STUDY GUIDE

{ Canadiana Musical Theatre Company }

Pier 21 National Historical Site: Carrie-Ann Smith, Steven Schwinghamer

The Canadian Immigration Historical Society: Gerry Maffre, Mike Molloy, Robert Vineberg, Gerard Van Kessel, Raphael Girard, and Bob Shalka

Czech Refugees: Marketa and David Nykl

Sisters of Service: M.C. Havey (Archivist, Sisters of Service) Dr. Claire Halstead

Dutch War Brides: Peep Campbell, Lark Balmer, Bev Tosh, Albert van der Heide, Yetti Foulds

English War Brides: Christine Labue, Melynda M. Jarratt

Canadian Women’s Army Corps: Doris Gregory (Author of "How I Won the War for the Allies)

Italian Cultural Centre: Vittoria Guastafierro and Valentina De Carolis, Christine Ianetta

The Army Show: Laurel Halladay, Lori Kuffner, Library and Archives Canada

W.W. 2 history: Jason Clooney, Kevin Roberts (Canadian Soldier Militaria)

Acknowledgements

About Canadiana Musical Theatre Co.MANDATE: to create and perform musical theatre pieces drawn from pivotal events in

Canadian history that nurture a passion and love for Canadian heritage

Trekking across Canada, the Canadiana Musical Theatre Company has performed thou-sands of shows for students, teachers, and parents. Original musicals by Allen Desnoyers bring history to life for students and teachers alike, as musicians and actors take on various roles of key figures from the past; acting, singing, and dancing the stories that changed the course of history.

Previous showsThe Birth of British Columbia, The Birth of the C.P.R,, The Blackfoot and the Redcoats,

The Klondike Rag, The B.C. 150th show, Explorer Idol, Emily Carr - Small Wonders

www.canadianamusical.comph: 604 940-2979 fax: 604 648 9260

Returning to schools in 2020

Explorers compete to find a Northwest Passage in a

Pop-rock musical!

About the Play

PIER 21, located in Halifax on the Eastern edge of Canada, was a place of dramatic comings and goings. Steamships, docking at the Pier, brought over a million immigrants hoping to settle in Canada. Among the immigrants were refugees, orphans, and War-brides who made their first steps down a ramp into the drafty warehouse that was Pier 21. As luggage and trunks were unloaded, hundreds of people milled about or waited on benches. They were greeted by Immigration officers, volunteer organizations, nurses and aid societies, and long missed relatives.

This old warehouse profoundly shaped what Canada became during the decades it was in operation.

Our play begins at the outbreak of World War 2 just as Canada is about to join England in the war effort. People are fleeing Europe to escape the coming dan-gers. Half a million soldiers will sail away from the Pier to fight the Nazi scourge in Europe. For some Canadian soldiers, the Pier was the last place in Canada they would set foot on.

2019 marks the 75th Anniversary of D-day when the largest allied force in history stormed the Normany coast to liberate Europe from the brutal rule of Dictator-ship. Without the courage and sacrifices these soldiers made, we would be living in a very different world without the freedoms we take for granted.

PART ONE Summer 1939Arriving at the Pier

The Immigration OfficerImmigrants, Refugees, Home Children

PART TWO Canada at War A Soldier departs

Canadian Women Army CorpsThe Army Show

Letter from Holland

PART THREE Post warWar Brides

Red Cross and Sisters of ServiceThe Fallen and the Free

The Return

Book, music and lyrics by Allen Desnoyers"Farewell to Nova Scotia" traditional

“Welcome Home To Canada” sign at Pier 21Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 [D12013.839.32]

Dutch Immigrants waiting at Pier 21Library and Archives Canada

C-036146

Examining new arrivals in Immigration Examination Hall

Library and Archives Canada/PA-111579

S.S. Berlin 1957 - Milan 3526076

Immigrants in Immigration Hall May 1963

Sister Josephine Dulaska with newly-arrived immigrants at Pier 21 in Halifax, 1935.

SOSA 9-06.17.3-22-6, The Field at Home-April 1937

Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster performing in a CBC radio broadcast of The Army Show

January 21, 1944 / MIKAN 3191855

Ile de France, laden with ecstatic soldiers, docked at Pier 21 on July 14, 1945.

World War Two first division boarding the R.M.S. Aquitania

A repatriated soldier

in Halifax

R.M.S. "Mauretania" arrives at Pier 21 with War Brides Aug 24, 1946

Cape Breton – an island in Nova Scotia where many Celtic musicians come from

CBC – The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation began as a radio station

Celtic music – a style of music that is very popular in the Maritimes (ie. East Coast Canada) which is often played with fiddle.

