Shrouds and Stays: The Ballad of Jane Wright
Date: May 23
7:00 pm
- 8:30 pm
Where: Theatre
A Live Performance by Catherine Wright
A family, a ship, a monkey, a sugar bowl, a storm…
It is 1890. Jane sets off from England on a perilous journey aboard the merchant sailing ship Bay of Panama. Her husband is captain, and she is the only woman on board. 130 years later, Jane’s great-great granddaughter Catherine discovers her story and is compelled to share it through narration, original songs, recitations and movement.
Here is a story of seafaring days gone by, of family ties, love and loss, forces of nature, inner courage and continuum - themes which will resonate in this province.
Cost: $20 plus HST. 10% Discount for Rooms members. Tickets are available online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
Thanks to ArtsNL for their support of this project.
Performer Bio:
Catherine Wright is a storyteller, multi-arts practitioner and arts educator who divides her time between St John’s and Port Kirwan, Newfoundland.
A versatile performer who brings warmth and passion to her storytelling, Catherine has presented a broad range of stories (folk and fairy tales, personal narratives, ballads, hybrid shows) at festivals, schools, theatres, galleries, outdoor venues and online, in her over 30 years of performance experience. Her background in dance is apparent in her storytelling style, and she often interweaves songs and recitations into many of her performances.
Shrouds & Stays: The Ballad of Jane Wright is Catherine’s newest show, a true shipwreck story of family, love, loss and continuum. Funded by ArtsNL, the show was launched in 2024 with further performances scheduled in rural community venues in Newfoundland and Cornwall, UK in 2025.
Catherine is past president of St John’s Storytelling and current provincial representative for Storytellers of Canada (SC-CC).
Today's Events & Programs
Have you ever wondered about the connections between creativity and neurodivergence, such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia? From attention to detail to pattern recognition and language originality, neurodivergent artists can display talents that could be considered advantages.
Join us for a moderated panel discussion with Dr. Andreae Callanan and Dr. Kate Lahey, who will talk about how neurodivergent people express creativity in unique, unconventional ways.
Part of the discussion will address some challenges for neurodivergent artists during and following the creative process, such as executive functioning, sleep disturbances, and burnout. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions following the presentation.
Cost: $12 plus HST. Free for Rooms members. Register online or by calling (709) 757-8090.
About the Panelists:
Andreae Callanan holds a PhD in English from Memorial and serves as co-convener of the Research and Knowledge Exchange on Critical Disability Studies at the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research. Her debut poetry collection, The Debt (Biblioasis, 2021), was shortlisted for the E. J. Pratt Family Poetry Prize and was a runner-up in the Fred Cogswell Award for Excellence in Poetry. Andreae’s creative and critical writing has been published in Riddle Fence, The Walrus, Newfoundland Quarterly, Canadian Notes & Queries, Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, and in Best Canadian Essays 2026. She lives in St. John’s.
Dr. Kate Lahey holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, is the front person of the band Weary, and writes arts criticism. As a musician, writer, scholar, community organizer, and postdoctoral fellow at Memorial’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, her research centers on trauma-informed values such as healing, care, empathy, and social justice.
Join MUN School of Music alumni and current students for an evening of exciting big band jazz showcasing the talent of the School of Music community.
The ensemble will perform a selection of compositions by Maria Schneider, Pat Metheny, Christine Jensen, Chucho Valdés and others.
Cash bar (opens at 6:45 pm) and reception to follow the performance at 9 pm
Tickets: $25 plus HST. 10% discount for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.