By Barb Brouwer
Contributor
If you need a dose of hilarity, get yourself a seat at a Saskatchewan farm table.
Shuswap Theatre’s performance of Dry Streak is indeed the hilarious story of John Richards, who arrives home to the family farm with with his punk girlfriend Kate.
Kate, who represents everything the father, Peter Richards, neither understands nor likes, throws the family and the entire conservative community into a flap.
Saskatchewan is experiencing a serious and seemingly unending drought, tensions are running high and arguments erupt as the family faces the prospect of losing their farm.
One night in a bar, patrons share what they would do if the rain arrived. John suggests he’d do the Highland fling and Peter raises his hands above his head and threatens to don tights and perform a ballet number.
Nobody is prepared for Kate’s sudden and alcohol inflamed promise to run naked through the community, except the local mayor and owner of the town’s newspaper. He is the only one who is thrilled when the story he publishes is picked up by big-league newspapers and the CBC.
While the family is in a furor, daughter Denise suggests selling tickets to the streaking event as a way to raise funds for a much-needed hockey rink. While things don’t proceed exactly as planned, the family is introduced to a new world of possibilities.
Norm Sargent delivers a stellar performance as the crusty old, set-in-his-ways Peter, and Teresa McKerral shines as his long-suffering wife Olive.
Big city Kate, well-performed by Shannon Kehl, discovers a love for rural life and helps Olive restore peace between John and Peter.
Travis Cross, Leah Parenteau, Uther Radcliffe and Steven Simmons round out the strong cast, delivering a lot of laughs throughout the play.
Director Howard deLong has long wished to put Saskatchewan playwright Leeann Minogue’s work on stage and hopes the production will spark fond memories for those who hail from the Prairie province and inspire others to visit.
DeLong, who is happy to be back at Shuswap Theatre after a long hiatus, is grateful to everyone involved in production.
“I thank the wonderful cast and crew for putting in dedicated rehearsal time, taking hours from family and sleep,” he writes in his director’s notes. “The unsung heroes are the 33 people you don’t see on stage.”
Dry Streak runs Thursday, Feb. 22 to Sunday, Feb. 25 and Thursday, Feb. 29 to Saturday, March 2.
Evening performances are 7:30 p.m. and matinee is Sunday, Feb. 25 at 1:30. Feb. 22 is pay what you can Thursday. For information and tickets, go online to shuwaptheatre.com.
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