National Arts Centre - Centre national des Arts Canada is our stage. Le Canada en scène.

Tell Tale Harbour

Confederation Centre of the Arts Charlottetown

Created by Adam Brazier, Alan Doyle, Bob Foster and Edward Riche
Directed by Jillian Keiley

Adapted from the film screenplay The Grand Seduction by Ken Scott, Tell Tale Harbour is a new large-scale musical that is inspired by Atlantic Canada and the resilient people who proudly live there. Set in a fictional town, the musical tells the story of how a tight-knit community must learn to lie, cheat, con, and perhaps most difficult of all, work together to convince an American doctor to make Tell Tale Harbour his home, and save what’s left of their beloved harbour.

Led by a creative team of acclaimed East Coast artists, the musical draws on the folk-art traditions of the region, and its many musical styles and dances. Tell Tale Harbour is a celebration of smaller industry towns, both in Atlantic Canada and throughout the country, that continually struggle to feel relevant in an ever-changing world.

Company

For more than 55 years, Confederation Centre of the Arts has been providing Canadians and visitors with an opportunity to experience the multiple cultures, histories, stories, and contexts of Canada’s origins and evolution. Through engaging visual arts exhibitions, theatrical performances, music, dance, education, and heritage programming, it is Canada’s hub for learning about how this nation was formed, and how our identity continues to evolve.

As a national cultural hub in the Atlantic region, the Centre plays a critical role in the economic and social well-being of the community. In the heart of downtown Charlottetown, the birthplace of Canadian Confederation, the Centre brings Indigenous, Francophone, and multicultural Canadian voices to the world and help visitors connect with the past, present, and future.

Creative team

Created by Adam Brazier, Alan Doyle, Bob Foster and Edward Riche
Directed by Jillian Keiley
Adapted from the original screenplay by Ken Scott
Choreographer / Assistant Director Dayna Tekatch
Stage managers Krista Blackwood and Chantal Hayman

National Creation Fund investment

The National Creation Fund’s investment of $175,000 supported several additional workshops to further develop the musical’s book, score, choreography, and design, and also made it possible to expand the number of musicians involved.