Normandy 2024 • The 80th Anniversary of DDay

From June 3rd to June 8th, 2024 I had the great pleasure of being back in Normandy for the 80th Annivesary of D-Day. Exactly 20 years after I first travelled there. It was that 1st journey back in 2004 that inspired me to write Jake’s Gift. Once again I had the pleasure of meeting WW2 veterans face to face and having the chance to thank them for their service meant the world to me and to my cousin, Rachel Mackey, who was on the journey with me.

The 80th Anniversary of D-Day was a very moving experience, and there seemed to be a lot more people there than in the previous years we’ve been fortunate enough to return; 2014, 2017 and 2019 for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. We wondered if more people attended as it really was possibly the last time we will see World War Two veterans at the big anniversary ceremonies. Although, as the youngest WW2 veteran is currently thought to be around 96 or 97 years old - having joined up under age - then perhaps it is still possible there will be some attending the 85th Anniversary in 2029. We can only hope. The veterans we met this time around ranged in age from 98 to 105 so it’s not impossible!

I want to give a big thank you to all the veterans we met in Normandy and their families. It was such a joy to meet them face to face, and they gave their time so freely to the many people who wanted the chance to shake their hands and thank them in person.

I’d also like to thank Veterans Affairs Canada, the Juno Beach Centre and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for all the work they did to make the ceremonies so memorable. And of course the people of Normandy and all the Mayors of small towns across the region who worked tirelessly to make this 80th Anniversary so special. Their hard work paid off, and I think the Veterans and their families and everyone visiting were very moved by the amount of work and the massive welcome everyone received.

I will post more photos in the days to come. Here are a few to get things going.

#LestWeForget

Welcome Banner to Veterans on the Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Caen.

Part of the D-Day Memorial at Sword Beach.

The Memorial to the Canadian Soldiers murdered by the SS in 1944 @ Abbey Ardennes.

British War Memorial Installation at Ver-sur-Mer - It truly takes your breath away. 1400 silhouettes.

The graves all lit up at the same time on June 5, 2024 at the Bény Sur Mer Canadian Cemetery.

Letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General of Canada

We’ve been sitting on this news for a month, and are happy to be able to share it now with family, friends and colleagues.

We are so honoured to receive this award, and I say WE because this belongs to Dirk every bit as much, and to the hundreds of veterans we’ve met and befriended over the last 20 years. Thanks also to the hundreds of communities and theatres and thousands of patrons who have supported us and Jake's Gift over the years.

We are extremely grateful to the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable, Mary May Simon for the honour of receiving the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division), and to the people who nominated us. It’s all a bit overwhelming, and we are just really happy to share it with you.

Lest We Forget.

Jules, Dirk & Jake's Gift/Le Cadeau de Jake

That's a wrap for 2023!

What a wonderful year it has been getting back into the groove of touring again.

We had a fabulous time touring Alberta and Ontario this year, and snuck in a few performances at our local theatre too in Wells, BC.

We want to thank all the incredible Theatres and local Arts Organizations and Legions that hosted us this past year. We are so grateful for the ongoing interest in Jake’s Gift and the overwhelming response to the show.

We met some incredible veterans and community members who all had “Jake’s” in their lives and who kindly shared their own stories with us. We realize with each passing year that GK Chesterton was spot on when he said, “The only two things that can satisfy the soul are a person and a story.” Thanks to everyone who shared their stories with us.

May you and your families wrap up the year in safety and health, and may our world move towards a truly peaceful existence.

Thanks to our hosts this year:

Rosebud Theatre, Rosebud, Alberta

Lacombe Legion, Lacombe, Alberta

Mayerthorpe Legion, Mayerthorpe, Alberta

Sunset Theatre, Wells, BC

High Prairie Legion, High Prairie, AB

Elks Lodge, The Red Deer Pipe Band, Red Deer, AB

Ponoka Secondary, Ponoka, AB

Vulcan Legion, Vulcan, AB

Coaldale Civic Centre, Glenn Miller, Coaldale, AB

Inter-Act Theatre Society, Medicine Hat, AB

The Canadian War Museum, Canadian Fallen Heroes Foundation, Ottawa, ON

The Rose Brampton, Brampton, ON

That’s a Wrap! Hope to see you in 2024!

