Blyth Festival logo. (Blackburn stock photo)Blyth Festival logo. (Blackburn stock photo)
Midwestern

Blyth Theatre posts letter regarding opposition to play about Elizabeth Wettlaufer

The Festival Theatre in Blyth has sent a letter to those concerned about the content of an upcoming play scheduled to begin this summer.

BlackburnNews.com was first to report to the opposition to "In the wake of Wettlaufer", a Blyth Theatrical production on a fictional family's struggles concerning a long-term care home where serial killer Elizabeth Wettlaufer worked.

Now, Artistic Director Gil Garratt has posted correspondence to the theatre's social media site where he described the development of the play and stressed that people are under no obligation to see it.

In the letter, Garratt said "long term care in Ontario is in crisis", and feels the conversation created by the play is "urgent, relevant, and necessary" as nurses continue to protest against job losses across the province.

"Engaging this conversation with care, sensitivity and unflinching focus is the most essential part of truly pursuing fundamental change," said Garratt.

Susan Horvath, the daughter of a victim of Wettlaufer's, posted a YouTube video last week where she called the play "immoral", noting she had retained a lawyer and plans to try and stop the play from opening.

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