CANMORE – Pine Tree Players are back with two performances for the Canmore Summer Theater at the Stan Rogers Memorial Stage in Centennial Park from July 12-23.
The more family-oriented play, I Was a Rat!, will play at 1 p.m., and the more mature play, Sense and Sensibility, will take the stage at 7 p.m.
“The big thing for me is if people come out to see the play, eager to interact, to cheer and to absorb themselves into the story, I think that they'll easily be able to take away some of the deeper meaning that we're looking for in terms of connection with your community,” said Tyler McClaron, director of I Was a Rat!.
Several hours have been put into the performances since April by actors of all ages and skill levels, as well as the people behind the scenes ensuring a smooth production.
“It's just kind of been a joy to put all of the elements together and it's always really great to do it with this environment in mind – the outdoor theatre twist,” said Shelby Reinitz, director of Sense and Sensibility.
The annual summer theatre began in 2017 as a pilot and the Canmore Summer Theatre Festival began in 2018.
In the first few years, crowds were entertained at the Stan Rogers Memorial Stage in Centennial Park. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to virtual performances in 2020, and in 2021 productions were held on the field near the Canmore Recreation Centre.
It returned to the Stan Rogers Memorial Stage in 2022, performing The Emperor’s New Clothes and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead for crowds.
I Was a Rat!, by Philip Pullman, follows a character who claims to have magically turned from a rat to a human where he must learn and become accustomed to how the world works in his human form. McClaron said he really enjoys the interactions of somebody who is so new to the world and reacts to what is so normal to the rest.
“It’s not every day that somebody comes up and knocks on your door and says, I used to be an animal and now I’m a human,” said McClaron.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen follows a recently widowed mother and her daughters in the Regency Era who must make a living in a time where women aren’t allowed to make money, which forces the family to stick together with what’s thrown at them whilst trying to rebuild their lives.
“I love Sense and Sensibility, so it's really exciting for me to just be able to direct that piece, but also the take that we have on it this year. The adaptation of the scripts that we have is fantastic,” said Reinitz.
The cast of 18 in I Was a Rat! will perform for about 90 minutes and Sense and Sensibility – with a cast of 15 – will perform for about two-and-a-half hours.
I Was a Rat! will run July 12-23 and cost $15. Sense and Sensibility will be playing through July 12-22 and cost $20 at the Stan Rogers Stage in Centennial Park.
Organizers recommend that audience members bring their own seating and prepare for changing weather.
Tickets are available at www.pinetreeplayers.com.
