In the early 1900’s the legendary west coast settler Cougar Annie was anything but a typical woman. She trapped more than 70 cougars, homesteaded a rainforest bog, opened a remote post office, and outlived four husbands.
Singer/songwriter Kat Kadoski lived in Clayoquot Sound for three years caretaking Cougar Annie’s garden and immersing herself in the folklore surrounding the legendary pioneer-settler. Drawing upon many sources, including Annie’s family, play Cougar Annie Tales uses dramatic narrative, images, letters, and original compositions to celebrate the unconventional life of one of B.C.’s most colourful characters.
California-born Ada Annie Jordan settled in the Clayoquot coastal rainforest in 1915 with her first husband and three young children. A five-acre garden that she carved out of the wilderness provided food and income throughout her long life. The bounty on cougars supplemented her income and she earned her nickname of Cougar Annie by shooting more than 70 of the animals. Annie gave birth to eight more children in this remote location, and in fact rarely left the property until old age and blindness forced her removal to Port Alberni, where she died at the age of 97.
Cougar Annie Tales hits the stage at the Duncan Showroom on Friday, Oct. 4. Tickets are $15 and the show starts at 8 p.m.