The rehearsals are underway for the second mainstage show at the Souris Valley Theatre this summer.
Dogbarked will be performed from July 19 to 22, and 25 to 29 at the theatre’s Frehlick Hall. This latest show is a comedy that features the talent of four performers with connections to Saskatchewan.
It tells the story of brothers Roland and Baxter Taylor (played by Mikael Steponchev and Adam Milne, respectively), who are trying to find ways to bring people to their Saskatchewan community. They catch a break when advertising executive Leo Bertrand (played by Ruaridh Macdoanld), and his assistant Gloria Sunset (played by Amanda Trapp) stop in the community while travelling from Toronto to Vancouver.
“It’s about two brothers whose small town is shriveled up because someone moved the highway, and now they’re trying to find a way to bring a little bit of life back to town,” said SV Theatre artistic director Kenn McLeod.
The brothers are trying to think of a new name for their town, and settle on Dogbarked. They also want to create a giant roadside attraction to revitalize the community.
MacDonald said the audience can expect to laugh a lot during Dogbarked.
“It’s sort of about the country mice and the city mice meeting each other and having to bridge their differences,” said MacDonald. “I think the play is really smart in that way.”
The dynamic speaks to MacDonald. He lived in Regina and Avonlea while he was growing up, and now resides in Toronto.
“I think it’s really valuable writing, because it shows the truth of country people and city people, and how similar they are but how different they are as well,” said MacDonald.
The rehearsals have been a lot of fun, he said, and the cast has had an enjoyable time putting it together.
MacDonald, Trapp and Steponchev were part of the first main stage show at the theatre this year, Fitz Happens, and MacDonald believes that continuity has translated well to rehearsals for Dogbarked.
“We’re having a lot of fun,” said MacDonald. “It feels very chilled because we just show up and we get to have fun doing this play.”
The production pushes the envelope, MacDonald said, but it does so in a humourous way.
While Milne is new to the theatre, McLeod said Milne has adapted quickly to the surroundings. The two have worked together in the past.
McLeod said he is also pleased to have Rebecca Donison back to design sets. She handled the sets for Dry Streak two years ago and Volstead Blues last year.
“She’s bringing her esthetic to what we’re doing in here, and she always loves coming down here, because she gets to dream big, and then we find a way to refine that and put it on the stage.”
McLeod stressed Dogbarked is a show that is about Saskatchewan, with an all-Saskatchewan cast and it’s written by James O’Shea, who is from Saskatoon, and it’s part of the theatre’s goal to put an emphasis on Saskatchewan talent this year.
