The Opeongo Line

Ruth Coulas was born in 1927 on a farm near Cross Lake, six miles from Madawaska, Ontario. At 94 years of age, Ruth tells a story of her life and times second to none. Funny, fiesty and full of remarkable eye-witness observations of the social history of the Upper Madawaska Valley in the early and mid-20th Century Ruth talks with Back in the Day host, Martina Coulas. 

Ruth Coulas was born in 1927 on a farm near Cross Lake, six miles from Madawaska, Ontario. At 94 years of age, Ruth tells a story of her life and times second to none. Funny, fiesty and full of remarkable eye-witness observations of the social history of the Upper Madawaska Valley in the early and mid-20th Century Ruth talks with Back in the Day host, Martina Coulas. 

The Opeongo Readers' Theatre celebrates winter with twenty traditional poems drawn from famous Canadian, British and American poets, everything from light verse to weighty words worthy of a BBC mini-series.  We also have a bone-chilling reading of Jack London's classic short story, "To Build a Fire." 

Martina Coulas, host of 'Back in the Day,' chats with 95-year-old Maxie Mintha, that much beloved former businessman of Barry's Bay who recalls all manner of things about his home town, and none more pleasing than his main street bakery where locals enjoyed his wife, Susan's, oven-warm homemade bread and cinnamon rolls.

The Opeongo Readers' Theatre presents the second part of Dr. Francis Codd's 1847-1852 Letters, about his practice of medicine and his many adventures throughout Renfrew County in it's earliest days.  An entertaining and informative look at life in the Upper Ottawa Valley nearly 175 years ago. Performed by Jeff Bowman, Cathy Chapeskie, Kristian Marchand and Lynn Stewart.

Host Martina Coulas presents another episode of 'Back in the Day,' this time with Freeda Higginson who grew up in the little village of Madawaska between the Great War and the Second World War. She saw everything from her hometown picked up and moved inland to make way for a hydro-electric dam in 1942 to seeing the King of England up close and personal.

Host Martina Coulas presents another episode of 'Back in the Day,' this time with Freeda Higginson who grew up in the little village of Madawaska between the Great War and the Second World War. She saw everything from her hometown picked up and moved inland to make way for a hydro-electric dam in 1942 to seeing the King of England up close and personal.

The Opeongo Readers' Theatre rings in the New Year with five inspiring tales from Canada's famous author of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery.  Lesley Betts, Cathy Chapeskie and Carol Peterson perform five short stories that all involve incidents that occur on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.  A perfect way to close the door on 2020 and open it on 2021.

The Opeongo Readers' Theatre presents three short stories, all with local interest and all about Christmas: James Elverson's 'Lost on the Limit,'  Lucy Maud Montogomery's 'Aunt Cyrilla's Christmas Basket,' and Barry Conway's 'A Christmas Wish.' 

'Back in the Day' host Martina Coulas chats with Carman Palubeski about his life growing up in Barry's Bay in the mid-20th century when his parents ran a diner and later a variety store.  He also talks about his exotic travel, and his love of reading, music and dancing. He also reveals more than a few interesting stories about some of the great characters he once knew, along with the odd salty local expression.