CENTRE WELLINGTON – The Fergus Grand Theatre’s 2024-2025 presenting series launches on Sept. 28 with Ashara, a blend of traditional Scottish folk and Jamaican reggae from visionary artist Jason Wilson.
Wilson, who was last at the Fergus Grand with Soldiers of Song: A Tribute to the Dumbbells, is an award-winning Scottish-Canadian musician, bestselling historian and television personality.
A two-time Juno Awards nominee and CRMA Winner, Wilson has eight books to his name including the Ontario Historical Society award-winning King Alpha’s Song in a Strange Land: The Roots and Routes of Canadian Reggae (UBC Press, 2020) and the national bestseller The Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club (McClelland and Stewart, 2016) which he co-authored with Kevin Shea.
An adjunct professor of history at the Universities of Guelph and Guelph-Humber, Wilson is also a recurring historical expert on various television programmes and documentaries (CBC, Discovery, ESPN, Nat Geo, NBCSN, Super Channel, TSN and UKTV).
Ashara presents a joyful blend of Scottish folk, global roots, Canadiana and reggae; it’s where Scotland meets Jamaica in Canada.
For this project, Wilson is joined by woodwind specialist Marcus Ali, vocalist Laurel Tubman, drummer Vince Reel, bassist Michael Shapinko and the legendary Jamaican-Canadian guitarist/bandleader to Toots & The Maytals, Carl Harvey.
The project debuted in Scotland in January 2023 at the Celtic Connections music festival in Glasgow and has since been performed across Scotland, Ireland, parts of Canada and the Cayman Islands.
“This is the perfect show to begin our Presenting with Purpose series,” said theatre coordinator Eric Goudie.
“It combines traditional Celtic music, which our patrons know and love, with reggae music, something that we don’t see on our stage very often, but when we do, it’s amazing. I hope to see fans out at this show that love both kinds of music, and those who are interested in hearing something new.”
The Presenting with Purpose series continues throughout the 2024 to 2025 season, and features a dynamic array of music, comedy, and theatre, carefully “chosen to showcase an eclectic, vibrant mix of the best and brightest in Canadian talent,” officials state.
Next up is the Canadian Improv Showcase on October 18th, followed by Ridge, a moving tribute to the fallen, on Nov. 8.
Check out the rest of the 2024-2025 season lineup at centrewellington.ca/presentingseries.
Tickets for all shows are now on sale, and are available in the box office, by phone at 519-787-1981, or online at fergusgrandtheatre.ca.
