The Arts Are Not Dead: Magic Lies Brings W.O. Mitchell’s Storytelling Back to Life
Former Trent professors Orm and Barbara Mitchell bring second staging of one-man show about the Canadian literary icon to Peterborough
In an age of viral memes and blockbuster spectacles, live theatre proves its enduring power. Magic Lies: An Evening with W.O. Mitchell, co-written by Trent professor emeritus Orm Mitchell and his wife, Barbara, is a testament to the magic of storytelling—unfolding in real time, with an audience breathing alongside the performer.
“There’s nothing like a one-on-one connection,” says Orm, son of renowned Canadian author W.O. Mitchell. “My father always said storytelling needs creative partners—the performer and the audience. You can’t replicate that energy in a digital space.”
Despite the challenges arts organizations faced post-pandemic, audiences are returning. Alberta Theatre Projects recently staged The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon, one of W.O.’s classic plays, to record-breaking success.
“They were so relieved audiences came back,” Orm says. “People were hungry for it.”
Peterborough, a city with deep ties to W.O., Orm, and Barbara, is the second stop for Magic Lies. Rosebud Theatre, in a little prairie town near Calgary, gave the play its world premiere in September 2023. Just as W.O.’s novel Who Has Seen the Wind captured the Canadian Prairies, this production breathes new life into W.O.’s wit, wisdom, and belief in storytelling.
For Orm and Barbara, both former professors at Trent, the performance coming to Market Hall is personal. “We’re looking forward to seeing our colleagues in the audience and seeing what they think,” Orm says.
Beyond nostalgia, the play highlights a broader cultural question: the value of the arts. “People say a B.A. won’t get you a job,” Orm says. “But both arts organizations and business CEOs seek graduates in philosophy, history, and English—people who think and write well. The arts train you for any career.”
With Magic Lies, W.O. Mitchell’s words live on, proving the arts are not fading. If anything, they’re more vital than ever.
Magic Lies will be performed on February 27 at Market Hall as part of the Brand New Stages Festival.
Read more about the writing and creation of Magic Lies.