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GWG: Piece by Piece
The video ballad "GWG: Piece by Piece" is a 60-minute musical multiimedia piece depicting the experiences of immigrant women who worked in Edmonton's GWG clothing factory over its 93 year history.
The plant, founded in 1911 and closed in 2004, was a microcosm of the immigration patterns in the city. Traditionally, it was a female-dominated workplace; in the post WWII period, many immigrant women worked at GWG because it did not require a strong knowledge of English.
The stories of urban immigrant women are not often told in Alberta. Some stories of pioneer women are available, but very little has been produced by or about women who worked in factories such as the GWG garment manufacturing plant. We feel that telling these stories provides important lessons for Albertans, particularly the current generation of newcomers to the province, members of the labour movement, and young people.
With songs written by Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn, audiovisual materials filmed and edited by Don Bouzek of Edmonton's Ground Zero Productions and research interviews and archival materials provided by historian Catherine C. Cole, the performance features video footage of women who worked at GWG interwoven with songs inspired by their stories.
Research and development of this video ballad was supported by 2007 Edmonton Cultural Capital Funding.
www.gzpedmonton.org
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Troublemakers: Working Albertans, 1900-1950
"Troublemakers: Working Albertans, 1900-1950" is a 60-minute musical multi-media piece documenting the history of working people in Alberta--tales of resilience and hope, immigration, internment, and the Depression--through songs written by Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn. Most of the songs performed in the show are recorded on Maria's 2004 CD: We Were Good People. Sponsored by Ground Zero Productions, with audiovisual edited by Don Bouzek. (Research and development of this project was supported by Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton District Labour Council).
www.gzpedmonton.org
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Song Commissions:
In 2009, Maria wrote a song for Albertans Who Care, inspired by the stories of families and caregivers of children with disabilities. Please have a look at the video & song How I Live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDyHLCr5I_w and visit the Albertans Who Care website for information on how you can help: http://www.albertanswhocare.com.
Maria has also written commissioned songs for:
United Nurses of Alberta (2002), "Strength in Unity"
Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (2006) "Newcomers' Song (The Place We Both Belong)"
Edmonton Trades and Labour Council (2006), "Raise The Roof"
Leslie Bauman Gotfrit (2006), "Chavala, Eva"
Alberta Federation of Labour (2011), "Here We Are" (for 2012 100th Anniversary of AFL)
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