An Evening with Paul Butler

Cupids: A Novel

New Date – Thursday, June 10th
Cupids Community Centre,  Seaforest Drive.
Adm:  $5 – proceeds to Cupids Legacy Centre Trust.  Refreshments will be served
Books available for purchase.  For more information, please contact
Cupids 400 – Kathi Stacey @ 528-1610 or kstacey@cupids400.com

As part of the Visiting Author Series, Paul Butler, award winning NL author of Cupids, will be visiting on June 10th. Cupids (Flanker Press), was released in May 2010. The novel is a fast moving Jacobean revenge tragedy set around John Guy’s colony at Cupers Cove, 1610-1612.

Cupids is the fourth historical novel he has written about the Conception Bay North Area. The other three: NaGeira, Easton’s Gold and Easton are based on often told legends and recorded history in the region, and are set in about the same time period.

About this Book from Flanker Press

In the fall of 1611, John Guy prepares to return from his colony in Cupers Cove, Newfoundland, to Bristol, England, where he plans to woo Eliza Egret, the daughter of one of the principal stockholders of the colonization venture. Guy must return, however, with a prisoner, a mysterious young man named Bartholomew, who is responsible for burning the colony’s stored grain. As the presence of a convict might cause the backers to question his leadership, Guy chooses a radical course — to use the silken-tongued Bartholomew as an ally. So Guy and his companion enter a tale of intrigue and danger reminiscent of the revenge tragedies of the Jacobean period.

About Paul Butler from Flanker Press.

Paul Butler

Paul Butler is the author of several critically acclaimed novels including Hero, 1892, NaGeira, Easton’s Gold, Easton, and Stoker’s Shadow.

His work has appeared on the judges’ lists for Canada Reads, the Relit longlist, and he was a winner in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Letters Awards four times between 2003 and 2008.

A graduate of Norman Jewison’s Canadian Film Centre, Butler has written for the Globe and Mail, The Beaver, Books in Canada, Atlantic Books Today, and Canadian Geographic, and has also contributed to CBC Radio, local and national.”

For more information see his website:
paulbutlernovelist.com

The schedule of events for Cupids 400 in June, July, and August is now online at cupids400.com …and what a schedule it is! Dozens of events in Cupids and all over the region for all ages are featured. In addition to continuing the extremely popular Visiting Authors Series and other cultural and musical events that Cupids 400 Inc. has been sponsoring in Cupids and the region, there are a number of Marquee Events and Premier Events, which feature Newfoundland and Labrador’s headline entertainers. Complete information about each event, including date, time, location, time, and cost can be found at cupids400.com

Marquee Events – Regional Venues

Marquee Event – New World Theatre Project – Rabbittown Theatre Company

The New World Theatre Project will explore, present and celebrate the theatre and stories of John Guy’s England, particularly what the settlers may have seen, heard, or written in the London of 1610. Four of the productions, including two Shakespearian plays, will take place on the specially constructed portable interpretation of an Elizabethan Stage, which is called the Indeavour. For the summer of 2010, the Indeavour will be set up in the backyard of Cupids Haven B&B, Cupids.

The other two productions will be “Feast of the Sword” Dinner Theatre which will take place in the Cupids Community Centre and Ben Pittman’s “Colony of the Heart” which will take place in the Cupids Legacy Centre.

For complete information on the New World Theatre project and Rabbittown Theatre, visit them online at rabbittowntheatre.com

Marquee Event – Muses & Minstrels – A Festival of Early Performing Arts – Friday, July 2nd – Sunday, July 11th

Muses & Minstrels – Newfoundland and Labrador’s first ever Festival of Early Performing Arts features 19 afternoon and evening concerts in several host communities throughout the Baccalieu Trail Region during July 2-11^th, 2010.  Muses & Minstrels will host Roots of Our Culture, a daylong symposium at the College of the North Atlantic in Carbonear on Friday, July 2.  The symposium explores the traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador Culture evolving from the roots of our music, dance, theatre and forms of entertainment. Registration is open to general public on first come first serve basis. It will include a Muses and Minstrels Opening Gala which will offer a sneak peek of what to expect from an early performing arts festival in Newfoundland and Labrador. Performances by the Hot Earth Ensemble, Jim Payne and Friends, Beni Malone of Wonderbolt Productions, and New World Theatre will be part of the Opening Gala. In the evening, there will be a concert at the Princess Sheila NaGeira Theatre, Conception Bay Regional Community Centre, Carbonear.

