Authors on Stage coming to Theatre Orangeville 

By Constance Scrafield 

Once again, BookLore and Theatre Orangeville are bringing four authors to the Main Stage over three dates.

On September 26, Diana Beresford-Kroeger will be centre stage; Marc Garneau and Carol Off on October 6; and people are invited for a discussion with Tanya Talaga on November 6.

Bernadette Hardacre returns as moderator for all three evening events. 

Irish scientist/author Beresford-Kroeger is the author of many books and producer of the documentary film, Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees. In this gripping documentary, she travels the world to demonstrate how the ancient forests are essential to all life as the planet's major source of food, medicine and above all, oxygen. She visits places of intense reforestation, both big and very small.

We are warned, “Without trees and their ability to capture carbon dioxide, our living breathable atmosphere would cease to exist on our planet. Trees are the most important living organisms on earth... literally the lifeline of the planet and the key to reversing climate change.” 

Beresford-Kroeger's new book, Our Green Heart, the Soul and Science of Forests, brings ancient and holistic attitudes to the science of trees and how closely we are tied to the natural world.

Garneau and Off will join Hardacre with their books on Theatre Orangeville's Main Stage. The first Canadian to fly to outer space, Garneau's memoir of that 1984 historical adventure is captured in A Most Extraordinary Ride. This proud achievement “ushered in a new era of space exploration for Canada,” says the publisher.

Another first, in 2008, Garneau became the first astronaut to be elected as a Member of Parliament.

Off, award-winning author, broadcast journalist and long-time co-host of CBC Radio's As It Happens is bringing her book, At A Loss For Words.

In this important work, she examines the current critical change to six words intrinsically connected to our democracy, both sociologically and politically: freedom, democracy, truth, woke, choice and taxes.

Off points to the perils in how our words are being mutilated in this fascinating approach to the manipulation of language, “unpacking the forces, from right and left, that have altered them beyond recognition,” according to the publisher.

Talaga is scheduled to appear for a talk about her latest book, The Knowing. This work defines the tragedy of missing children and family members after being sent to residential schools, so-called “Indian hospitals” and asylums which people knew and understood as the attempt to destroy who are the First Nations, Metis and Inuit people, through a system designed for the purpose.

From the publisher, “The Knowing is the unfolding of Canadian history unlike anything we have ever read before...as only she can - through the Indigenous lens.”

Talaga is a multi-award winner, bestseller Anishinaabe journalist, author and speaker. Her mother's family is from Fort William First Nation and her father was Polish-Canadian.

She was the 2018 CBC Massey Lecturer, the first Anishinaabe woman to be so.

Talaga is the head of Makwa Creative Inc., a production company producing documentary films, TV and podcasts as a focus for amplifying Indigenous voices. She also holds an honorary doctorate from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. Each of these fascinating evenings welcomes audiences to join the authors in the Atrium downstairs for refreshments, a chance to meet the authors and purchased their books.

Authors on Stage is jointly presented in a partnership between BookLore and Theatre Orangeville in support of TOV's New Play Development Program.

Tickets are Authors on Stage are available at BookLore and at Theatre Orangeville.