Cumberland Culture & Arts Society and Elevate the Arts bring you a special Women’s Day Weekend presentation of Cougar Annie Tales at The Abbey on Saturday, March 7th.
Matinee Performance: Doors 1:30 PM, show 2 PM
Evening Performance: Doors 7 PM, Show 8 PM
In the early 1900’s the legendary west coast settler Cougar Annie was anything but a typical woman. She trapped over 70 cougars, homesteaded a rainforest bog, opened a remote post office, and outlived 4 husbands.
California-born Ada Annie Jordan settled in the Clayoquot coastal rainforest in 1915 with her first husband and three young children. A five-acre garden that she carved out of the wilderness provided food and income throughout her long life. The bounty on cougars supplemented her income and she earned her nickname of Cougar Annie by shooting over 70 of the animals. Annie gave birth to eight more children in this remote location, and in fact rarely left the property until old age and blindness forced her removal to Port Alberni, where she died at the age of 97.
Singer/songwriter Kat Kadoski lived in Clayoquot Sound for three years caretaking Cougar Annie’s garden and immersing herself in the folklore surrounding the legendary pioneer-settler. Drawing upon many sources, including Annie’s family, COUGAR ANNIE TALES uses dramatic narrative, images, letters, and original compositions to celebrate the unconventional life of one of BC’s most colourful characters.
"Her musical ode to Cougar Annie is a treat to behold" - John Threlfall - CVV magazine
“It’s great to see our unique B.C. history being kept alive in so appealing a fashion.”
—Robert Moyes - Monday Magazine
This event is part of the Odd Bog Performance Series showcasing the weird and wonderful world of theatre, comedy, and other performing arts in unique Cumberland venues. This series is presented by the Woodstove Music & Arts Festival and Elevate the Arts team.
This play is made possible through the generous support of BC Live Community Presenters Assistance Program.
We gather to share music, creativity and stories in the traditional territory of the Pentlatch, Ieeksan (eye-ick-sun), Sasitla (sa-seet-la), and Sathloot (sath-loot) people, known collectively as K’ómoks First Nation.