Historic Tug-of-War Team Inspires New Stage Production “The Mighty Men of Zorra”

Mighty Men of Zorra rehearsals are underway. (From left to right) Barb Kirwin, Paul Brekelmans, Brain Jackson, Peter Johnson and Joyce Jackson. (Donald Hilborn photo)

Kyrah Smith, Echo Correspondent

Rehearsals are officially underway for The Mighty Men of Zorra, the third installment in a series of plays highlighting notable local historical events. Previous productions explored stories ranging from a missionary from Embro, to Bob Hayward, famed for running the world’s fastest boat.

“The play is about the Mighty Men of Zorra,” said producer Donald Hilborn. “They were a tug-of-war team, a group of five farmers, all over 50 years old, who won a series of local competitions.”

Written by William Butt, the play follows the team’s journey as they rose to prominence, ultimately winning a tournament in Chicago in 1893. Butt, now retired from Western University, worked closely with historians to preserve the integrity of the historical events depicted in the production.

Fittingly, the performance will take place at Little Thistle Theatre, a venue built in the 1890s. Hilborn believes the historic setting helps immerse audiences in the era. The cast features 15 local performers, and the production will incorporate projected photographs of the real events to complement the storytelling.

“We’ll have projectors overhead, and we’ll show pictures of what the cast is talking about,” Hilborn explained.

He noted the theatre’s previous productions drew strong community support.

“I think we had 1,200 people come to our last show,” he said. “People are curious. They wonder what we could possibly do to spend two hours on a play about tug-of-war or boat races.”

According to Hilborn, the production blends music, comedy, fourth wall breaking moments (when actors acknowledge the audience directly, instead of pretending they don’t exist), and, of course, historical storytelling.

“It’s more than just a play about tug-of-war,” he added. “It’s about community. What made the community strong and how it evolved.”

The Mighty Men of Zorra runs at Little Thistle Theatre from March 20 to 29. If you’re interested in seeing this show, tickets are available at www.thistle-theatre.com or by calling 226-785-3353.