Blyth Festival, located in Blyth, Ontario, Canada, specializes in the production and promotion of Canadian plays. The following is a chronological list of the productions that have been staged as part of the Festival since its inception. World Premieres have also been noted.Blyth World Premieres
1975 The Mousetrap - by Agatha Christie Mostly in Clover (World Premiere)- by Harry J. Boyle
1976 The Blood Is Strong (World Premiere)- by Lister Sinclair How I Met My Husband (World Premiere)- by Alice Munro Mostly in Clover - by Harry J. Boyle Shape(World Premiere) - by Jim Schaefer
1977 A Summer Burning(World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett from the novel by Harry J. Boyle The Blood Is Strong - by Lister Sinclair The Blyth Memorial History Show (World Premiere)- by Jim Schaefer The Shortest Distance Between Two Points (World Premiere) - by Keith Roulston
1978 The Huron Tiger(World Premiere) - by Peter Colley His Own Boss (World Premiere) - by Keith Roulston The School Show(World Premiere) - by Ted Johns Gwendoline (World Premiere)- by James W. Nichol Two Miles Off - by the Theatre Network
1979 This Foreign Land (World Premiere) - by Patricia Mahoney I'll Be Back For You Before Midnight (World Premiere)- by Peter Colley McGillicuddy's Lost Weekend (World Premiere)- by Keith Roulston Child (World Premiere)- by James W. Nichol The Death of the Donnellys - by Theatre Passe Muraille and Ted Johns
1980 John and the Missus - by Gordon Pinsent St. Sam of the Nuke Pile(World Premiere) - by Ted Johns i'll be back for you before midnight - by Peter Colley The Life That Jack Built (World Premiere)- by David Fox and Janet Amos
1981 He Won't Come In From The Barn - by Ted Johns Quiet In The Land(World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett Love or Money (World Premiere) - by Carol Bolt The Tomorrow Box - by Anne Chislett Fire On Ice (World Premiere)- by Keith Roulston
1982 Down North(World Premiere) - by Janet Amos Heads You Lose(World Premiere) - by Peter Colley La Sagouine - by Antonine Maillet Country Hearts(World Premiere) - by Ted Johns and John Roby Quiet In The Land - by Anne Chislett
1983 Nobody's Child (World Premiere)- by Janice Wiseman and Holden Jones My Wild Irish Rose (World Premiere)- by Janet Amos Tighten The Traces, Haul In The Reins - by Robbie O'Neill Naked On The North Shore - by Ted Johns The Innocent And The Just - by Gratien Gélinas The Tomorrow Box - by Anne Chislett
1984 Garrison's Garage(World Premiere) - by Ted Johns A Spider In The House(World Premiere) - by Brian Tremlay Cake-Walk(World Premiere) - by Colleen Curran Blue City Slammers (World Premiere) - by Layne Coleman Country Hearts - by Ted Johns and John Roby
1985 Polderland(World Premiere) - by Brian Wade Moose County (World Premiere)- by Colleen Curran Beaux Gestes and Beautiful Deeds - by Marie-Lynn Hammond Primrose School District 109 (World Premiere)- by Ted Galay Garrison's Garage - by Ted Johns
1986 Another Season's Promise (World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett and Keith Roulston Drift - by Rex Deverell Gone To Glory (World Premiere)- by Suzanne Finlay Lilly, Alta. (World Premiere)- by Kenneth Dybat Cake-Walk - by Colleen Curran
1987 Girls In The Gang (World Premiere) - by John Roby and Raymond Storey Miss Balmoral of the Bayview (World Premiere)- by Colleen Curran Bush Fire (World Premiere) - by Laurie Fyffe Another Season's Promise - by Anne Chislett and Keith Roulston Bordertown Café (World Premiere) - by Kelly Rebar
1988 The Cookie War (World Premiere)- by Kathleen McDonnell The Mail Order Bride - by Robert Clinton Lucien - by Marshall Button Fires In The Night (World Premiere)- by David S. Craig Bordertown Café - by Kelly Rebar
1989 Perils of Persephone (World Premiere)- by Dan Needles Sticks and Stones (part 1) by James Reaney The Right One (World Premiere) - by Bryan Wade The Dreamland (World Premiere) - by Raymond Storey and John Roby The Mail Order Bride - by Robert Clinton