Céilidh – a traditional social gathering (a party!) that includes Celtic music and dancing

CWAC – is the abbreviation for the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, pronounced “Quack”.

Halifax – a city in the province of Nova Scotia where Pier 21 is located.

Hitler – Adolf Hitler was the leader of the Nazi party. Also known as “Fuhrer”.

Immigrants are people who move from one country, often their homeland, to permanently live in another coun-try.

Immigration officer – a person who makes a decision about whether to admit an immigrant into a country. They check identification, conduct interviews, and decide if people are allowed into a country and where they should move to find work.

Nazis – A political party that came to power in Germany in the 1930s. Their aggressive treatment of other countries led to World War Two. They were responsible for murdering millions of Jews and other minorities.

Pier – a raised platform where ships dock.

Red Cross - an organization that provides medical assistance. At Pier 21, Red Cross Volunteers also helped with feeding and babysitting young children when families arrived.

Sisters of Service - an order of Catholic women devoted to helping people in need.

Submarines - launch weapons called torpedoes to try to sink ships. In World War Two, these “U-boats” or (Unterseeboot in German,) sank thousands of merchant ships, navy ships and passenger steamships.

The Army Show: “The Army Show” mostly written by army members (and future TV stars) Wayne and Shus-ter encouraged the morale of the troops and the general population. It eventually toured to entertain troops near the front lines of battle.

War-Bride – During and following World War Two, Canadian soldiers met and married brides from other countries – mostly England.

World War Two - began when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. When Adolf Hitler broke his promise not to invade Poland, both Britain and France declared War on Germany. Canada joined England 10 days later.

Glossary

Music in Pier 21

The Army Show

Pier 21 features the following instruments in our show:

Guitar, PianoBodhran (a Celtic hand drum played with a "tipper")

Violin (also known as a fiddle) played with a bow Mandolin (similar in size to Violin, but played with a pick)

Musical Styles in the show

CELTICThe East Coast of Canada is reknowned for a style of music called "Celtic' music. Based on jigs, reels and sea shanties, its lively rhythms lend themselves to "step-dancing", a traditional dance featuring adept foot work while the upper body and

arms stay fairly stationary.

Many Celtic ballads have a bittersweet haunting quality with lyrics that often speak of loss or heartbreak. Other ballads narrate stories. Stan Rogers was a fine songwriter who often wrote Celtic style narrative songs about East Coast

Canada.

SWINGA style of music that developed during the Big Band era that was a favorite form of dance music during the Second World War. Popular artists like "The Andrews Sisters" with their "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" and other hit songs were a great

encouragement to the troops overseas who needed cheering up. At many of these Swing dances, soldiers would meet their future War-Brides.

A musical revue performed by soldiers, and largely written by Johnny Wayne and Frank Shus-ter, The Army Show was broad-cast on CBC during the war, and five units travelled overseas to perform for troops - departing

from Pier 21

Library and Archives Canada

Samples of lyrics from Pier 21 (subject to change depending on venue)

PIER 21

We crowd aboard with all we ownStow the trunk in the steamer’s holdWe grieve to leave the motherland And all that we have knownWe sail away on heaving wavesCrashing on the bowAnd in this cold Atlantic galeWe pray that we won’t drown

Pier 21 - We hope that we arrivePier 21 - Praying we survive

The seagulls cry, the foghorn dronesWe near the Eastern shoreAnd through the mist, the lighthouse shinesWe’re almost at the portAlong the rails we strain to seeWe can’t believe we’re hereThe gateway thru to CanadaWe’ve landed at the Pier

Pier 21 We’ve finally arrivedPier 21 We made it here alive

I JUST WANT TO BE FREE

I don’t want to be richI just want to be freeFar away from soldiers Who steal everything from me

They come to my UkraineThey take my crop of grain The beets and the potatoesThey steal without shameThey even take our tableOur sideboard and our chairsThen kick us out of our own houseAnd leave us with our tears

I don’t want to be richI just want to be free

Stalin is a bully The Russians have no clueThey think he is a saviorThey do not face the truthWe escape to PolandWe start to farm againBut now the bully HitlerComing to invade!?

I don’t want to be richI just want to be freeFar away from soldiers Who steal everything from me

We don’t want to be richWe just want to be free

A FUHRER IN EUROPE(CWAC recruiting song)

Join the service meet the galsGet to know some army PalsAll the new recruits are lookin’ pertGot my marching orders and I’mMarching in a skirtShoulder to shoulder Red alert!

There’s a furor in Europe - a Fuhrer on the looseConquering countries with his Goose stepping troopsThis is a fight that we dare not loseLet’s light a fire and cook his goose!

Canadian women’s army corpsHelping allies win the warHeading to a Pier in HalifaxListen boys, we got your backsBe the frontline crackerjacksStop those Jerries in their tracks!

