Photo Karen Graham.
Lindy Finlan with the costumes for her first play produced by the 4th Line Theatre this month.
As General Manager of our local theatre company, Lindy is usually all business, focused on staffing, grant-writing and managing government funding opportunities. Her interest in theatre did not begin on the administrative side. She started as an actor.
Lindy’s love of theatre began early, participating in plays through her local church and through work with an international Christian youth group. At Trent University, her educational studies were intertwined with theatre as well. After volunteering with the company in the summer, she secured employment at the 4th Line Theatre just as she was graduating, and has never looked back, taking on a variety of roles to expand her experience, including directing.
There is a rule at the 4th Line Theatre that to qualify to have a play produced by the company, the playwright must have already had a piece produced. Lindy qualified, but just: her one-act play had been produced by The Theatre on King. She presented her idea for The Fool of Cavan this summer, and received the green light to proceed, broadening her theatrical experience once again.
The Fool of Cavan: A Christmas Caper is a Nancy Drew-style mystery. Set in the 1960’s in Millbrook, a church congregation is divided when props and costumes for the upcoming Christmas concert go missing. The Needlers, a band comprised of local young people, are accused of being the culprits. Tensions mount and The Needlers take to the streets of Millbrook to solve the mystery and clear their names.
Like last year’s Christmas production, the work begins and ends at St. Thomas Anglican Church in Millbrook, and takes the audience on foot through downtown Millbrook, travelling for about one kilometer, sometimes on uneven ground. The shows begin on December 3rd. Some dates include a Christmas Concert featuring cast members and the community choir performing carols and hymns. During the Christmas in the Village celebrations, the performance will be limited to a special standalone singalong concert at the church starting at 8:30 pm.
To learn more or purchase tickets, visit the website at www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca or the box office at 4 Tupper Street. KG
