Trent Valley Archives Theatre
Returning May 2025
Crossing Over: Sequel Tide of Hope
A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives
May 29 – 31, 2025
Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Peter Robinson settlers from Ireland to our district in 1825, ‘Crossing Over’ is a fictionalized account of the voyage of the emigrant transport ship, John Barry.
(More information.)
*** Tickets Available Now! ***
Have you seen the updated Heritage Gazette?
We are pleased to continue and expand on the pioneering work of archivist Elwood Jones and Steve Gavard as we explore the near and distant past in this full colour publication.
View the current and past issues
Trent Valley Archives Theatre is headed to the 25th annual Peterborough St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday March 16th to promote our upcoming play, Crossing Over! Keep an eye out for our parade float, which will feature traditional Irish music and folk songs performed by a group of talented local musicians. We'll be highlighting them on our social media soon, but for now, check out the video below (featuring Joslynn Burford, Elaine Day and Crocky Teasdale) to get a taste of the music you'll hear at the parade!![]()
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We're welcoming anyone who wants to join in on the fun by singing along with our musicians or handing out flyers along the parade route. If you're interested, send us a message or email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com.
We're sweetening the pot at the end of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club's rainbow by donating three door prizes to their St. Patrick's Day celebration this weekend! If you want to win one of three pairs of front row-auditorium tickets to our matinee performance of Crossing Over on May 31, keep reading for all the event details. ![]()
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On Saturday, March 8th, join the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club at the St. Joseph's Parish Hall in Douro from 1pm-11pm for some St. Patrick's Day family fun. There will be children's activities, entertainment and food, including a dance with live music from the Patio Stones Band. All day tickets cost $15 for members and $20 for non-members, and dance tickets cost $10 for members and $15 for non-members. There is also a family pass available for $25 for members and $30 for non-members (which admits 2 adults and an unlimited number of children to the day's festivities). If you'd like to purchase tickets, please contact Shelley Ryan at 705-875-5437 or Pam Gash at 705-742-5360.
Auditions for Crossing Over are happening tomorrow (February 25) and Wednesday (February 26). If you want to be a part of a fun and rewarding production that tells an important historical story, it's not too late!Are you a local actor who wants to bring your community's history to life on stage? Keep reading! We're looking to cast 16 volunteer actors of all ages and levels of experience for our upcoming production of Crossing Over, which will be performed at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in May of this year. ![]()
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The play, which is a sequel to last year's sold-out show Tide of Hope, takes place aboard the storm-tossed John Barry, the last of the nine emigrant transport ships that ultimately brought over 2,000 Irish settlers to our area in 1825. It will be one of the first events in our community commemorating the Bicentennial of the emigration this year. ![]()
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If this sounds like a production you want to be a part of, come out to our auditions! Auditions for Crossing Over will be held on February 25 and 26 from 6:30 to 9:30pm in the Right to Heal hall, located at 441 Rubidge Street in Peterborough (enter from the parking lot on Brock Street between Rubidge and Reid Streets). You don't need to prepare anything in advance. All you need to do is show up ready to read for a variety of parts!![]()
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For more information or to sign up for an official audition slot, visit our audition contact and sign-up page, here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0CYEIXtBpDamxgv-nPjIqgC80LQQUjhacyfYHrZ8n2sAVog/viewform![]()
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NOTE: If you are cast in the production, there will be a cast meeting on March 4 at 6:30pm, and rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from April 15 to May 21 at the Right to Heal Hall. The play will be performed four times: May 29, 30 and 31 at 7:30pm and May 31 at 2pm, and you will need to be available for the majority of the production week of May 26 to 31.
Crossing Over, through the lens of the Nagle and Ryan families, documents the hardships so many Irish families faced on their transatlantic ocean journey to Canada as part of the wider Peter Robinson Irish Emigration, and we think their story of resilience and courage in the face of this hardship is an important one that every family needs to see. To encourage you to bring your family and friends to see this important historical production, we're offering a discount on purchases of 4 packs of tickets! This Family Day weekend, from Friday, February 14 to Monday, February 17, when you purchase 4 tickets to our any of our performances (Thursday May 29, Friday May 30, and Saturday May 31) you'll save 20% off the total cost of all four tickets. That means that instead of spending $120 on four tickets, you'll be spending $96, getting one ticket for just $6! To purchase tickets, visit our Crossing Over ticket page via the link in our bio or call the Market Hall box office at 705-775-1503 during the promotion period. No discount code is required.![]()
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Note: This discount is only applicable on four packs of tickets (if you purchase four tickets you get a discount on all four, if you purchase six tickets, you get a discount on just four of those tickets, and if you purchase eight tickets, you get a discount on all eight). It can only be applied to regular auditorium seating (not cabaret seating) for all four performances. Previously purchased tickets cannot be exchanged for this promotion. ![]()
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Crossing Over is generously sponsored by our Platinum Sponsor the Gardens of Peterborough Retirement Residences and our Platinum Media Sponsor kawarthaNOW. Crossing Over is also generously sponsored by our Silver Sponsor Templeton Law and our Media Sponsor PTBO Canada. We would also like to thank our community partners the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club and Kawartha Window Cleaning.
Are you a local actor who wants to bring your community's history to life on stage? Keep reading! We're looking to cast 16 volunteer actors of all ages and levels of experience for our upcoming production of Crossing Over, which will be performed at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in May of this year. ![]()
![]()
The play, which is a sequel to last year's sold-out show Tide of Hope, takes place aboard the storm-tossed John Barry, the last of the nine emigrant transport ships that ultimately brought over 2,000 Irish settlers to our area in 1825. It will be one of the first events in our community commemorating the Bicentennial of the emigration this year. ![]()
![]()
If this sounds like a production you want to be a part of, come out to our auditions! Auditions for Crossing Over will be held on February 25 and 26 from 6:30 to 9:30pm in the Right to Heal hall, located at 441 Rubidge Street in Peterborough (enter from the parking lot on Brock Street between Rubidge and Reid Streets). You don't need to prepare anything in advance. All you need to do is show up ready to read for a variety of parts!![]()
![]()
For more information or to sign up for an official audition slot, visit our audition contact and sign-up page, here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0CYEIXtBpDamxgv-nPjIqgC80LQQUjhacyfYHrZ8n2sAVog/viewform![]()
![]()
NOTE: If you are cast in the production, there will be a cast meeting on March 4 at 6:30pm, and rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from April 15 to May 21 at the Right to Heal Hall. The play will be performed four times: May 29, 30 and 31 at 7:30pm and May 31 at 2pm, and you will need to be available for the majority of the production week of May 26 to 31.