From Fire to Flood: A History of Theatre in Manitoba AUTHOR: Kevin Longfield ISBN: 0921833792 160 PAGES $19.95 CDN $17.95 US WINNER OF THE MANITOBA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARGARET MCWILLIAM'S LOCAL HISTORY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE MANITOBA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARGARET MCWILLIAM'S POPULAR HISTORY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANNE SADDLEMYER AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE EILEEN MCTAVISH SYKES AWARD FOR BEST FIRST BOOK BY A MANITOBA AUTHOR ABOUT THE BOOK: Theatre as we know it started in Manitoba almost a century and a half ago. During that time it has produced some shining moments, some unforgettable characters, and some great stories: how two visionaries, Tom Hendry and John Hirsch, convinced Manitoba to embrace a theatre centre that became a model for the rest of the world, how Prairie Theatre Exchange inspired Manitobans to create their own theatre, how Nellie McClung used theatre to help women get the vote, and how a fire at the first theatre event in Winnipeg almost destroyed the whole town. From Fire to Flood explores how Manitoba theatre got to where it is today, and why it didn’t go somewhere else. It examines Manitoba theatre from its beginnings, placing theatre in its social and historical context. A key question is how our theatrical past can help us complete the final piece of the puzzle: a unified, indigenous theatre that explains us to ourselves and to the rest of the world.   REVIEWS: Kevin Longfield is that rare author: one with lots of intelligence and humour but almost no ego. His From Fire to Food, A history of theatre in Manitoba is a deceptively readable examination of Manitoba theatre from 1867 to present. It embraces a short sketch of the great theatre movements of the Western world, the political history of the province and an introduction to Ojibway storytelling traditions (among other topics), without ever overloading the reader or adopting an elevated tone. Remarkably, Longfield has found a context in which to discuss such very different beasts as the Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Winnipeg Fringe, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Primus Theatre, Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre and the Popular Theatre Alliance as if they were all part of one movement. Which, in a sense, they are. — Performing Arts Summer 2002 Local playwright Kevin Longfield¹s newest book From Fire to Flood is a fascinating look at Manitoba¹s colourful theatre history from 1867 to the present. Longfield connects Manitoba¹s theatre hisotry with historical events and illustrates how history affected theatre and how theatre affected our history. Because of this approach, people who aren¹t well-versed in theatre will still be able to follow the story. — The Manitoban January 2002