Windsor's Leslie McCurdy subject of new documentary film

Windsor actor, playwright and dancer Leslie McCurdy is the subject of a film, currently under production, called On the Money.

The film willexploreher continuing quest to tell the story of two prominent black women who areset to becommemorated on currency: Viola Desmond and Harriet Tubman.

McCurdyhas spent the lasttwo decades performing her playsThe Spirit of Harriet TubmanandThings My ForesistersSaw which includes a portrayal of Desmond to audiences across Canada and the United States.

"It started out with Leslie coming to us and saying 'I'm celebrating 20 years of doing The Spirit of Harriet Tubman,and I'd like to document that," explained filmmaker Pat Jeflyn, a former CBC videojournalistwho is producing the film with fellow former CBCVJKim Kristy.

"And then the Viola Desmond story came out, that she was going to be on the ten dollar bill, and I thought 'Harriet on the twenty [dollar U.S. bill], Viola on the ten on the money!'" she said.

McCurdydescribes the experience of being the subject of a documentary as "an honour, like a privilege and kind of strange and weird all atthe same time."

Jeflyn and McCurdytalked about the process withAfternoon Drivehost Chris dela Torre Wednesday.

Tap on the player to hear that conversation.

Jeflyn and Kristy are currently fundraising to help support the film's travel expenses, which will follow the actor duringperformancesin Nova Scotia this month.

While in the Maritimes,McCurdywill alsore-unitewith Desmond's sister, Wanda Robson, who she interviewed two decades ago to helpdevelop herportrayal of the Canadian civil rights icon.