The cast of “Lost Heroes of Oro”, Photo by John Wilkin & Anna Gonzale
The figure at the heart of this story is deeply compelling and historically significant. Richard Pierpoint was a former slave who gained his freedom as a soldier in the American Revolution. Settling in Canada, he petitioned for an all-Black unit, the Coloured Corps, to fight in the War of 1812 and went on to be a prominent leader for the early Black community of what would become Simcoe County.
An important landmark he helped develop is the still-standing Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church, represented in a striking outline that is the central fixture of Jane Yegorov’s scenic design for Lost Heroes of Oro. Presented by Infinity Arts Productions and intended for school audiences, this tribute musical spearheaded by writer-director Alinka Angelova has plenty of style and heart, though it is weakened by some ambitious yet hokey execution.
Our narrator is the elderly Pierpoint (Richard Brown) desperate to get back to his African home and remembering his life’s journey. The contemporary framing device for his story is two friends, Sadie and Chantelle (Tyanna Chambers and Natalie Camille), breaking into the church, finding remnants of Pierpoint’s saga and discovering that Chantelle has familial ties to him. As they dig deeper into the history, those events unfold before us. We meet the young Richard (Emmanuel Onegebeye) and his fellow slaves—friends Undae (Ifeoluwa Muse) and Rumi (Camille), love interest Nyota (Chambers). Their tight-knit group separates—to the army, through the Underground Railroad—and one of their number is killed.
At key points in the story, a large ensemble congregates on the stage. Decked out in choir robes, they represent the Oro-Medonte Black parishioners—a vibrant community and collective emblem of hope. These segments showcase some simple yet expressive choreography by Lauren Lafayette Brooks. Onto a massive screen behind the church-frame set, various skies and star-scapes are projected to create atmosphere and give the whole show a persuasively epic feel. The one weakness of this video element is that the looped imagery isn’t quite long enough, resulting in glitchy moments as it repeats.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the drama for me was the conflict between Richard and Undae. As they try to make a home in Canada and are disheartened to realize that gaining freedom did not magically solve racism or ensure their safety, Undae is angered by Richard’s decision to keep the anglicized name given to him by oppressive slave-owners.
The dialogue is trite, a strategic decision perhaps—to afford this often grim subject matter a simplified storybook quality—though I think it could still appeal to a younger demographic with more complexity and nuance. Though the material itself isn’t very memorable, the vocal work from all concerned is stellar. The songs, composed by Robert Chambers with lyrics by Angelova, are fluid and engaging, but only one number is especially catchy: it feels a little weird to acknowledge the most dynamic number depicts a slave auction—the very snazzy “Step Right Up.” The finale, “We Sing Praises” is certainly spectacular—the whole cast representing the Oro-Medonte community past and present, sharing their faith, connection and hope.
While Lost Heroes of Oro is undeniably admirable and aspirational, I don’t think the show is solid enough to have staying power. I hope, though, that it reaches a wide enough audience to spread awareness of Richard Pierpoint’s legacy.
Lost Heroes of Oro
running February 6 to 8, 2025
Elgin Theatre (189 Yonge St)
running time: 2 hours (including intermission)
The cast of “Lost Heroes of Oro”, Photo by John Wilkin & Anna Gonzale