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The
first show was performed in the late fall of 1920, in the
village of Stenon Saskatchewan. From there the theatrical
troupe, which consisted of 5 performers and a booking agent
traveled by train across Canada. While playing in Arran
Saskatchewan, Nick met John Chornoby, a dwarf who stood just
29 inches high. Nick found that John had a wonderful singing
voice and decided to train him to be a true vaudeville
performer. Johnny became a very popular attraction in the
show and Nick was expanding his new found horizons. This was
the beginning of my Grandfather's credo, that no human would
be exploited for his deformity or malady... and would be
employed as a performer, not as a freak.
Johnny sold his pictures and assorted candy kisses during
intermission and kept the money earned from his extra
enterprises as an added bonus. Each year the show would
change and slowly the Lewchuk's began to have children to
incorporate into the show. As they grew up one by one they
took leading parts in both performance and other tasks. The
members of the family who took part in the show were Mary,
Anne, Elizabeth, Earnest, and of course Nick and life
partner Anastasia. The show was now becoming a family run
business with little need for outside help. Earnest became
the advance agent, booking the theatres two weeks in advance
and also had the prestige of being the Master Of Ceremonies.
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