One of Estevan’s long-standing and popular summer attractions will be celebrating a milestone season in 2019.
The Souris Valley Theatre is marking its 30th anniversary. Since its inception, it has been a destination for local residents and people from far and wide, thanks to the talented performers who have delivered humourous and uplifting musicals and plays for the crowds.
And those shows have always entertained, regardless of whether they were outdoors under the stars at the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort (or Tee One Up, as it was known back then), under a tent at the Woodlawn Regional Park, or at Frehlick Hall – the permanent building that has been the theatre’s home at Woodlawn since 2002.
The theatre’s origins can be traced to a meeting at Ron and Marguerite Gallaway’s home in 1988, when a group of culture and tourism supporters discussed ways to bring a new attraction to Estevan.
The Estevan Tourism committee was formed the following year. Committee members decided they needed what Marguerite Gallaway called an “overnight hook” – an attraction to get visitors to spend the night. Her idea was a summer theatre in the valley.
The following year, the theatre started with a performance of The Volstead Blues, a show about rum-runners and gangsters and life in Estevan during the days of Prohibition. A competition was held to determine which play would be performed.
Dr. Ron Maver from the University of Saskatchewan’s drama department was asked to pick a winner. The Volstead Blues, written by Bill Morton, was selected because Mayer thought it would be the most entertaining show.
Maver also decided to use The Volstead Bluesfor the drama program’s spring and summer tour in 1990. It was performed outdoors locally for four weeks at Tee One Up.
In 1992, the theatre moved inside to a large tent, and Tee One Up remained its home. While they lost the setting of an intimate, outdoor venue under the stars, weather and mosquitoes were no longer as much of a problem.
Volstead Blues has been back to Estevan on several occasions, most recently in 2016 when it was staged as part of the cultural activities 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
It was during the tent years that one of the most popular shows in the theatre’s history, Ranchers and Rustlers, by Randy Apostle, was performed for the first time. Gallaway remembers turning people away from the tent because of the demand for tickets.
A new tent was purchased in the late 1990s, and at that time, they relocated to Woodlawn Regional Park. That tent remained their home until 2002, when Frehlick Hall was completed.
It has not only provided the advantages of a permanent building, but it has allowed the SV Theatre to branch out to other forms of live entertainment, such as concerts, and to have performances in the late spring and early fall, in addition to the summer.
A new permanent washroom and concession building was completed in 2005. It also provides the theatre with storage space.
Some things have endured over the years. The people of the Estevan area continue to support the theatre. It remains a popular tourist attraction, as seen at the start of each performance, when audience members are asked to state where they are from. It’s not uncommon to hear locations from other provinces, countries or even continents.
The theatre continues to attract highly-talented Saskatchewan performers on an annual basis as well. Many of them come to Estevan for a few weeks each summer, and stay in the campers located on the theatre’s grounds in a setting that they often compare to summer camp.
Volunteers are still a big part of the theatre as well, as numerous people help out each night.
And there’s the popularity of Ranchers and Rustlers. People often call for the show’s return, according to board president Robert Godfrey.
The theatre has obliged its fans, as they are bringing back Ranchers and Rustlers this year. Opening night will be July 2 at 7:30 p.m. Performances will be nightly from July 2-6, with a 2 p.m. matinee on July 4.
Additional performances will be July 9-13, with a matinee on the final day.
The theatre has already held one event this year. Saskatchewan country music singer Codie Prevost performed in front of about 100 people on June 13.
A big 30th anniversary celebration will be held on July 6, prior to that night’s performance.
Kipling’s Alex Runions will perform at an end-of-season concert on Aug. 17.
Other events are also in the works for this year.
The theatre will also have its annual summer theatre camps for youths. Act 1 for kids ages six to eight will be July 29-Aug. 2, Act 2 will be for those nine to 12 and will run July 22-26, and Act 3 is for students ages 10 and up will be July 2-12.
Abby Hanna and Kelsey Driedger will be the camp directors this year.
Lampman’s Maureen Ulrich will be writing a play for the Act 3 students that will wrap up that particular camp.
The theatre has endured despite storms and the flood of 2011, which damaged their buildings and wiped out two years of productions. But since the theatre made its return in 2013, it has re-established itself as a popular place for people to spend time during the summer months.