There’s a furor in Europe, a Fuhrer on the looseConquering countries with those Goose stepping troopsThis is a fight we must win for peace

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

You've come this far to CanadaYou think I’ll let you in?You better answer what I askOr I’ll send you back againI’m an immigration officeron the Nova Scotian shoreSo, fill out your papers right if you want to get throughCanada’s Eastern door

Where do you come from?Where will you stay?What kind of work could you doto earn your pay?They told you milk and honey was waitin’ overseasBut first you’ve got to find yourself some cows and honeybees

BOY IN UNIFORM

We were weary and wornThe only bright spot in a terrible warThose Canadian boys in uniformThey were kindThey were sweetI felt hot tears running down my cheekWash away the fears I felt so longThe whole town came to celebrateOur new found libertyThe band kept playing all night longI wore my skirt up to my knees!He was light on his feetI felt my heart go beat beat beatOh that Canadian boy in uniform! I won’t forget the way it felt to finally be freeI won’t forget the thrill I feltHe looked right at meHe was braveHe was strongBattered and tired and tornThat Canadian boy in uniformI fell in love with a boy in uniform!

WE'LL MEET AGAIN

We’ll meet again on the Cape Breton highlands‘Long Cabot Trail we’ll goSpray of the sea will sparkle like diamondsMeadows of sweetest wild rose

Far away as you may roamalways a Celtic tunebeats inside your aching heartSinging, “Won’t you come home soon?”

A NUN AND A NURSE

You sailed to leave a shattered landto start your life anewYou could do a lot worse than a nun or a nurseAs a guide to help you through

Say you’ve lost your home or you’re all aloneOr grieving who is gone When you come to the Pier, you will find us hereAt Pier 21

I’m a Sister of ServiceI’m a Red Cross volunteerThere’s no need to be nervous When we greet you at the Pier

Here’s a bench while you wait your turnAnd a blanket for your daughterA coffee and a donut sir?Or just a glass of water?

We can translate words when it’s all unclearAnd you do not know the languageHere’s a tissue for that falling tear Your heart must be in anguish

There’s a nurse and a nun when the damage is doneAnd the world could use some healingAfter armies march and the lights go darkAnd the trauma has you reeling

His temperature is risingMr. Francis has the fluHe can stay in the infirmaryAnd rest a day or two

They lost the luggage of this familyCan you help them take a look?I’ll take the children to the nurseryAnd read a picture book

It’s winter here in Canada A toque for you Miss BurneyHere’s your train and a loaf of bread God bless you on your journey!

Sister of Services, Red Cross VolunteersHow do we help so many hearts so very filled with fear Lord let me be your instrumentHere at the 21st Pier

THE FALLEN AND THE FREE

All these homeless people shattered by the warAll the hopeful immigrants sailing to our shoreAll the brave young soldiers marching in a rowAre finally returningSome are never coming home

Who am I that strangers would give their lives for me?Who sailed away from here to set me free?All the years of darkness battered and confinedNow I’m safe in Canada - its heroes left behind

HEARTSICK AND SEASICK AND LOVESICK

I was heartsick before I got lovesickI was lovesick before I got seasickI got Seasick and now I am homesickAnd I’m sick of Saskatchewan

Oh the people are nice but they’re boringThe talk is all tractors and plowsI prefer to sleep in in the morningsBut they make me wake up and milk cows

I’ve been lovesick and seasick and homesickNow, I’m sick of Saskatchewan

I said to him “don’t be concerned!”I just want to visit me MamBut I highly doubt I shall returnTo that bleak prairie desert and Saskatoon jam

Additional Resourceshttps://pier21.ca/

http://cihs-shic.ca/

Canadian Women's Army Corpshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157668196377253/

Youtube: Canadian Army Newsreels

Library and Archives Canada

Canadianwarbrides.com

Pier 21 - Listen to my StoryChristine Welldon, Nimbus Publishing

Pier 21: Stories from near and farAnne Renaud, Lobster Press

Pier 21 - Gateway to HopeLinda Granfield, Tundra Books

The Kids Book of Canadian ImmigrationDobrah Hodge, Kids Can Press Ltd

Coming to Canada - Building a life in a New LandSusan Hughes, Maple Tree Press

Pier 21 - The Gateway that Changed CanadaTrudy Duivenvoorden Mitic/ J.P. LeBlanc

WEBSITES

BOOKSYounger students

BOOKSOlder students

Pier 21 The Journey to New BeginningsCBC TV

The War Brides - From Romance to RealityKiss the Bride Productions

ForgottenArd Ri Productions

Across the AtlanticBoom Pictures

Documentaries