GREAT VILLAGE – Although Lenore Zann is a politician, she has definitely not abandoned her acting days.
In fact, the Truro-Bible Hill MLA is shedding her political status for the night and resuming her love of acting. Zann will present a dramatic reading of Running to Paradise during tonight’s Elizabeth Bishop Centenary Arts Festival in Great Village. The festival begins today and wraps up Sunday night.
“I may be a politician, but I’ll be always be an artist/actress too,” said Zann on Thursday.
“I started writing when I was eight years old … poetry and short stories. I still write in a diary and have memoirs that I may publish some day.”
Zann is excited to participate in the Elizabeth Bishop festival for many reasons, including a feeling of kinship with the deceased Pulitzer-winning author.
“I have a passion for words and nature and home like Elizabeth did. Through all my travels I never forgot home, just like Elizabeth always remembered Great Village regardless where she travelled.”
Bishop, an internationally known poet, was born in 1911 in Worcester, Ma. She spent her early childhood in Great Village with her maternal grandparents until 1918 when she moved to Massachusetts. She travelled extensively but made yearly visits to Nova Scotia and consistently wrote about Great Village, which she also considered home. She died in 1979.
“Not enough Nova Scotians know about her. Her poems are all about here but she’s more well known in the States. This festival is really great for Great Village because it’s getting world-wide attention, it’s great for the economy and we learn more about Elizabeth. I’d like to see it done yearly and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
Tonight, Zann will offer a 40-minute dramatic reading of Running to Paradise, which will relate some experiences and reminiscing about Bishop’s life in Great Village, Brazil and Halifax.
The event, which will also feature music by Rosalee Peppard, begins at 7:30 p.m. at St. James United Church in Great Village. Zann has also invited Brazilian guitar player Joanne Hatfield, from Brookfield, to perform.
“Because Elizabeth Bishop spent a lot of her time running back and forth to Brazil, which she considered paradise, the Brazilian music adds to the flavour and emotion of the piece,” said Zann.
mchiasson@trurodaily.com
Here is a list of events taking place during this weekend's Elizabeth Bishop Centenary Arts Festival in Great Village.
Friday
9 a.m. - Elizabeth Bishop art exhibits and short films at the legion until 7:30 p.m.
10 a.m. - Horse and wagon tours until 1 p.m. Walking tours as well at the fire hall parking lot.
10 a.m. - Writing competition readings at St. James United Church until 3 p.m.
11 a.m. - Elizabeth Bishop house tours until 2 p.m.
3:15 p.m. - Book launch of Great Village by Mary Rose Donnelly at St. James
7:30 p.m. - Lenore Zann and Rosalee Peppard perform dramatic readings and songs at St. James
Saturday
8:30 a.m. - Market at St. James until 1:30 p.m.
9 a.m. - Writing workshops until noon throughout the village
10 a.m. - Historical horse and wagon as well as walking tours. Meet at the fire hall;
Elizabeth Bishop house tours until 1 p.m.; blacksmith jamboree, cross-cut competition, kettle boil, wooden boat race, barbecue and bake sale all at the Bass River Museum
1:15 p.m. - Building and racing cardboard boats. Lawn of St. James and Spencer's Pond
1:30 p.m. - Author readings and interviews until 4:15 at St. James
4:15 p.m. - Community supper at St. James
7:30 p.m. - Raylene Rankin, Cindy Church and Susan Crowe at St. James
Sunday
10:30 a.m. - Old-time church service at St. James
11:30 a.m. - Blueberry tea with Rosalee Peppard at St. James
1:30 p.m. - Author readings and interviews until 4:15 p.m. at St. James
7:30 p.m. - Musique Royale concert at St. James
