Following a fundraising dinner last week, announcements were made identifying the 2015 productions to run at the little theatre by the river.
The Souris Valley Theatre will feature Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, running from July 8 to 18, followed by the Saskatchewan original production Dry Streak, running Aug. 5 to 15.
The theatre will see the return of last year’s artistic director Kenn McLeod, who has previously had a hand in the production of Leann Minogue’s Saskatchewan comedy performing as an actor and directing a future production as well.
He was part of the cast during a production in Rosthern, Sask. at the Station Arts Centre, which featured some of the cast members of the original production at the Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon.
A couple of years later, McLeod directed the piece at the Regina Little Theatre, and it has since been performed across the country.
For McLeod, the appearance of Dry Streak in Estevan is an opportunity to return to a project he’s very familiar with.
“This is interesting for me. It will be one of the first times I ever direct a show again,” said McLeod, noting it’s much more typical to jump into something new and never look back. “This will be a great opportunity to work with a script I know quite well with a new group of folks.”
He said every production of a play is different because of the different players involved.
“Every play you do is different because you’ve got different people in the room. I’m really looking forward to that actually, going back into a script and finding new life in it and finding new opportunities for (these actors) to show what they’ve got.”
The 2015 theatre season will see a return of faces from last year as well as some new talent. McLeod noted that during the production of Putnam they hope to incorporate a few enthusiastic audience members to take part in the spelling bee.
“They don’t have to participate in the singing or the choreography, but they are a part of the show actually coming up on stage and competing.”
The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Beetakes place entirely at the eponymous event, following six contestants through the final night of the competition.
Dry Streak takes place in 1988 in small-town Saskatchewan during a heat wave.
“After spending last summer in Estevan, I can agree with what happens around August. It’s an interesting piece, because it’s about what happens when you take someone who doesn’t perceivably belong out in the country and set the wheels in motion,” said McLeod, who spent last October teaching theatre to youth across the province.
He will be coming to Estevan at the beginning of June to get everything prepared, from sweeping out cobwebs to, at times, hooking the plumbing back up.
“You’re not just showing up to do the shows, you’re showing up to create a place where the artists can live, because we all spend a fair amount of time living down there, and then make a place that’s comfortable for the audience,” he said.
Rehearsals will start on June 16.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to bring some of the best artists that Saskatchewan has all together for some great times down by the river,” added McLeod.
The Souris Valley Theatre will be hosting its youth summer camps again this year. Estevan native Josh Pele will be returning again to organize the camps.
