Franco-Ontarian historical pageant to shut down after this season

Franco-Ontarian historical pageant to shut down after this season
Cassandra Drudi , cdrudi@thecitizen.canwest.com
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hyperlink: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=f85b74d9-d344-4006-8cc5-468767db6973

OTTAWA - The curtains will close for a final time this weekend on L'écho d'un peuple, the French-Canadian pageant that runs outdoors during the summer months on a farm in the municipality of the Nation.

The production, which has an annual cost of $1.2 million, is subsidized by grants from Heritage Canada and Tourism Ontario, but ticket sales are down at least 25 per cent from last year, said François Désormeaux, general manager of the pageant.

This drop in sales, which Mr. Désormeaux says is a result of a number of factors, most significantly the lack of tourist accommodation in the surrounding area, means that this fifth season of the pageant will be its last.

"It's going to be a very sad Saturday night," he said. "Five years of dedication by a group of volunteers."

The production declared bankruptcy in the fall of 2006, but was resurrected for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. A troupe of 200 volunteer actors perform in the show, supported by a production crew, pyrotechnicians and welcoming crew, for a total of about 350 volunteers responsible for putting on each show, Mr. Désormeaux said.

Tickets are still available for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 9 p.m., and Mr. Désormeaux hopes people will come out for their last chance to take in the two-hour presentation of four centuries of Franco-Ontarian history.

"The lights, the outdoor surround sound -- the whole forest is lit up and it talks to you," Mr. Désormeaux said.

"It's magical."