her work being featured at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre (PSFT), Sophia passionately voices, “I love that PSFT has a commitment to presenting plays written by Canadians. I think it is increasingly important, as Canadians, to tell our own stories and celebrate our local artists!” Moreover, Sophia emphasizes the ways in which this venue is full of energy and life. Julie enthusiastically details what drew her involvement to this production: “I love a lot of things about this play: the sharp, snappy writing; the strong female characters; the heart of the show; the wacky humour -- it’s a fun and funny show with a really great message, and I’m pumped to direct Sophia’s work! Support Canadian female writers, more of this please.” As Sophia offers, “After the long wait for the premiere, I’m thrilled that the show is being picked up across the country. So far, it has had productions at Magnus Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Western Canada Theatre and Alberta Theatre Projects -- with upcoming productions at Drayton and Prairie Theatre Exchange.” There are five characters in this show, to which Julie highlights, “I usually direct musicals with casts of 15 to 20 actors, so this is a luxurious treat. I am looking forward to the intimate conversations and collaboration with the actors, and working out the physical comedy of the show.” Julie further expresses her excitement to spend time in the lakeside village this summer for her debut in this vibrant space, as well as for the audience to engage with this witty storyline. Liars at a Funeral will be showcased in Port Stanley from July 16th until August 2nd. Further information and ticket purchase for this production is available through the PSFT website at psft.ca.
PSFT Presents ‘Liars at a Funeral’ by Peri Hayes
Playwright Sophia Fabiilli in- troduces her play titled Liars at a Funeral: “Grandma Ma- vis fakes her own death in order to reunite members of her estranged family in a rural funeral, however, Mavis is not the only one with secrets.” To which, Di- rector Julie Tomaino pro- ceeds, “Hilarity ensues.” Sophia describes the inspi- ration for this narrative, shar- ing, “I love farce. In my ca- reer when I was an actor, I loved performing in them and I love attending them as an audience member. With that said, I’ve found a lot of farces don’t have
great roles for women, so I had hoped to change that. I call Liars at a Funeral a ‘feminist farce with heart.’ I started writing it in 2016, and it’s been a long journey. The show was supposed to premiere in 2020 at the Blyth Festival, but the Pandemic stalled the premiere for three years.” Regarding the intended message of this play, Sophia reveals, “You can’t heal without telling the truth.” Looking forward to
ANTIQUE CAR SHOW
CAPTAIN THOM BEDLAM’S MAGIC SHOW
FOOD TRUCKS
CANADIAN BOMBSHELL BEAUTIES
FIREWORKS
CALIPSO MERMAIDS
PIRATE CARNIVAL RIDE
MARKETPLACE
KIDS ZONE
SANDCASTLE CONTEST
DECORATED BIKE CONTEST
PRIZES
TRAIN RIDES
BOAT RIDES
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Port Stanley Villager • July-August 2025 • Page 7
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