1990 Local Talent (World Premiere) - by Collen Curran Albertine in Five Times - by Michel Tremblay A Field of Flowers (World Premiere) - by Laurie Fyffe The Perils of Persephone - by Dan Needles Firefly (World Premiere) - by Carol Sinclair with music by John Alcorn
1991 Two Brothers (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns Barbershop Quartet (World Premiere) - by Layne Coleman The Stone Angel - by James W. Nichol based on the novel by Margaret Laurence End Of The World Romance (World Premiere)- by Sean Dixon Cornflower Blue (World Premiere) - by Kelly Rebar
1992 The Puff 'n' Blow Boys - by Valoreyne Brandt Jenkins The Hometown Boy (World Premiere)- by Robert Clinton Back Up and Push - or The Confessions of a Reformed Cynic (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns The Glorious 12th (World Premiere)- by Raymond Storey Yankee Notions (World Premiere)- by Anne Chislett I'll Be Back Before Midnight - by Peter Colley
1993 Many Hands (World Premiere) - by Dale Hamilton Ceili House (World Premiere)- by Colleen Curran Safe Haven (World Premiere)- by Mary-Colin Chisholm The Old Man's Band (World Premiere) - by John Roby Web (World Premiere)- by Rosalind Goldsmith The Glorious 12th - by Raymond Storey
1994 Glengarry School Days (World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett He Won't Come In From The Barn - by Ted Johns The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon - by W.O. Mitchell Bouncing Back (World Premiere)- by Suzanne Finlay
1995 Ballad for a Rum Runner's Daughter (World Premiere)- book & lyrics by Laurie Fyffe and music by Beth Barley This Year, Next Year (World Premiere)- by Norah Harding The Tomorrow Box - by Anne Chislett Jake's Place (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns He Won't Come In From The Barn - by Ted Johns
1996 Barndance, Live! (World Premiere)- by Paul Thompson Ma Belle Mabel - by Cindy Cowan Villa Eden (World Premiere) - by Colleen Curran Fireworks (World Premiere)- by Gordon Portman
1997 Quiet in the Land - by Anne Chislett Booze Days in a Dry County (World Premiere)directed by Paul Thompson There's Nothing In The Paper (World Premiere) - by David Scott The Melville Boys - by Norm Foster Barndance, Live! - by Paul Thompson Overboard! (World Premiere) - by Deborah Kimmett
1998 Yesteryear - by Joanna McClelland Glass Wilbur County Blues (World Premiere)- by Andrew Moodie Thirteen Hands - by Carol Shields Jobs, Jobs, Jobs (World Premiere) - by Keith Roulston Hot Flashes (World Premiere) - by Paul Ledoux and John Roby
1999 That Summer (World Premiere) - by David French Big Box (World Premiere) - by David Carley The Great School Crisis of '99 (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns Every Dream (World Premiere) - by James W. Nichol When the Reaper Calls - by Peter Colley
2000 Death of the Hired Man (World Premiere)- by Paul Thompson Anne adapted for the stage by Paul Ledoux Corker - by Wendy Lill The Drawer Boy - by Michael Healey Stolen Lives - the Albert Walker Story (World Premiere) - by Peter Colley When the Reaper Calls - by Peter Colley
2001 The Outdoor Donnellys (World Premiere) - by Paul Thompson and Janet Amos The Passion of Narcisse Mondoux - by Gratien Gelinas Cruel Tears - by Ken Mitchell and Humphrey & the Dumptrucks McGillicuddy (World Premiere) - by Keith Roulston Sometime, Never (World Premiere) - by Norah Harding Corner Green (World Premiere) - by Gordon Pinsent
2002 The Outdoor Donnellys - by Paul Thompson and Janet Amos Goodbye, Piccadilly (World Premiere) - by Douglas Bowie Filthy Rich - by George F. Walker The Drawer Boy - by Michael Healey Barnboozled: He Won't Come In From the Barn, part II (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns
2003 The Perilous Pirate's Daughter (World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett & David Archibald Leaving Home - by David French Hippie (World Premiere) - by Jonathan Garfinkel, Kelly McIntosh and Paul Thompson Having Hope at Home (World Premiere) - by David S. Craig Barnboozled: He Won't Come In From the Barn, part II - by Ted Johns
