Fleming College presents ‘A Man of His Time’; the life of Sir Sandford Fleming
Heritage Pavilion Stage, in partnership with Fleming College, will stage a costumed reading of their play A Man of His Time at Fleming College on Tuesday, Feb. 22 to honour the college’s namesake Sir Sandford Fleming.
The play, written by Peterborough playwright Ryan Kerr, and staged for receptive school and public audiences in the fall of 2010, focuses on Sir Fleming’s remarkable achievements after emigrating to Canada in 1845.
The reading closely follows the grand opening celebration of the college’s renovations, and the unveiling of the specially commissioned bust of Sir Fleming in the main foyer.
Fleming was a cousin of Dr. John Hutchison, Peterborough’s first resident doctor. After arriving from Scotland at age 18, he lived with the Hutchisons for two years and travelled extensively throughout central Ontario trying to establish himself as a surveyor and engineer. Among his early accomplishments, he surveyed and produced detailed maps of Peterborough, Cobourg and the Colborne District, which he reproduced and sold door-to-door to earn income.
“Fleming’s achievements were incredible – his maps, his surveys for the Canadian Pacific Railway, the first Canadian postage stamp, invention of international standard time –the man had amazing energy,” said director Phil Oakley. “We try to convey that sense of energy in the play.”
A Man of His Time was commissioned and produced by Peterborough’s Heritage Pavilion Stage (HPS) in partnership with the Peterborough Historical Society, with generous donations from the Peterborough Foundation, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Peterborough, and local chapters of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
This event will take place at the Sutherland Campus on Brealey Drive, in the Whetung Theatre, Room 519 at 3:30 p.m. It will be followed by a question and answer with the cast, director and playwright, and light refreshments will be provided afterward.
The reading is being promoted to Fleming staff and students and will also be open to the public.
“We are extremely pleased to be offering this play to the Fleming community,” says Greg Conchelos, co-producer. “It represents part of their history and seemed a perfect fit.”
The date was also chosen to coincide with Heritage Week. Heritage Pavilion Stage will have a booth at Heritage Expo, which launches the event, at Trent University on Feb. 18.
Heritage Pavilion Stage is a Peterborough-based theatre company that puts on originally commissioned Canadian history plays for schools, local performances and community groups.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Greg Conchelos or Mary Conchelos, Co-Producers, (705) 876-9065 or hpstage@gmail.com