Heaven – A Pioneer Love Story
by Donnielle Roman
Set in Alberta, Heaven tells a beautiful and timeless story of what is known as The Black Migration of 1910, where Black Pioneers fled the United States and migrated to Canadian Settlements.
In 1909 a group of Black migrants established the Amber Valley Settlement after fleeing slavery in the United States, specifically Texas and Oklahoma. The harsh realities of Canadian weather and terrain made the first few years difficult; however, by 1930, Amber Valley was Alberta’s most significant Black Settlement.
Playwright Cheryl Foggo, a descendant of the early settlers, wanted to capture this vital piece of Canadian history, and she did so quite eloquently with Heaven.
The play tells a story of the relationship of the only two characters, Charlotte, who is outrunning her past and Ezra, a widower looking to pave the way for settlers and make a new way of living. The play is centred around love, music and baseball. Charlotte answered a post to be a teacher in Amber Valley, foreshadowing that her husband would follow. When Charlotte arrives, she is shocked by her surroundings, the treacherous weather, and the lack of supplies and resources to run a school. She meets local handyman Ezra, who takes great pride in the piece of heaven he has carved out for himself and his fellow settlers. Ezra becomes insulted when Charlotte speaks negatively about the conditions in Amber Valley and expresses this.
As Ezra and Charlotte spend more time together, they discover commonalities, such as their love of baseball, music and the sense of loneliness they are experiencing. We find out that Charlotte was escaping an entanglement with a married man with whom she was trying to elude. Fearing judgement and reprisal, she keeps this a secret from the others until an innocent gesture is made, and Ezra contacts the supposed husband to come to Amber Valley. Fearing what will happen, Charlotte tries to flee before her husband arrives and leaves without telling Ezra; he catches her at the train station and explains how he feels – if she had him, he would be the happiest man alive. Charlotte realizes she cannot outrun her feelings for Ezra and decides to make Amber Valley her new home.
The visuals, the music, and the language of this period piece evoke pure, unfiltered emotions from the audience. You can’t help but root for Charlotte and Ezra, who find each other emotionally and spiritually.
A beautifully written piece that reminds us that sometimes love does conquer all.
Donnielle Roman has over 10 years experience in management and over 15 years working with children and youth facing multiple barriers and adversity. As the Manager of Youth Services, she works with her team to provide safe and inclusive programming to newcomer youth in their settlement journey. Donnielle utilizes positive energy and a sense of humor to create and nurture holistic relationships with the youth she supports. She believes in a strengths-based approach, believing in a youth’s ability to drive and determine their own future. She has also volunteered as a Mentor and Coach. Outside her of professional life, Donnielle is an avid reader, writer, and seeker of peace and happiness.