Blyth Festival Of Canada Announces 2008 Season of powerful, provocative drama and laugh-out-loud comedy!

The Blyth Festival's 2008 season brings a wealth of comedy, drama, and
headline news to the stage. Artistic director Eric Coates describes the
upcoming plays as, `It's always been a great joy for our audience to identify
with the characters onstage, and this season is a salute to the ongoing
relationship of life and art.` Coates has nothing but praise for the people
who have supported the Blyth Festival as well as those who have recently
invested in Blyth's main street. "Blyth's core has had a remarkable facelift
in recent months. Tourists and local residents alike now have the
opportunity to visit some wonderful specialty shops that really give the
town some added spice."

Dont miss a moment as the 2008 season includes four world premières sure to
take your breath away! Powerful, provocative drama and laugh-out-loud
comedy not to be missed! Staged by Canada`s premier creative and performing
artists, Blyth`s 2008 season is Playful - captivating, engaging, magical and
full of funny moments.

In Against the Grain by Carolyn Hay, Henry Jamieson has a dream. Where some
people see barren land, Henry only sees opportunity. After a lifetime of
hard work, Henry Jamieson has built himself an empire of Manitoba grain. But
who will take the reins of the family business if his son David doesn’t wake
up and seize the opportunity? Seen through the eyes of his young
granddaughter, the story of Henry’s life is distilled into one fateful and
unforgettable moment. This sweeping family drama provides lots of laughs to
balance the epic struggle between father and son. Based on the playwright’s
family history, Against the Grain follows one man’s rise to power as he
sacrifices everything for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Laughs abound in the second offering of 2008 when Ken Cameron`s Harvest hits
the stage. Allan and Charlotte have retired from farming, and even though
they`ve sold the land and moved to a tidy little condo in town, they can’t
bear to part with the old farmhouse itself. So, they rent it to Ron, a nice
young man who seems too good to be true. Sure enough, Ron`s behavior soon
starts to make them uneasy, he pays his rent in cash, he has no furniture,
and his roommate is a very businesslike Rottweiler. When Ron suddenly
disappears, Allan and Charlotte discover that their old house is still being
used for farming, but the crop isn`t exactly legal. Both hilarious and
sobering, Harvest is based on the true story of a couple that nearly lost
their life savings when a nice young man turned their Elgin County family
farm into a marijuana growing operation.

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (working title) by Alice
Munro will be adapted for the stage by Marcia Johnson and will première in
late August 2008. It had all begun with Sabitha saying, `We have to go by
the Post Office. I have to send a letter to my dad` In this story, two
teenage girls play an idle game that spins out of control when boredom turns
into mischief. Inspired by their game, the girls write a flurry of
fraudulent love letters to Johanna, a hard working, but unwitting,
housekeeper. Believing that the letters come from an honourable man, Johanna
revels in the hope that she can leave her housekeeping days behind her. When
she makes a daring choice, it changes the course of her life and of those
around her. The Blyth Festival is honoured to present this play, adapted from the

work of Canada`s greatest short story writer.

And to cap this season of outstanding Canadian theatre off, Beverley Cooper
introduces Truscott (working title), In Clinton Ontario, on June 12, 1959,
Steven Truscott was arrested for the murder of Lynne Harper, a twelve
year-old child. After a trial that lasted only fifteen days, Steven
Truscott was sentenced to death. He was fourteen years old. Forty-eight
years later, Steven Truscott`s name has been cleared, but the question
remains…how could such a thing happen in Clinton, Ontario? Playwright
Beverley Cooper tackles this delicate subject with great sensitivity to the
past, present and future, as she explores the far-reaching effects of crime
and punishment. In the tradition of The Outdoor Donnellys, the Blyth
Festival leaves judgement to the courts, but trains a spotlight on human
nature in this compelling chapter of local history.

Buy Now and Save: Playful Pass packages offer great savings and make a
wonderful gift for giving this holiday season. Call the Box Office at
519-523-9300 or toll free 1-877-862-5984. Online booking is available soon
and more information is available at www.blythfestival.com