NBIF And Calithumpians’ Pitch Entrepreneurship In New Play

July 15, 2014

When Peter Pacey, founder of the Calithumpians theatre troupe approached NBIF to help develop a new play about entrepreneurship and historic New Brunswick innovations, let's say it was one of the most interesting pitches we've received. Considering that we were in the midst of developing a new promotional campaign about the exact same thing for television and cinemas, the timing, one of the most important factors of any new venture, was great. And so was their pitch – a parody based on a character every audience could identify with: Harry Potter. After some funding from NBIF and extensive research with us about famous New Brunswick innovations, not to mention the journey entrepreneurs have to take, the talented troupe debuted The Bizz Buzz – Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Commerce in Officers' Square on July 2, 2014 in Fredericton. The production also received support from the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce in commemoration of their 140th anniversary.

In the play, Harry finds himself with an a idea for a better broom. Having been forced as a youth to manually sweep floors over and over again, he comes up with a prototype self-sweeping broom called the Nimbus 1999. With a little help from his familiar friends and foes, he endures the ups, downs and triumphs of the entrepreneurial journey from idea, through development, and finally the launch of his final product, the Nimbus 2000. Along the way he endures the trials of any innovator trying to figure out how to get his business off the ground, including pitching his product to investors on the television show Wizards' Den, where he hears nothing but no. Feeling let down, he collapses into sleep and in his dream visited by the famous historic New Brunswick inventors of SCUBA, the chocolate bar, the vortex flushing toilet, and more. After waking, with his spirit restored and like a true entrepreneur, he picks himself up, sweeps himself off, and does what he needs to do to get the investor he needs to turn his dream into reality.

Incidentally, the Calithumpians has a long history of producing shows about innovative New Brunswickers. They have mounted shows on the legendary entrepreneur Boss Gibson, the inventor of the compound steam engine Benjamin Tibbets, the shoe manufacturer Obdur Hartt, the inventor of kerosene Abraham Gesner and the principal author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights John Peters Humphrey. 

If you're in the capital city area this summer, grab some lunch and sit in the shade of Officers' Square for an entertaining lesson about innovation and entrepreneurship in New Brunswick. The show is presented all summer every Tuesday at 12:15 PM, and alternating Wednesdays and Thursdays until a double-bill on Labour Day.

Named after an ancient tradition wherein young people, dressed in costume and disguise, paraded through the streets celebrating and making joyous noise, the Calithumpians is a theatre troupe that has been entertaining audiences for over thirty years. From its humble beginnings performing educational shows in schools, the Calithumpians have expanded their repertoire to include family-friendly theatre in Officers’ Square, guided walking and motorcoach tours, historical interpretation, drama camps, training and consultation, school visits and workshops, dinner theatre, our signature Haunted Hike, and a variety of shows for audiences in and around Fredericton, and across New Brunswick and Canada. Calithumpians’ shows and services emphasize local history and pride, folklore and legend, environmentalism, health and wellness, and current social issues, all with a hint of humor and fun.