Next year will be the 150th anniversary of our nation, and Saskatchewan Express wants to kick off the celebration. The musical revue has put together Oh! Canada, a tribute to Canada鈥檚 rich history in the arts.
Carol Gay Bell, artistic director for Saskatchewan Express, says they wanted to kick off the big birthday year with a show. It鈥檚 a departure for the group, since it鈥檚 focused squarely on our nation, with a mix of patriotic music, pop music and a bit about Canada鈥檚 history.
鈥淵ou get something of everything.鈥�
The challenge of writing a tribute to Canada is winnowing down the material you want to use, Bell says. The end result was a little bit of everything.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much music that has been written by Canadians and performed by Canadians, we had a list that was pages long... We cover artists from the 鈥�50s to today.鈥�
While this is the first all-Canadian show for the group, Bell says that they鈥檝e always liked to make Canada a focus of their performances.
鈥淲e like to promote our Canadian performers and Saskatchewan performers.鈥�
The cast is a mix of six 鈥渨onderful young people鈥� from Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw. Bell says it鈥檚 always a learning experience for kids, and this year especially, since it鈥檚 drawing from sources that the performers weren鈥檛 familiar with.
鈥淥f course, a lot of this music these young people have never heard, they鈥檙e not familiar with the artists. So yes indeed, they鈥檙e learning about Canadian music, Canadian artists and about Canada!鈥�
Saskatchewan Express鈥� own history has been a big part of the province鈥檚 performing arts, and Bell says Yorkton has often been a big part of the show. Ashley Arnett, Tianda Kniaz, Hayley Lepowick, Charles Lubiniecki - professionally known as Charlie David, Jaclynn and Krista Minken, Vanessa Ortynsky, Stacey Serby, Morgan Thorley, Samara Yung and Ricky Zayshley all were part of the company.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had about 600聽 [performers] since we started in 1980, a lot of them have gone on and done really well.鈥�
The group has always been about promoting performing arts in the province, and part of that has been doing tours of schools. This show is no exception, and will tour the province鈥檚 schools.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that young people across the province have the opportunity to see a group like Saskatchewan Express, and to know what we do in this province. So many young people come to auditions and say 鈥淚 first saw Saskatchewan Express in my school and that鈥檚 why I wanted to do this.鈥� So that鈥檚 important for Saskatchewan Express, that we get out there and interest young people, not only in Saskatchewan Express, but in the performing arts. That they know there鈥檚 something for them to aspire to in this province.鈥�
Saskatchewan Express will be at the Anne Portnuff Theatre on December 9. Tickets are available at Farrell Agencies Ltd. and Welcome Home Crafts). Tickets are $25/adults, $20/Seniors and Students, $10/Children 12 & under.
