The Blyth Festival is well into its 2025 season, promising a rich mix of drama, comedy and music that reflects Canadian stories while exploring the challenge of adapting to change.
Running from June to September, the lineup includes five productions staged indoors at Blyth Memorial Hall and outdoors on the Harvest Stage. From a ghostly Sir John A. Macdonald tagging along on a British Museum heist to an Irish folk musical about love and survival, the festival offers a combination of original Canadian works—some commissioned specifically for this season.
Marketing director Keith Tomasek tells ExeterToday.ca what separates Blyth’s programming compared to other theatres.
The season opened with Drew Hayden Taylor’s Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion, a contemporary comedy blending satire and history. The play follows two friends on a road trip to recover a culturally significant Anishinaabe artifact from the British Museum – followed by the ghost of Sir John A. Macdonald himself. bringing together sharp humour, unexpected twists and reflections on Canada’s colonial legacy.
Audiences are also discovering a world premiere by acclaimed author Emma Donoghue. The Wind Coming Over the Sea tells the story of famine-era Irish immigrants separated by distance and danger. Tomasek says her contribution is a big deal.
Outdoor theatre fans can take in Anne Chislett’s acclaimed drama Quiet in the Land returns July 5, examining tensions within an Amish community during the First World War.
The summer continues with Keith Roulston’s Powers and Gloria, opening July 30, a beloved Blyth comedy about intergenerational conflict in a family business, and Nathan Howe’s Radio Town: The Doc Cruickshank Story, a new country musical chronicling the rise of CKNX in Depression-era Ontario, opening August 20.
The Blyth Festival is recognized nationally for its impact on Canadian theatre and its strong ties to the local community. Over the years, it has launched and nurtured the careers of directors, actors, writers and stage professionals. The company also offers opportunities for volunteers to get involved behind the scenes and be part of the creative process. Tomasek says that community connection remains at the heart of everything they do.
(Written by: Noah Lorusso)
