I do not always get the chance but this year a group of us took the opportunity to visit Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan and their wonderful performance of Twelfth Night.
One thing that stood out for me as a Saskatchewan resident who covers the art community as much as I can is the overlap I saw.
I was excited to see Grahame Kent’s name in the program, who I just talked with in June about the Page to Stage Program through Dancing Sky Theatre (Humboldt Journal, June 14, 2017 and East Central Trader, June 16, 2017).
Joshua Beaudry had rolls in both Twelfth Night and Shakespeare of Saskatchewan’s other performance, Richard III. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Dogbarked at Dancing Sky Theatre in May and covering Dancing Sky’s 20th anniversary (East Central Trader, May 12, 2017).
Expanding beyond just these amazing Saskatchewan talents, I got to see Greg Ochitwa, who played Orsino in Twelfth Night, during his spectacular performance as Hamlet during a previous season of Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan while plenty of other performers looked familiar from other performances I took in.
The best part of these performances is that everyone, from costume and set design to the actors, have major ties to Saskatchewan, either by being from here or studying their craft in Saskatchewan.
They are choosing to bring their craft and talent here. They are choosing to contribute to Saskatchewan’s art scene and Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan is just one way they can do that.
Kent’s work with Dancing Sky Theatre on the Page to Stage program was huge in promoting writing and theatre in schools.
Other actresses that come to mind are Jackie and Rachelle Block, originally from LeRoy. I had the pleasure of seeing Jackie during her time at Greystone Theatre while she was a student (East Central Trader, Sept. 11, 2015). Rachelle also has done work with Dancing Sky for kids camps and showing local students that acting is an option (East Central Trader, Aug. 12, 2016).
Whether they are in live theatre or film, to all those Saskatchewan actors, I commend you.
Government is not on the side of the Saskatchewan actors, especially with changes to the Film Credit in the spring of 2012, offering grants and funding to Saskatchewan projects only after they have made money on their projects.
The ones that are staying are making a go of it and keeping the industry itself alive.
That is where it becomes the chicken and the egg syndrome since which comes first? Actors to support the industry or the industry to support the actors.
I know as a writer, the best thing a person can do to support us is to read and purchase our work.
When it comes to actors, same thing. The best thing we can do is to go see Saskatchewan work by Saskatchewan actors.
