Blyth Festival to Host Variety Show Fundraiser 9/11

The most memorable personalities from former Blyth Festival productions are joining forces for a special one-night-only variety show fundraiser celebrating the last 35 years of the arts in Blyth. This is a rare opportunity to see favourite characters brought back to life, and hear a revival of standout musical numbers from seasons past!

Homegrown will take place on Saturday, September 11, at 8:00 p.m. at the Blyth Centre for the Arts. A reception will follow the performance in the Lower Hall. Tickets are $25, available at www.blythfestival.com or by calling 1-877-862-5984. Homegrown is suitable for the whole family.

A variety show featuring a unique and dynamic combination of artists never before appearing together on the Blyth Festival stage, Homegrown features celebrated moments from The Dreamland, The Ballad of Stompin' Tom, Barndance Live!, and He Won't Come in From the Barn...and a few worthy surprises thrown in there, too!
The evening's host, Artistic Director Eric Coates, will be joined by Blyth Festival favourites Ted Johns (He Won't Come in From the Barn), the extraordinary Michelle Fisk (Cruel Tears, Reverend Jonah), longtime associate artistic director Gil Garratt, and blues artist Raoul Bhaneja (Barndance Live!). The Blyth Festival Singers will also perform as they celebrate the release of their first CD.

Homegrown is a salute to the people who had the courage and the imagination to make the Blyth Festival what it is today: one of Canada's leading creators of original, professional theatre. Proceeds from the event will directly support the Blyth Festival, a registered non-profit organization.

Coates says, "The reality, quite simply, is that we could not do what we do without the continued support of our loyal audience. Events like Homegrown not only remind us of where we came from, but also help to support the future health and vitality of the organization. "

For more information on Homegrown, or other Blyth Festival events, visit www.blythfestival.com or call 1-877-862-5984.

Homegrown is sponsored by MyFM Radio and Scrimgeour's Food Market. Blyth Festival special events are sponsored by Huron Income Managers Group, and their partners the Economical Insurance Group and Howick Mutual Insurance Company. The Blyth Festival's 2010 season is sponsored by Sparling's Propane Company Limited and CTV.