THEATRE PREVIEW

APRIL 2026 | Volume 262

 

Two Lovers, One Night, A Sea of Memories 

The time is 1926, the place, the front porch of a home in the tiny Newfoundland outport of Coley's Point. It's a splendid moon-filled night as Mary Snow, a lovely young girl of seventeen, studies the evening sky. Her reverie is interrupted by the unexpected appearance of 18-year-old Jacob Mercer who has returned from Toronto, hoping to win back his former sweetheart. But Mary has become engaged to reliable Jerome McKenzie, and is still hurt and bewildered by Jacob's abrupt departure a year earlier. She will not be easily wooed...but is Jacob the man for her?

 

Artistic Director Tanja Dixon-Warren says:

"As a Canadian classic, Salt Water Moon is very much in Western Gold's wheelhouse. It explores the universal themes of love, loss and reconciliation, while also addressing ambition vs. loyalty; memory; forgiveness; the challenges of poverty, and the effects of war on identity and family. These themes are deeply meaningful to us at Western Gold; we have lived them and know that they still resonate today... 

At its heart, Salt-Water Moon is not simply a romantic story about first love, but a meditation on memory, choice, and the fragile moments that define an entire life. Casting older actors allows the audience to experience these themes in a profound way with heightened resonance. It has wonderful roles for two older actors, (both hail from Newfoundland) whose own life experiences echo the play's themes." 

What critics said:

 "This is a lovely play, lovingly written...We've not met the likes of Mary and Jacob on any stage in many a long day. You'll not soon forget them." -- Hollywood Drama-Logue

"A gem of a play, an old-fashioned love song that is affecting, funny, and evocative as a dream." -- The Globe & Mail

"Tender as a caress, delicate as a love poem...tremendous!" -- Southam News

"Equal parts romantic and heartbreaking, David French's play remains as timeless as ever." —The Independent (2023)

Salt-Water Moon premiered at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre in October 1984. The play went on to win the 1985 Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for Drama, the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, the Hollywood Drama-Logue Critics' Award, and was a finalist for the 1985 Governor-General's Award for Drama.

CAST
Dolores Drake as Mary Snow
Craig March as Jacob Mercer

CREATIVE TEAM
Michael Fera: Director
Glenn MacDonald: Production Manager
Sheila White: Costume Designer
Hannah Patrice: Sound Designer
Sam Cheng: Lighting Designer
Tianna Francis: Stage Manager

May 21 – June 7, 2026
A Main Stage Production
Directed by Michael Fera
PAL Studio Theatre, 8th Floor, 581 Cardero Street, Vancouver
Info: https://westerngoldtheatre.org/on-stage/#saltwater
Tickets: https://westerngoldtheatre.tickit.ca/events/32449-salt-water-moon
7:30pm performances May 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30 June 3, 4, 5, 6
2pm Matinee performances: May 23, 24, 28, 30, 31 June 4, 6, 7
May 21 preview: $35 | Evenings: $45 | Matinees $40

David French (1939–2010) was a seminal Canadian playwright, best known for his semi-autobiographical Mercer family plays, including Leaving Home (1972) and Salt-Water Moon (1984), which defined modern Canadian drama. Born in Newfoundland and raised in Toronto, his work focusing on Newfoundland transplants earned him international acclaim, a spot in the Newfoundland Arts Hall of Honour, and an appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada. 

Western Gold Theatre Society is a professional company of established senior theatre artists (age 55+) committed to producing plays of the highest quality and relevance to audiences of all ages. The company presents both theatre classics and newly commissioned Canadian works that reflect and illuminate the rich experience of our senior community.

 

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