In this season of change, Sackville has experienced many changes of its own in the theatre community. From Sackville’s Live Bait and Performer’s Theatre Company merging this year creating Marshlight Theatre, to change being a theme of their season opener Return of Grace. This most recent play is a show written and directed by Ron Kelly Spurles. The play reimagines the historical character of New Brunswick artist, director and business woman Grace Helen Mowatt, returning her small town community theatre group in St. Andrews after working on successful productions in Montreal.
Kelly Spurles was originally the Artistic Director of Live Bait Theatre for eight years, during which he wrote the first drafts of Return of Grace. He now holds the position of Artistic Director for Marshlight Theatre, and works with a new board of directors. “I’m working a lot with Ryan Slashinsky, who is the Managing Director. He was working with Performers before. So I feel like we kind of have the best of both companies now.” He also spoke on how writing this show has helped him process some changes in his own life: “I’m kind of in a similar situation as Grace is in the play. I went away and trained and did a fair bit of professional work. Then I came back to live in a Maritime town. I tried for many years to create a completely professional company, but now I’ve realized I can be happy working on something that is more of a community-professional hybrid.”
With 2024/25 being Marshlight’s first official season, Kelly Spurles decided it was time to direct and produce Return of Grace. This was a long time coming, with several of his previous works surrounding the life of Mowatt. Kelly Spurles’s first play about Mowatt was called Nellie’s Cottage Craft. Additionally, the Notable Acts festival in Fredericton held an annual One Act Play Competition, which led to a four-character play about Mowatt called M.A.D. About Van Horne. That play won the competition, driving Kelly Spurles forward in his quest to produce this current play. “We were looking to do an original play for the new Marshlight Theatre Company, and I decided to expand that play into The Return of Grace. I wanted to tell more of her story, and have more opportunities for actors,” Kelly Spurles explained, elaborating on the addition of new characters. Kelly Spurles’s decision to expand his show has allowed many community members an opportunity to get involved. From board members to Mt. A Drama students, there is a place for all kinds of people in the cast.
Grace Helen Mowatt was an inspiration to Kelly Spurles over the years. She was a woman in the early 20th century in St. Andrew’s, NB who held an important role in her community. “She started a business called Cottage Craft that made woven rugs and other fibre art crafts. They employed local farm women who had time on their hands, but really needed some extra income to support their families,” Kelly Spurles explained. Mowatt’s influence on the art world of St. Andrews went beyond Cottage Craft. “She started a group called the M.A.D. Society (Music, Art and Drama Society) to do plays and art shows. She was a real inspiration for people— including me,” said Kelly Spurles.
Kelly Spurles hopes Return of Grace “will make you think about how you can live your best life in the small Maritime town we live in, and to appreciate what’s really important to you. Look at what you have and how you can maybe be happy with that, rather than always wanting something else.” In taking this lesson forward, hopefully, those who got the chance to see the show enjoyed it and learned some history along the way. Follow Marshlight Theatre on Facebook and Instagram to watch for updates on new productions and how to get involved.
