Written By Jean Hewitt
A group of retired women, some of whom still work in amateur theatre, are now bringing the stories of famous Canadian women to schools, clubs and churches groups in and around the London Middlesex area. Calling themselves The Famous Five Troupe, the women perform monologues and short plays written by the founder of the project, Jean Hewitt.
Included in the Famous Five repertoire are such women as:
MARY ANN SHADD (1823-1893)
Mary Ann, an African American Abolitionist and Suffragist, came to Canada as part of her work with the Underground Railway which brought fugitive slaves to safety in Canada. Mary Ann was the first woman to publish and edit a newspaper in Canada. The Provincial Freeman was sold in Windsor, Chatham, and Toronto. Although Mary Ann returned to the United States to recruit soldiers for the Civil War and later; to obtain a Law Degree, her legacy and roots remain in North Buxton, Ontario.
EMILY STOWE (1831-1903)
From Woodstock, Ontario, Emily was a woman who not only became Canada’s first woman school principal, but also our first woman doctor. Educated within a Quaker family, Emily was passionate about women’s suffrage and the freedom for women to choose occupations which were denied to them. She founded the Canadian Women’s Suffrage Association and lobbied throughout her life for the right to vote.
AGNES MACPHAIL (1890-1954)
Agnes Macphail from Grey County, knew as a child that she was more interested is current affairs that domesticity. In 1921, she became the first woman to be elected to the Canadian Parliament. At just 31,
she won her seat representing the United Farmers of Ontario. In 1943, she became the first woman to be elected to the Ontario Legislature. A skilled orator, she fought strongly for women’s equality and prison reform.
Two group pieces are also part of the Famous Five Troupe repertoire:
Edmonton 1917 - This is a popular piece for students studying the WWl. It brings the Famous Five women together in Edmonton, Alberta. They are seen sitting having afternoon tea, having just returned from a ‘Votes for Women’ March. Prime Minister, Robert Borden, was come to the City to drum up support for his conscription bill. The women discuss the war raging in Europe, including the involvement of their own family members. They talk about the progress being made in Ottawa to get the vote for women.
The Persons Case - The five women march on singing their protest song and form a tableau representing the Famous Five statue on Parliament Hill celebrating their victory in the Persons Case October 18, 1929. Individually the step forward to tell the audience about their lives. Each of the performance pieces runs approximately 15 minutes and is usually accompanied by a talk about the First Wave of women’s emancipation in Canada (1900-1930). Although the Famous Five troupe appreciate an honorarium for their performances, they are provided as a free service to the community. Full brochure at www.londonwomenshistory.ca Additional information – LWHP at 519 272-2726
