Fifty years. Four main venues. More than 360 shows. According to Persephone Theatre’s artistic director Heather Cant, the surviving founder of Persephone Theatre did not see that kind of longevity coming back in 1974. That would be director Brian Richmond, who created Persephone with actors Susan and Janet Wright (you may remember the latter as Emma in Corner Gas). “Talking to Brian now, he never imagined, of course . . . they never thought about it,” Cant said in an interview. “It’s still here and look at everything it’s accomplished. “They started the theatre here because they seemed to feel it was a good place for it. It started as a grassroots artists’ initiative and has grown from there into a regional theatre.” Persephone has had several homes over the years including on 20th Street, Rusholme Road, and the first shows were presented in the Mendel Art Gallery building.

In 2007, under artistic director Del Surjik, the company moved to the Remai Arts Centre, fulfilling a long-held dream by former long-time director Tibor Feheregyhazi, who died that year. Persephone has grown and changed, but the vision was clear from the beginning. “Persephone has always had a main stage, and theatre performance has been its mainstay, but even in its early days theatre education has been a big part of its mandate along with theatre for young people, including provincial tours,” Cant said. “In my view, a huge part of why a regional theatre like Persephone really matters to the community is because it really is to serve every aspect of the community and that includes young people all the way to adult.” Persephone today has a “very bustling theatre school” along with the main stage and youth series programs every season, as well as a young company. “It’s part of theatre school, but they are teenage students who are more invested in learning the professional aspect of how art works. This group works with us all year to develop their own shows.

“We develop a lot of new work. Even in that very first season, Persephone premiered a new play called Cruel Tears. Supporting the development of new work and supporting playwrights has always been important for Persephone.” In keeping with that history, two new local plays will be premiered in the 50th season: the main stage show, 18 Jews Order Chinese Food by Jenna Berenbaum in partnership with the Saskatchewan Jewish Arts Festival (Feb. 5-16, 2025), and The Adventure of Young Turtle by S.E. Grummett (March 6-9, 2025), a puppet show and musical in the youth series. “I wanted to make sure we had new work in the mix and these two shows are fantastic and they’re ready. Sometimes it can take years and years to develop a new work.” Five more plays are slated for the main stage and two more in the youth series.

Also on the main stage are Native Gardens by Karen Zacarias, Sept. 25- Oct. 6, 2024; The Invisible by Jonathan Christenson, Oct. 23-Nov. 3; Miracle on 34th Street by Caleb Marshall, Dec. 4-22; Made in Italy by Farren Timotao Mar 12-23, 2025; and Million Dollar Quartet Apr. 23-May 11. Native Gardens, said Cant, “is so witty and charming and funny, and it feels like a conversation we seem to have a lot in the gardening community – like the difference between plants that are native to the landscape versus carefully cultivated gardens. “I wanted to open the season with something audiences would really love.”

The Invisible was programmed but cancelled for the 2021 season. Catalyst Theatre, which produces the show, is now on tour with the show. “They are a very popular theatre company that’s been here many times before and our audiences really love their work.” Miracle on 34th seemed like an excellent choice for Christmas and Million Dollar Quartet, for Cant, was a clear winner. “People talk to me about a lot (about) their love for the Buddy Holly Story, which Tibor would have programmed for the Rusholme Road space and had requests to bring back,” she said. “So when I was thinking about what musical we were going to do, Million Dollar Quartet felt like a great fit. If they loved the Buddy Holly Story, they’re going to love this.” That’s because it’s a hit Broadway musical about Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, described by Cant as offering “nostalgia, a good time, like going to a party.” Made in Italy, she added, “is a fantastic play. I was very lucky to be working at the company that premiered the play in 2016. It has toured the the country but hasn’t been here. I was just super stoked to be able to bring Farren here to perform it. “It’s a great comedy but so full of heart, I think audiences here are going to really love it.” In the children’s series, a new play by Green Thumb Theatre, The Mixolydian, will play on small stage Nov. 3-17 and then go on tour. G’Zaaglin Maleńki I Promise You a Forest, a Voyageurs Immobiles production, ventures into new territory for Persephone May 7-11 2025.

“Something we’ve never done before is (a play) for the youngest audience ever, as young as 18 months,” Cant said, describing it as a non-verbal sound experience. “It is really an introductory theatre experience for little, little kids. I think it’s a really beautiful experience and a partnership with the Remai.” The importance of this season, she said, is “reflecting back on what the last 50 years have been, not just for the organization but for the community. We don’t achieve this milestone by ourselves. It’s been this community who has made it possible for Persephone Theatre to see its 50th birthday.”

-Joanne Paulson