#LestWeForget

Spring Summer Fall 2023

We had a wonderful Spring tour in Alberta at Rosebud Opera House in March, and then we returned in June for a D-Day Performance at the Lacombe Royal Canadian Legion and at the Royal Canadian Legion Mayerthorpe Branch 126 on June 10th. Everyone was so kind and welcoming.

This Summer we will mostly be wearing our Presenter hats, but we’ve made time for 2 performances in our own backyard on Saturday, July 15th and Friday, September 8th at the Sunset Theatre in Wells.

As the Autumn leaves turn, we head back to Theatres and Legions in Alberta, and then we head further east in November back to Ontarioooo!

If your community would like to be part of our Fall Tour please feel free to contact us at jakesgift@gmail.com

Our show fees are based on Venue Seating Capacity, Travel and number of shows.

check out the Where We Are Going page to see confirmed show dates.

#LestWeForget

ROSEBUD THEATRE • 50TH ANNIVERSARY

We are very excited to be part of The Rosebud Theatre’s 50th Anniversary Season. Congratulations to them on such a momentous milestone. We have 4 performances at Rosebud on Friday, March 17th & 1:30PM & 8PM and Saturday, March 18th, 2023 @ 1:30PM & 8PM.

Rosebud offers a fabulous Lunch or Dinner Theatre package. Get your tickets today!

www.rosebudtheatre.com

Special Offers:

Rosebud Theatre Season Tickets are your best value. Click HERE for more details.

Ticket Prices:

Dinner & Theatre Opera House Shows: $72 - $95
‍Opera House Show-Only: $58
To purchase individual tickets, click Buy Tickets above or call 1-800-267-7553!

FALL TOUR 2022

We have been having an amazing tour with Jake’s Gift. It’s been really rewarding to be back on the road for the first time since November 2019. Audiences have been so warm and it has been fabulous to get back to performing the show in French as well as English. We’ve met a lot of wonderful veterans on this tour from all campaigns, and we’ve had some great Q&A’s with students from Grade 5 to 11. We had a really moving and heartwarming Remembrance Day show at the Rose Theatre in Brampton, and are excited for our final two shows with them today. Bitter Sweet as we wish we could stay longer! We move onto Meaford, Ontario on November 15th and have our final shows of this Fall Tour there at the beautiful and historic Meaford Hall on November 16th and 17th - the 17th is a student matinee.

Thanks to everyone who has come out and supported the show. For tickets to our remaining shows, please see the Touring section of this website.

#LestWeForget

October 22, 2021

Hello,

We had a fabulous weekend Oct 16 & 17, 2021 as we hosted Chase Padgett and his fabulous show, 6 Guitars, at the Sunset Theatre in Wells. The audiences were in awe. It’s one of our all time favourite shows.

We also started rehearsing Jake’s Gift again as Chase will be back in Wells November 6 & 7 to film 2 live audience performances of the play for us.

As the Sunset Theatre is located in Northern Health, our capacity is limited to 50 patrons and everyone must be masked.

Head over to the Touring Dates page to find out more info!

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

Jules, Dirk & Jake

Hey Friends.

Cheers for stopping by.

No real news to share re: touring plans for Jake’s Gift - all performing arts venues in Canada are still closed. Hope to have news soon.

In the meantime, in other news I am writing a new show, and we are helping take care of the beautiful Sunset Theatre. While we are unable to tour, I’ve been shifting my focus towards new work, grant writing and helping build a safe and inviting space for other artists to come and create.

The Exploration Series - created by Sunset Theatre Artistic Director, Karen Jeffery, was started in 2006, and it was actually the project that gave me a deadline to write Jake’s Gift.

In 2021 we will host 41 Canadian artists to come and create new work. We’ll be able to do this because of the generous funding received from the BC Arts Council, Dept. of Canadian Heritage and we hope to receive support from Canada Council of the Arts as well.

The Sunset website: www.sunset-theatre.com

More soon.

“Be kind. Be calm. Be safe.” - Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Public Health Officer