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
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.