Franco-American
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The Great Meat Pie Controversy
If you’ve visited this site before, or if you’ve seen a performance of my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French, you no doubt know that the play was based on a series of interviews I conducted with Franco-Americans. The interview process was in no way exhaustive. It was meant to give me a sense…
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Who Says This is A One-Person Show? (Part 2)
The second week of my online fundraising campaign comes to a close, and have I mentioned that in those two weeks we’ve managed to raise 50% of our overall goal? To date 50 generous funders have stepped forward to support the DVD production of Piecework: When We Were French. They are among the many people…
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“The History of White People”
During this month, I’ll continue to post on topics related to Franco-American history and culture, as I continue to my on-line fundraising campaign to support the DVD production of my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French. February is Black History Month, and to mark its beginning, I wanted to recommend a book that was…
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“Other Brief Discourses” Out Now!
It’s a big day here at Abby Paige HQ. First, the Piecework: When We Were French DVD fundraising campaign rolls on, and just a couple of days into our second week, I am very happy to report that we have reached 50% of our overall goal. This is immensely encouraging! With 39 days remaining, we…
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Franco-American History: A Primer
If you’re unfamiliar with the history of French-Canadian immigration to the U.S., I highly recommend this very comprehensive article by Damien-Claude Bélanger of the University of Montreal and Claude Bélanger of Marianopolis College, also in Montreal. Entitled French Canadian Emigration to the United States, 1840-1930, the Bélangers’ paper explains the factors that often led immigrants…
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DVD Fundraising Update: 1-Week Total of $2,700
I’m thrilled to report that with our first week of fundraising behind us, we’ve reached almost 40% of our fundraising goal! That’s $2,740, donated by 36 pioneering donors, who stepped forward in these first seven days to show their support. How to celebrate? The way any good Franco-American would: with a song! Music plays a…
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Who Says This is A One-Person Show? (Part 1)
Today is the last day of the first week of my online fundraising campaign to support the DVD production of my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French. In the past seven days, we’ve raised more than $2,600! I say “we” even though I’m sitting alone at this desk, have no staff — or boss…
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Why Stories Matter
In conjunction with my current on-line fundraising campaign, I’m posting here daily on topics related my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French. On the one hand, the show explores the immigrant experience. But at least as important is the theme of storytelling and how the stories we tell — to others and to ourselves…
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Are you sure you’re not Franco-American?
In honour of my current fundraising campaign, for the next 45 days I’ll be posting thoughts and notes here about Franco-American identity and culture. One thing I ran into again and again in researching my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French, was people who were unaware of the extent of their French ancestry because…
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DVD Fundraising Update: $1k Raised in Our First Day!
Yesterday I launched my fundraising campaign to support the DVD production of my solo show, Piecework: When We Were French. As an independent artist, I have to wear a lot of different hats: the writer, the actor, the businessperson, the spokeswoman, the receptionist. Some of these hats fit better than others, and the fundraising hat…
ABBY PAIGE 