They say she made a fortune by backing Harry Oakes and Lake Shore Gold Mines as well as through her own claim staking. And though she would curse anyone and everyone she met, she was known to have bought meals and clothes for the poor and unemployed.
Rosa Brown was 93 when she died in 1947, fiercely independent until her death.
The story of Rosa Brown was brought to life again in a recent production of a play by Leslie Arden called The Saga of Rosa Brown. The show’s first performance was held in Kirkland Lake last November by Classical Cabaret. For the past 10 years Classical Cabaret, a non-profit organization, has put together a season of musical theatre that performs in some of the smaller communities throughout Ontario.
This play, however, was also successful in Toronto when it was performed here in September, so much so that a repeat performance was mounted recently. Again, people had to be turned away because the 220-seat theatre was packed.
The appeal of the story based on Rosa Brown’s life is largely just plain good theatre, but there’s also the appeal of our history being brought to life. Rosa Brown’s life captures some of the flavor of life in Northern Ontario during one of the most exciting chapters in the country’s history, and it’s exhilarating stuff. The characters who peopled it, the fortunes won and lost, the legacy of nationbuilding all make a fascinating tale.
It’s a part of our history that, without the efforts of such organizations as Classical Cabaret, might all too easily be forgotten.
]]>
Be the first to comment on "Editorial Bringing the past to life"