The Souris Valley Theatre鈥檚 first main-stage show of the summer is a comedy written by a southeast playwright.
Homecoming, written by Griffin鈥檚 Leeann Minogue, will run from July 11-14 and 17-21. Minogue also wrote Dry Streak, which was performed at the theatre in 2015, and according to Mark Claxton, the artistic director for Homecoming, this new play has some similarities to Dry Streak.
It takes place in the same fictional town of Stony Valley, Sask., but introduces other characters from the town.
Homecoming is about a farmer, Jerry (played by Kent Allen), who is forced to retire following an injury. His son Greg (Ben Redant) and daughter-in-law Susan (Pamela Uhrman) come back to the community to take over the farm. But Jerry has a hard time letting go.
鈥淭he beauty of this play is it takes all of those huge, potentially upsetting transitions, and puts them into a nice comic light so that you can actually have a bit of fun with some of the transitions so many families are going through right now in the province,鈥� Claxton told the Mercury.
Other characters in the play are Jerry鈥檚 wife Marlene (played by Julianna Barclay) and her friend Norma (Angel Genereux).
Rehearsals are progressing well, Claxton said. The cast is working on positioning on the stage, how to perform each scene, and delving deeper into the characters.
They will be ready for opening night, he said.
鈥淲ith 2 1/2 weeks to put the show together, we have to be really focused and have a plan, and I think we have that,鈥� said Claxton. 鈥淲e have a really solid cast, and they鈥檙e finding a lot of really cool things.鈥�
They will also find new things to work on even after they have performed it live in front of a crowd.
The cast has just one member, Redant, who has performed at the theatre before. He was the musical director in previous years. The other four members are new.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to watch the new folks discover this magical little place, and get to enjoy the atmosphere and the process,鈥� said Claxton.
But some of the first-time theatre performers have lots of experience elsewhere, he said.
Redant had a minor role in the in the theatre鈥檚 performance of the Odd Couple in 2014, but has largely been the musical director. He鈥檚 excited to have an acting role again.
鈥淭he biggest difference to me is the musical director doesn鈥檛 have to memorize stuff, and the actors do,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 a lot more memory work involved. Playing or being a musical director, you鈥檙e just being yourself sitting there, and in acting you have to inhabit these roles that you鈥檙e playing.鈥�
But he has been on the stage as musical director. At the Theatre鈥檚 Frehlick Hall, the musical director sits off to the side stage, making him visible. And when he played Fingers the piano player for The Volstead Blues two years ago, was even more visible on stage.
Redant said the Souris Valley Theatre has become a big part of his summer the last five years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like someone else put it, 鈥業t鈥檚 like the best parts of summer camp, combined with working professionally in a theatre,鈥欌�� he said.
He expects the story should resonate with a lot of people.
鈥淎nyone who grew up on a farm, knows farmers, or lives somewhere that farmers live nearby, either knows characters like this, or perhaps is a character like this,鈥� said Redant.
While his immediate family didn鈥檛 farm, his grandparents were farmers, and Redant said he sees a lot of his grandfather in Jerry.
Redant will be returning to his musical director duties in August for the other main-stage show, the musical comedy Pirate Heart, which was written by Lampman鈥檚 Maureen Ulrich.
Among the newcomers to the theatre is Angel Genereux. She echoed Redant鈥檚 thoughts about the summer camp feel of the camp.
鈥淵ou get yourself a paid vacation at a summer camp,鈥� she said. 鈥淐an we do this year-round?鈥�
She has worked with Claxton previously, and contacted him to see if he knew of any opportunities this summer.
He encouraged her to audition for Norma鈥檚 role, and she was selected.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an interesting little play. It鈥檚 really funny,鈥� said Genereux. 鈥淧eople in Saskatchewan can really connect to it because of the farming, and they鈥檒l spot a lot of themselves, and their friends and neighbours in the different characters.鈥�
The rehearsals are moving along quickly. It鈥檚 a challenge to get it ready in two weeks, she said, but Genereux is looking forward to opening night.
Claxton said Homecoming will also feature a cameo appearance by someone from the community. There is an off-stage voice character who has about six lines and plays an important role late in the story.
A different person will have the role each night. Claxton suggested it could be a theatre board member, volunteer or someone else.
鈥淪ome people might recognize the voice and who it is, and they鈥檒l get to take a bow afterwards with the cast.鈥�
听
