, that will take the stage this spring at the Osprey Arts Centre, promises to be very entertaining.

The Elephant in the Backyard, written by Shelburne’s Anglican Church Minister Ed Trevors, is based on an event that happened in Shelburne in 1979. Two elephants escaped from a travelling circus that was in town and ran rampart “all over town, up and down the main street, through people’s yards and ended up by the dump,” said Susan Hoover, Basement Theatre spokeswoman.

Trevors finished writing the play about a year ago.

“It’s such a crazy, wild story,” he said, recalling it captured his attention the first time he heard the it. “I was speaking with a family one time and they were talking about the night the elephants escaped form the circus so then I started asking people if they remembered” and those that did “told me some amazing stories of that night. A lot of those stories are in the play.”

Basement Theatre has been developing and working on the comedy drama for almost a year now, said Hoover.

“We’ve been rehearsing since about mid-January, every Wednesday night at the Osprey,” Hoover said.

With a cast of 10 people ranging from 12 to 85, the play revolves around a fishing family and a night in their lives that is anything but typical.

“There are some very funny scenes but it’s also about a very serious subject,” said Hoover.

“There’s lots of talk about the sea and the life of a fisherman in the area,” added Hoover. “The mother, the wife (played by Amanda Pedro), is a wonderful person who takes in foster children… she’s an extraordinary woman.”

Rounding out the cast are the father (Ed Trevors), three daughters (Mya Chidiac, Neve Padro and Clara Jurgenliemk), Uncle Jeremiah (George Thorburn) the grandfather (Ben Pooley, Lockeport), the boyfriend ( Alex Buchanan) and neighbours Dean (Guy Tipton) and his wife Marie (Mary Jane Puxley), who are “the funniest characters in the play,” said Hoover.

Directing the play is Shauna Allen, director of Shelburne’s Museums by the Sea.

“We’re delighted to have her,” said Hoover. Allen has an undergraduate degree in drama, and experience directing plays in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta. Allen said this is the first time she has worked with a new playwright on an original script. “It’s exciting,” she said.

The Elephant in the Backyard will open at the Osprey Arts Centre on Friday, June 1, at 7:30 p. m. Admission on this night will be pay what you can only at the door, with no assigned seating.

“We have never done a pay what you can before but because it’s about the Town of Shelburne, we would like to encourage people from the area to come out on opening night and pay what you can,” said Hoover, and not be restricted from attending due to financial reasons.

There will also be performances on Saturday, June 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets for these shows are $17 for adults and $7 for students. Tickets will soon be available at the Osprey box office (Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p. m.), at TLC Pharmasave in Shelburne, or online at: https:// ospreyartscentre.ticketpro.ca/

“It’s going to be great play,” said Hoover.

Basement Theatre actors Ed Trevors, Amanda Pedro rehearse a scene from the play, The Elephant in the Backyard, at the Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne. In the background are daughters Robin and Darlene, played by Clara Jurgenliemk (left) and Neve Pedro....

KATHY JOHNSON Uncle Jeremiah (George Thorburn) and his niece Darlene, played by Neve Pedro, have a serious conversation during a scene from the play, The Elephant in the Backyard.

KATHY JOHNSON Clara Jurgenliemk is one of three youth who will be taking the stage for the play The Elephant in the Backyard.

KATHY JOHNSON Mya Chidiac and Alex Buchanan play girlfriend and boyfriend in the Basement Theatre production, The Elephant in the Backyard.

KATHY JOHNSON Basement Theatre director Shauna Allen goes over her notes during rehearsal for the play, The Elephant in the Backyard, at the Osprey Arts Centre.