The Bush-Ladies: In Their Own Words is adapted from the writings of Susanna Moodie, Catherine Parr Traill, Anne Langton, and Anna Jameson. In the 1830s, these four well-born, highly-educated British women came to Canada—and the accounts of their lives have made them the First Ladies of Canadian literature. In this clever play, Molly Thom uses the Bush-Ladies’ own words to illuminate the immigrant experience. It is a spirited and dramatic romp through a vivid era in our history.

Molly Thom is a Toronto director, actor, and theatre administrator. She has directed many plays by women writers, including the Toronto premieres of Carol Shields’ Thirteen Hands, Caryl Churchill’s Fen, Timberlake Wertenbaker’s The Love of the Nightingale, and Pam Gems’ Camille. Other stage adaptations include Daisy Ashford’s The Young Visitors and several plays in translation. As well, she is active as a dramaturge and director of new scripts, and is the founder of Toronto’s New Ideas Festival, which develops original writing for the stage.

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