4th Line Theatre

The 4th Line Theatre is a Canadian theatre company located near the small town of Millbrook, Ontario in the township of Cavan Monaghan. It is dedicated to producing and developing original Canadian theatre, from small-town stories to broad national sagas – written by and about Canadians 4th Line Theatre is a not-for-profit, cultural, charitable organization that heavily relies on monetary donations, ticket sales, government funding, advertising and sponsorship support to ensure our success year after year.

History

Founded by Robert Winslow in 1992, after his mother's passing left him with the 150-acre farm property that has been in his family for 150 years, Robert launched the theatre with his original and classic The Cavan Blazers. Based on the story of the 19th-century Orangemen in Millbrook, ON who violently tried to drive out Catholics who attempted to settle in the area. Winslow has directed and written many of the plays. Some of the more recent productions have been directed by the Managing Artistic Director, Kim Blackwell.

In 2014, Winslow’s long time collaborator Kim Blackwell took on the role of Managing Artistic Director as Winslow transitioned out of his position as Artistic Director. Blackwell has been instrumental in defining the 4th Line aesthetic and works tirelessly to give audiences one of the finest theatrical experiences in the country.

Values

As a company focused on the values of imagination, integrity, collaboration, empowerment, and sustainability in all they do, 4th Line Theatre is committed to creating positive and healthy workspaces for our artists and communities, no matter their background.

Community Involvement

4th Line relies on community involvement in many aspects of the company. The majority of 4th Line’s production’s are cast to promote diversity and community connection. Due to the company’s location, audience demographic, and mandate, they cast professional, semi-professional, and volunteer actors both locally and across the province.

Aside from volunteering in the plays themselves, the community plays a role in the development of the plays.4th Line holds community reminiscences for the Playwrights to meet with community members to work through potential play ideas. This gives people who have stories and experiences with a local historical event and inspire the Playwright to write their play with true community experiences.

Recent productions

2011

• The Cavan Blazers. (second production)
• The Berlin Blues by Drew Hayden Taylor

2012

• Queen Marie by Shirley Barrie
• St Francis of Millbrook by Sky Gilbert

2013

• The Winslows of Derryvore by Robert Winslow (second production)
• The Real McCoy, by Andrew Moodie

2014

• Wounded Soldiers by Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow
• Doctor Barnardo's Children by Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow

2015

• The Bad Luck Bank Robbers by Alex Poch-Goldin (inspired by the 2006 book Bad Luck Bank Robbers about the Havelock Bank Robbery)
• Gimme That Prime Time Religion

2016

• The Hero of Hunter Street by Maja Ardal
• The Bad Luck Bank Robbers (second production) by Alex Poch-Goldin

2017

• Bombers: Reaping the Whirlwind by David S. Craig
• The History of Drinking in Cavan by Robert Winslow

2018

• Crow Hill The Telephone Play Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow
• Who Killed Snow White? by Judith Thompson

2019

• " Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable" by Beau Dixon
• "Carmel" by Robert Winslow and Ian MacLachlan
• "The Fool of Cavan: A Christmas Caper" by Lindy Finlan

2020

• "Bedtime Stories and Other Horrifying Tales" by Kim Blackwell and Lindy Finlan

2021

• "The Verandah Society" by Kate Suhr and Megan Murphy

2022

• "The Great Shadow" by Alex Poch Goldin
• "Wishful Seeing" by Maja Ardal

2023

• "The Tilco Strike" by D’Arcy Jenish
• "The Cavan Blazers" by Robert Winslow

External links

• 4th Line Theatre