Renowned author's play to be featured in Saskatoon parks this summer
- Andréa Ledding | May 26, 2016
Thousands of Saskatonians will be treated to an outdoor play by an esteemed author and playwright this summer.
Students from St. Frances School drummed in Thornton Park on Thursday May 12th, celebrating the opening of Sum Theatre’s new season of Theatre in the Park. Sum Theatre’s production of Little Badger & the Fire Spirit, a tale by Elder Maria Campbell, will be seen by more than 7,000 people of all ages in Saskatoon city's parks for free this summer. Running from July 4th to the 29th, the theatre company will tour Saskatoon parks, with most shows running at 7 pm and a few 2 pm matinées.
“The show really speaks to community, and I don’t just mean a community of humans but also of the animal world, nature, the environment, and so on,” noted Joel Bernbaum, the director. “Community is inherent in this story, as well as being a community-building exercise in bringing it to various communities.”
Little Badger & the Fire Spirit follows a boy on a dangerous quest to bring fire back to his people. Little Badger’s world is one full of music, magic and a beautiful Indigenous world-view. This is a story about how the human, natural and animal worlds are intertwined.
Lancelot Knight, one of the Indigenous Sum Theatre ensemble members, notes that there was nothing like this when he was a kid.
“It’s great to see that youth are now being brought up with these stories again, which come from the oral tradition we have, which is so rich,” he noted. “This story comes from Maria Campbell, and we consulted with her to make sure that we were doing it appropriately, and it was great to have that process with her.”
Knight was really excited to become part of the production; initially his cousin Lindsay Knight was suggested, and she passed his name along, so he auditioned and in the process became really invested in the production.
“I really wanted to be a part of this,” he noted. “It’s been a great experience so far.”
Other members of the ensemble include Kristi Friday, Joseph Naytowhow, Nathan Howe, Krystle Pedersson, Alison Jenkins, Donovan Scheirer, and Theresa Stevenson.
The July schedule can be found online at www.sumtheatre.com under “Theatre in the Parks.”
Also by Maria Campbell:
- Reflections: Tonight I fear for my grandchildren; tomorrow I'll be strong
- Reflections: There can be no reconciliation without justice