With a few drinks and some “Ayes!” three fishermen on a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia declare independence from Canada: henceforth, they shall be known as the Princes of the Principality of Outer Baldonia!

It’s 1948 when Russ, Elson, and Ron discover that the Canadian government plans to open their Atlantic commercial fishing rights to the Spanish, posing an overcrowding threat to business and wildlife. Russ, a vacationing American lawyer, has just purchased Outer Bald Tusket Island for $750. With a newly erected stone lodge, plenty of fish, two new friends, and just enough frustration about rules and regulations, Russ can do what he pleases, including requesting official recognition from the United Nations for his fledgling state and declaring war on the USSR.

Based on an absolutely true story, this hilarious play about friendship shows that when ordinary people set out to do extraordinary things, the possibilities are endless.

A.J. Demers is a Toronto-based award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and producer. He holds an M.F.A. from UBC in creative writing. A.J. wrote and performed one hundred episodes of The Spin (winner of the Sam Ross Award) for CityTV. His writing includes shows on Viceland, CMT, and CBC. A.J. is an alumnus of the 2018 Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Prime Time TV Program and the National Screen Institute’s Feature First Program. In addition to his writing, A.J. has performed in well over two thousand improvised stage shows around the world and spent three years touring with the ABBA tribute band, Bjorn Again.

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“Amazingly fascinating, the comedy hits the right pitch.”

Jessica Goldman, Applause! Meter

“A briskly paced, intelligently drawn parable about big ideas and ideals in a very small world.”

Bob Clark, Calgary Herald