The 2023 Watershed Festival - Reimagining Music Theatre took place May 25-27, 2023 at the Grand Theatre in Kingston. This was the third festival and featured the long-anticipated premiere the major new Canadian musical The Lancashire Lass. The work, commissioned by the DAN School and Watershed Festival in 2019, was written by renowned Canadian music teacher creator Leslie Arden. Leslie worked closely with DAN School students as Artist-in-Residence, carefully developing the work over three years - no small feat in the face of a global pandemic. The Lancashire Lass was directed by Tim Fort with musical direction by Darrell Christie. It featured 23 students, professionals and community members in the cast with another 9 musicians in the pit. This was the most ambitious theatrical production ever attempted by the DAN School and the response was extremely positive. The festival also included a family performance offered by Queen’s Barefoot Players and the return of Watershed’s popular New Works Showcase. The City of Kingston has always been an incredibly supportive partner for the festival and again showed the value of community collaboration in the arts.
www.watershedmusictheatre.com
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