Lake of Bays is home to several historical churches strategically scattered across the township. Three of these quaint churches are the cornerstone of their respective communities in Lake of Bays: Hillside, Dwight, and Dorset.
Strong in character and charm, the churches are also desirable venues for local arts communities, and, as such, it is essential they be kept alive. Two of the Lake of Bays United Churches, Pioneer Memorial at Hillside (132 years old) and Stewart Memorial in Dwight (founded in 1887) are ideally located along the Hwy 60 corridor. The third, Knox United in Dorset is 128 years old. All three share the spirited leadership of the Reverend Meg Jordan. Additionally, with her love and zest for theatre, a partnership with Dot The T Productions (a professional theatre production company in Lake of Bays) has been established.
It began when Dot the T Productions’ Artistic Director, Jan Jacklin, attended a Sunday service in December. In conversation with Scott Winchester, a member of Pioneer Memorial United Church’s congregation, she learned from Scott (who also volunteers with building maintenance) that the church’s furnaces were well past their shelf life and would soon need to be replaced. It was then that Jan offered Reverend Jordan a solution.
It was agreed that the utilization of these cultural community hubs and the performing arts would be a natural fit. Additionally, showcasing these local landmarks with professional events would attract people to Lake of Bays. Both church and local businesses would benefit from this influx. The arts are a substantial economic driver for Muskoka and the township of Lake of Bays is ready to make its mark.
This year, the plan is to perform several shows, taking advantage of Pioneer Memorial’s spacious hall and enthusiastic church council. Their hall is an ideal space to house a staging area and seating for a maximum of 50 people. There is also a kitchen which will come in handy for intermission refreshments to be served, adding more welcome proceeds going directly to the church. With donations of 25% – 50% from ticket sales from the shows throughout the year, the initiative is positioned to garner enough funds for new furnaces.
First up at Pioneer Memorial (2370 Hwy 60, Hillside, Lake of Bays) is the award-winning one-woman show written by Willy Russell, and Shirley Valentine. A heartwarming comedy about a middle-aged woman stuck in a bored marriage and wondering what ever happened to all her dreams. There will be a limited engagement of four performances only. Two evening performances on February 29 and March 1 at 7 pm and two matinees on March 2 and 3 at 2 pm.
For more information on this and other upcoming events at Pioneer Memorial United Church Hall, click HERE.
Dot The T Productions started its professional theatre company in 2017 presenting the iconic Canadian hit, “Billy Bishop Goes to War,” in which they toured Muskoka, Parry Sound, Peterborough, Midland, and Toronto. Building on the production’s success, the company followed with; “The Ladies Foursome”, “On a First Name Basis”, “For The Love of a Good Man”, “Shakespeare: A Most Rare Vision”, “A Christmas Carol”, and Maja Ardal’s Dora Award-winning one-woman show, and “Fancy Yourself,” performed by the playwright herself.
Building a reputation for exceptional theatre over the past 5 years has provided memorable experiences for Dot The T audiences, and now, at the same time, excited to support the heritage churches of Lake of Bays.
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Seemingly a match made in heaven! Kudos to Meg and Jan for recognizing this amazing opportunity. Looking forward to the first production and my first ever visit to the Hillside Pioneer Memorial Church!