Charlie Harris as young Jimmy Clarke with Lauren Murphy as his mother Florie Clarke during a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre's "The Kid from Simcoe Street" at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. In this scene, Jimmy is putting on firefighter gear he received from the brigade at Fire Hall No. 1 when they made him their fire mascot as a reward for calling in a chimney fire. Based on the memoir of retired Ontario Superior Court Justice and poet James Clarke, who grew up on Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough, the play runs for four performances at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre from Thursday, June 4 until Sunday, June 7. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
Around 80 residents and guests at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough attended a free private preview of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s The Kid from Simcoe Street, just a week before the play premieres at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.
On Thursday evening (May 28) at the retirement residence, the theatre company presented a shortened dress rehearsal of the play, based on the 2012 memoir of the same name by retired Ontario Superior Court Justice and poet James Clarke, who grew up on Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough — a short walk from where the story of his life will be staged from June 4 to 7.
Written by Ed Schroeter and Gerry McBride with James’ own grandson David Francis Clarke as script consultant, directed by Drew Taylor-Grigg (formerly Mills), and featuring a 14-member cast, The Kid from Simcoe Street is a poignant coming-of-age story that follows James as he experiences a youth filled with poverty and family dysfunction during and after the Second World War.
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His father abandons his family — James and his mother and two sisters — to volunteer to fight overseas in the Second World War.
When James’ father returns from the way, wounded and likely suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, he becomes an alcoholic — not only shattering his wife’s dreams, but casting a shadow of violence over James’ childhood.
James eventually overcomes adversity to attend McGill University and Osgoode Hall, practising law in Cobourg for many years before his appointment to the bench in 1983. He served on the Ontario Court of Justice from 1990 to 1999 and the Superior Court of Justice from 1999 until his retirement in 2008. Along with his career as an esteemed judge, James is also a published poet.
Ron Jewer (right) as Sam Clarke, father of young Jimmy Clarke (left), played by Charlie Harris, during a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street” at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. In this scene, Sam announces he has enlisted to fight in the Second World War — a decision that will have far-reaching consequences for his family. Jim Mills (in the background) is the play’s narrator. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
With less than a week to go before the cast takes to the Market Hall stage for four public performances, with James himself in the audience, Trent Valley Archives Theatre will be very busy over the next few days.
On Monday, the cast and crew will move into the Market Hall for a cue-to-cue technical rehearsal, followed by another rehearsal on Tuesday and a full dress rehearsal on Wednesday.
The show opens at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, with a second evening performance on Friday at 7:30 p.m. followed by 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday.
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Tickets for The Kid from Simcoe Street cost $40 for assigned cabaret table seating or $30 for regular assigned seating and are available online at www.markethall.org.
Proceeds from ticket sales will support Trent Valley Archives, a non-profit charitable organization that houses an extensive and growing collection of local historical resources and makes them available to the public.
Trent Valley Archives also encourages local and family history research, operates a facility, and raises awareness of local history through historical tours, events, publications, and presentations.
The Clarke family, played (from left to right) by Lauren Murphy, Lily Faulkner, Trudy Conroy, and Charlie Harris, during a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street” at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. In this scene, the family is waving goodbye to patriarch Sam (Ron Jewer, not pictured) as he departs the Peterborough CPR station with other recruits to fight in the Second World War. In the background, narrator Jim Mills tells the story of the Clarke family. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)June Govier as Pete and Charlie Harris as Jimmy Clarke during a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street” at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. In this scene, the mischievious Pete leads his friend Jimmy astray at St. Peter Cathedral by asking Jimmy to hear his confession. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)Sarah Myles (centre), a newcomer to the stage, performs the role of Father Leo, the parish priest of the altar boys Pete (June Covier) and Jimmy Clarke (Charlie Harris) during a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street” at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. In this scene, Father Leo reprimands the two boys after catching them in the middle of a prank. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)Drew Taylor-Grigg (formerly Drew Mills), director of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street,” introduces the play to the audience of a special preview dress rehearsal at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)During a special preview dress rehearsal of Trent Valley Archives Theatre’s “The Kid from Simcoe Street” at Canterbury Gardens in Peterborough on May 28, 2026, co-playwright Ed Schroeter presented a collection of four poetry books written by James Clarke, the main character of the play, to Canterbury Gardens manager of resident services Katie Zatorski for the retirement home’s library. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
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