One of the Estevan area’s primary tourist attractions is getting ready for another season of performances and laughter on the stage.
The Souris Valley Theatre, located in Woodlawn Regional Park south of Estevan, will once again have two mainstage productions this year. The first is Homecoming, a play by Griffin’s Leeann Minogue, which will run from July 10-14 and 17-21.
Pirate Heart, a musical written by Lampman’s Maureen Ulrich, will be making its world premiere during performances from Aug. 8-11 and 14-18.
Minogue is not a stranger to the theatre, as she penned Dry Streak, which was staged in 2015. Homecoming is set in Stony Valley, the same fictitious Prairie town as Dry Streak.
“When Jerry Wilson’s broken leg spurs him and his wife Marlene to retire a little earlier than expected, their son Greg comes back from the city to take over the family farm,” states the synopsis for Homecoming. “But everyone soon discovers that retirement isn’t quite as idyllic as it looks in the commercials.”
Homecoming looks at the challenge of trying to hold on or let go, and the importance of providing for the family.
Ulrich is well-known to southeast theatre fans as well. Her productions have been performed in many venues, including the Souris Valley Theatre.
“Pirate Heart is a rollicking high-energy musical comedy, set on the high seas,” states the synopsis for the show. “Plundering pirates, dashing damsels, swashbuckling skeletons and ransacked rum are just some of the escapades in store for you this summer.”
Lyn Vilcu, the theatre’s general manager, said staff members have started to arrive. Catherine Bridge, who is the technical director, arrived on June 11.
“She is the one who helps me get the theatre up and running at the beginning of the year, and she is there, side by side, for the whole season,” said Vilcu.
The rest of the staff is scheduled to arrive on June 25 and 26, including the artistic director, the stage manager and the cast for Homecoming. It’s a small cast, Vilcu said, with five people. Only one cast member, Ben Redant, is returning.
Redant has been the theatre’s musical director in the past.
“I’m excited to have some new actors down there,” said Vilcu. “They really do love coming down, because they get to live down at the facility. We have mobile homes and campers, and they get away from everything. It’s great for Estevan having them down here. They’re supporting local businesses and getting out in the community.”
Kenn McLeod, who has served as the artistic director for the past few years, will not be back this year. But he has been helping the theatre get ready for the upcoming season.
Mark Claxton will be the artistic director for Homecoming, while Caitlin Vancoughnett will be the artistic director for Pirate Heart.
Claxton has been an actor in Dry Streak, The Odd Couple and Volstead Blues. Vancoughneett, meanwhile has been involved with the Marvelous Wonderettes and the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
“They have both been down to the theatre, and they both know what we’re all about. It’s going to be different not having Kenn there, but it will be good getting some new blood down there,” said Vilcu.
A lot of work has been happening at the grounds in advance of the season. The Envision Counselling and Support helped clean up the site as part of the United Way Estevan’s Day of Caring last month, and filled 117 bags of leaves.
The theatre has held a couple of fundraisers already with the I’ll Be Here show in April, and a steak night fundraiser at Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual. An artisan fair on June 9 and 10 was a fundraiser for the theatre’s youth camps.
Those youth camps will run in July and August. Kelsey Potoma will be the director and Kimi Allan will be the assistant.
Act 1, for children ages six to eight, will run from July 9-13. Act 2, for those who are nine to 12, will be July 16-20. Both of those camps will have a brief production at the end.
Act 3, for those who are 10 and up, will be from Aug. 7-17. Potoma and Ulrich are writing a show to wrap up the Act 3 camp.
Registrations are going well for the camps, but there are some spaces available.
“Anybody can still register, but the numbers are picking up,” said Vilcu.
The theatre also hopes to have a kickoff concert in the beginning of July, before the first mainstage production.
Vilcu believes the theatre remains an important attraction for the Estevan area. It’s still the only live, professional theatre in southeast Saskatchewan. The theatre places an emphasis on having Saskatchewan-based actors and directors.
“It’s nice to be able to offer all of that here, and be able to offer the professional theatre,” said Vilcu.