There will be Songs of the Sea afternoon sessions in Winterton, Bay de Verde, and Dildo with Jim Payne and British musicians Marilyn Pucker, Paul Wilson, Rebecca Driscoll, Nicholas Wyke and David Faulkner. Explore with experienced musicians, early folk instruments, music and dance. Join in Storytelling sessions that feature folk tales of an earlier time. Share your stories and bring your instruments or just sit back and enjoy.

There will be Shore to Shore evening concerts in five communities, Winterton, Bay De Verde, Carbonear, Dildo and Cupids. Residents will join celebrated Newfoundland and Labrador musician, singer, songwriter Jim Payne and friends for an evening of music, song and dance.

Fairest Isles, All Isles Excelling evening concerts will be held in Cupids, Bay Roberts, and Carbonear. Each with a different theme, these three concerts will feature guest artists, Meredith Hall, soprano, Calvin Powell, baritone, and a group of Madrigal Singers, directed by Kellie Walsh. Presenting music that was played, sung, or danced to in the “Fairest Isle” of England 400 or so years ago.

A Muses & Minstrels Youth Arts Camp will be held in the new Cupids Legacy Centre from July 5th to July 9th. Children from Grades 4 – 12 will spend 3 hours a day for 5 days exploring various types of performing arts from the 17th century to present day. Youth will be involved in circus art, dance, music making, theatre and a variety of other exciting and fun creative activities, while exploring the historic Town of Cupids. Participants must pre-register. First come first serve – limited number of seats. For more information contact Kathi at 528- 1610. 1:00 – 4:00 pm Registration fee is$20.00

Servant of Two Masters with Beni Malone & Wonderbolt Productions will be held in Cupids, Carbonear, Old Perlican, Bay Roberts, and Brigus. Servant of Two Masters is a classic Commedia del’arte piece written by renowned Italian playwright Carlos Goldini and adapted for stage by Beni Malone of Wonderbolt Productions. Audiences will be treated to a tapestry of memorable characters, beautiful costumes, manic comic energy as they whirl at a break neck pace through the ever twisting and twirling plot that is the trademark of the commedia del’arte form.

An English Country Dance Evening held at the Cupids Legacy Centre. Andrew Draskoy delivers an evening of English Country Dance demonstrations with audience participation. Open to general public

Muses & Minstrels Closing Concert will be held on Sunday, July 11th at St. George’s Heritage Church, Brigus. Join Jim Payne and Friends for the Festival grand finale at 8:00pm

Premiere Event

Cupids Cove Soiree Tuesday, Aug 17 – Sunday, Aug 22. All events in Cupids.

Six Days of Celebrations Begin! Day long activities including a variety of children’s favourites such as amusement rides, face painting, and craft displays. The celebrations also includes events featuring premiere Newfoundland and Labrador groups, family entertainment, community breakfasts, harbour tours by Ocean Quest Adventures, evening soirees and fireworks!

Don’t miss our Gala Soiree Opening & Closing, ‘Seeds of Settlement’ written and directed by Ged Blackmore.

Main Stage Entertainment

Our Main Stage on Pointe Beach is an outdoor venue where the Performances of “Seeds of Settlement” on August 17th and 22nd will be staged. Headline groups will perform each evening. Detailed information about the events and performers can be found at cupids400.com

Christopher Pratt, Author & Artist
Christopher Pratt charmed the large audience in Cupids on May 20th, when he appeared as part of the Visiting Authors Series.  He examined the display about his great uncle E. J. Pratt, Canadian literary figure.  E.J. Pratt stated school in Cupids, so Christopher Pratt displayed a copy of the Pratt family Bible which was signed in Cupids on March 1, 1888.

Originally uploaded by John Guy2010

He spoke of his book “ordinary things” which is well suited to his artistic vision since “the dynamic world of the ordinary” is the inspiration for so much of his work.  He also spoke of his father and his mother, remembering various aspects of his life.  Christopher Patt’s mother, Emily Christina Dawe, was born in Bay Roberts. The Bay Roberts art gallery, which is located in the Cable Building National Historic Site, is the “Christopher Pratt Art Gallery.”

 At the end of his presentation, William Akerman thanked him and gave him a copy of  the unique collectors coin prepared for the Cupids 400 Celebrations. (Available through www.cupids400.com )

For photos from his presention, see  Christopher Pratt in Cupids on Flickr  >>