WARNING
for the sensitive and debt-ridden,
FUNDRAISING LETTER AHEAD

January 14, 2008

Dear Friends and Patrons,

We invite the most financially-solvent and/or art-mad among you to give a donation and loan your good name
to VideoCabaret’s epic endeavours; we invite all of you to join us in our cozy theatre at the licensed Cameron
House for another eye-popping episode of Michael Hollingsworth’s History Plays. Last season’s episode The
Saskatchewan Rebellion was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Play, and Michael was named Toronto’s
Top Playwright by NOW Magazine.

Laurier is a feast of comedic acting, beautiful staging, fanciful costumes, and big serious ideas illuminated by
farcical human behaviour. Sip a drink and marvel at the spectacle as Ottawa Society from top to up-and-coming
revolves around the duelling salons of Laurier’s wife Zoe, and his best friend’s wife Émilie LaVergne with whom
Wilfy has a long affair. Wonder at the poetic justice as the enfant terrible of this ménage, Armand LaVergne, joins
the Quebec ‘separatists’ in opposing everything Laurier stands for. Other salonistes include the liberal Whigs Lord
and Lady Aberdeen, arch-imperialist Lord Minto, and the grandsons of the 1837 Rebels Mackenzie and Papineau
– rising lawyer William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Quebec nationalist Henri Bourassa. As Canada begins its
growth from colony to country, Laurier grapples with Canadian troop support for the Boer War, and funding for
religious schools. The great conflicts between Nationalism and Imperialism, Federalism and Provincialism, the
Canadien Laurier and the Quebecois Bourassa, are still the urgent debates of Canada’s 21st century. Laurier asks the
question, What is a Canadian? And answers it.

A donation to the production of Laurier is 100% art-fuel, poured into the play-development, rehearsal,
actors, characters, costumes, props, lighting cues and Dervish-level choreography that create the grand
theatrical style you’ve come to love.

Donate $1000 and Michael will buy you a beer and answer The Manitoba Schools Question.
Donate $500 and be an Empire Builder.
Donate $200 and be Nation Builder.
Donate $100 and be a Lover.
Donate $50 and be an Enfant Terrible.
Donate $25 and be a Salonista.
Donate $1 and be a Bastard.

Donors will receive a Charitable Tax Receipt, and probably remain on our Opening List forever.
Merci beaucoup,

Michael Hollingsworth & Deanne Taylor
Artistic Directors