Regina residents welcome the return of live theatre
Regina residents have been waiting for live performances to come back for months, and this week the opportunity to take in a live show will return.
Sum Theatre, a company based in Saskatoon, has brought its theatre in the park performance to Regina.
The show, ‘The Other Side of the River’, tells the story of two communities divided until they are forced together and discover their similarities.
“This year we wanted to address race relations and the fear that people have about people that are different from them and do a play about anti-racism for everyone,” said Joel Bernbaum, the artistic director for Sum Theatre.
The rock-and-roll opera, complete with puppets, aims to use art as a catalyst for discussion and change.
The story was heavily influenced by the Black Lives Matter and Indigenous Lives Matter movements that have taken place over the last year.
“All of our artists, myself included, are grappling with these movements and saying how do we let them infect and infuse our work in a way that helps us move people a little further down their path of understanding the world around them,” said Bernhaum.
The show features an original score composed by Amanda Trapp.
“This was my first full score that I composed,” said Trapp. “It was a real opportunity to write something I had a strong relationship to.”
Focusing on rock music, Trapp hopes to bring people into the story on different levels.
“When we’re all belting out these songs and our guitarist is just slamming on his guitar you can’t help but lean in and listen,” said Trapp.
Audiences can expect huge puppets and sets during the show, creating an environment Sum Theatre hopes people will remember.
“This at the end of the day is a play, and a play is meant to be fun,” said Bernbaum. “There is nothing more fun than puppets that blow your mind. So if nothing else, its worth it to come down to the park to hear the amazing music, and see the giant puppets.”
The free performances will be taking place at parks around Regina all week long. For a list of shows and locations visit Sum Theatre online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.