2004 The Outdoor Donnellys - by Paul Thompson and Janet Amos Heat Wave - by Michel Marc Bouchard Salt-Water Moon - by David French Spirit of the Narrows (World Premiere) - by Anne Lederman Cricket & Claudette (World Premiere) - by Ted Johns Test Drive (World Premiere) - by Dave Carley
2005 The Ginkgo Tree - by Lee MacDougall Powers and Gloria (World Premiere) - by Keith Roulston The Thirteenth One (World Premiere) - by Denyse Gervais Regan I'll be back before midnight - by Peter Colley Spirit of the Narrows - by Anne Lederman
2006 Ballad of Stompin' Tom (World Premiere) - by David Scott, songs by Stompin' Tom Connors Lost Heir (World Premiere) - by Sean Dixon Another Season's Harvest (World Premiere) - by Anne Chislett & Keith Roulston Schoolhouse (World Premiere) - by Leanna Brodie
2007 The Eyes of Heaven (World Premiere) - by Beverley Cooper Queen Milli of Galt - by Gary Kirkham World Without Shadows - by Lance Woolaver Reverend Jonah (World Premiere) - by Paul Ciufo Ballad of Stompin' Tom - by David Scott, songs by Stompin' Tom Connors
2008 Against the Grain (World Premiere) - by Carolyn Hay Harvest (World Premiere) - by Ken Cameron Courting Johanna (World Premiere) - by Marcia Johnson, based on Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro The Steven Truscott Project - by Beverley Cooper
2009 The Bootblack Orator (World Premiere) by Ted Johns The Mail Order Bride by Robert Clinton Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad by Michael Melski The Nuttalls (World Premiere) by Michael Healey Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott (World Premiere) by Beverley Cooper
2010 A Killing Snow (World Premiere) by Paul Ciufo Bordertown Cafe by Kelly Rebar Pearl Gidley (World Premiere) by Gary Kirkham The Book of Esther (World Premiere) by Leanna Brodie
2011 Hometown (World Premiere) by Jean Marc Dalpe, Mieko Ouchi, Mansel Robinson, Martha Ross, Peter Smith & Des Walsh Vimy by Vern Thiessen Rope's End by Douglas Bowie Early August (World Premiere) by Kate Lynch
2012 Dear Johnny Deere (World Premiere) by Ken Cameron, Based on the songs of Fred Eaglesmith Having Hope at Home by David S. Craig The Lonely Diner: Al Capone in Euphemia Township (World Premiere) by Beverley Cooper The Devil We Know (World Premiere) by Cheryl Foggo and Clem Martini
2013 Dear Johnny Deere by Ken Cameron, Based on the songs of Fred Eaglesmith Beyond the Farm Show (World Premiere) by The Collective Yorkville - The Musical (World Premiere) Book and Lyrics by Carolyn Hay; Music by Tom Szczesniak Garrison's Garage by Ted Johns Prairie Nurse (World Premiere) by Marie Beath Badian Falling: A Wake by Gary Kirkham
2014 Kitchen Radio (World Premiere) Book by Marion de Vries; Music & Lyrics by Marion de Vries and David Archibald Billy Bishop Goes to War Written and composed by John MacLachlan Gray in collaboration with Eric Peterson Stag and Doe (World Premiere) by Mark Crawford St. Anne's Reel (World Premiere) by Gil Garratt
2015 Seeds - Annabel Soutar Wilberforce Hotel (World Premiere) - Sean Dixon Fury (World Premiere) - Book and Lyrics by Peter Smith; Music by Samuel Shouldice Mary's Wedding - Stephen Massicotte
2016 Our Beautiful Sons: Remembering Matthew Dinning (World Premiere) Christopher Morris The Birds and the Bees (World Premiere) Mark Crawford If Truth Be Told (World Premiere) Beverley Cooper The Last Donnelly Standing (World Premiere) Paul Thompson and Gil Garratt
2017 Mr. New Year's Eve: A night with Guy Lombardo (World Premiere) David Scott The Berlin Blues Drew Hayden Taylor The Pigeon King (World Premiere) The company (Rebecca Auerbach, Jason Chesworth, Gil Garratt, Gemma James Smith, George Meanwell, J.D. Nicholsen, Birgitte Solem, Severn Thompson) Ipperwash (World Premiere) Falen Johnson and Jessica Carmichael
2018 The Pigeon King (World Premiere) The company (Rebecca Auerbach, Jason Chesworth, Gil Garratt, Gemma James Smith, George Meanwell, J.D. Nicholsen, Birgitte Solem, Severn Thompson) The New Canadian Curling Club (World Premiere) Mark Crawford Judith: Memories of a Lady Pig Farmer (World Premiere) Heather Davies, adapted from Judith, by Aritha van Herk