The Other Side of the River

Engage With The Story

As part of our 2021 Theatre in the Park production of The Other Side of the River, we worked with local language keepers  to tell our story in 11 different languages! Watch below or on our YouTube channel.

Original music composed by Amanda Trapp and performed by the Sum Theatre ensemble. Poster design and illustrations by Taegan O'Bertos. A big thanks to the Saskatoon Open Door Society for all their help as well.

This entire project was filmed and edited by Little Ox Film Company. See their work at www.littleoxfilmcompany.ca

We've also partnered with our friends over at the Nutrien Wonderhub to make a fun craft you can do at home! Make your very own Rocky or Windy puppet with objects around your house. Post pictures or videos of your puppets in our new digital community, the Sum Space.

And our friends at the Saskatoon Public Library have created a booklist for all ages to read more about anti-racism and how to be a better friend to the people around us.

Finally, we'd like to invite you to our new digital community. We'd love for you to be a part of the conversation over at The Sum Space.

The Other Side of the River

A Theatre in the Park Show

Theatre in the Park is an original play offered free of charge in neighbourhood parks around Saskatchewan each July. Created in response to a current issue, it’s a fun and thought-provoking performance for people of all ages. Catchy original music and colourful sets, props and costumes bring our stories to life. All graphics designed by Taegan O'Bertos.

This year’s offering is a family friendly rock opera about two sides of the same river. Based on a story by Yvette Nolan, The Other Side of the River was devised by the Sum Theatre ensemble with original music composition by Amanda Trapp. Created in response to Indigenous Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter and the international movement towards racial equity and anti-racism, The Other Side of the River transports the audience on a joyful journey to a place they never expected to be.

Stay tuned to our social media this summer to follow the show!

***ANNOUNCEMENT: Please join us for an extra special online offering of the show 
on August 8th at 6:30 or 7:30pm (ASL translation provided). We are pleased to present The Other Side of the River livestreamed straight from Glencairn Park in Regina.***
This show is made possible from the generous support of our sponsors.

Saskatoon & Area Performances

May 5th - Adelaide Park (Adelaide/Churchill - PREVIEW) 7pm 

May 6th - Chief Darcy Bear Park (Nutana - OPENING) 7pm  

May 8th - Alexander MacGillvray Young Park (Stonebridge) 1pm & 4pm 

May 9th - W.J.L Harvey Park North 7pm 

May 10th - Wilson Park (City Park) 7pm 

May 11th - Grace Adam Metawinhk Park (Pleasant Hill) 7pm 

May 12th - Al Anderson Park 7pm 

Mat 13th - Swick Park ( Rosewood) 7pm 

May 15th - G.D Archibald Memorial Park 2pm & 7pm 

May 16th - Grosvenor Park (Grosvenor) 7pm 

May 17th - Mount Royal Park (Mount Royal) 7pm 

May 18th - Optimist Park (Riversdale) 7pm 

May 19th - Ashworth Holmes Park (Caswell Hill) 7pm 

May 20th - Les Kerr Park 7pm 

May 22nd - H.S. Sears Park (Fairhaven) 2pm 

May 23rd - Dr. Seager Wheeler Park 7pm 

May 24th - Lakeview Park (Lakeview) 7pm 

May 25th - A.H. Browne Park ( Mayfair) 7pm 

May 26th - Silverspring Park (Silverspring) 7pm 

May 27th - Weaver Park 7pm 

May 29th - Lions Park ( Martensville) 2pm 

May 29th - Diamond Park (Warmen) 7pm 

May 30th - Montgomery Park (Montgomery) 7pm 

May 31st - Robert Hunter East Park 7pm 

June 1st - Parc Canada (Confederation) 7pm 

June 2nd - (Rosetown)7pm 

June 3rd - Buena Vista School ( Buena Vista - CLOSING) 7pm 

Regina & Area  

June 5th - Davidson School - (Davidson) 2pm  

June 6th - Elsie Dorsey Park (Whitmore Park - Regina) 7pm 

June 7th - Glencairn Park (Dewdney East - Regina) 7pm 

June 8th - Dixon Park (Indian Head) 1:30pm 

June 9th - Fairchild Park (Harbour Landing - Regina) 7pm 

June 10th -  Thomson Community School (Heritage - Regina) 7pm 

June 12th - mâmawêyatitân Centre (North Central - Regina CLOSING ) 7pm 

There are just a few things you need to know about attending this show!

  1. You MUST reserve your FREE spot through our website. See the button at the top of the page!
  2. Please arrive to the show wearing a mask (we'll provide one if you don't have one) and show up a minimum of 15 minutes before showtime.
  3. When you get to your park, look for large Sum Theatre banners and head over to our box office table next to them.
  4. You’ll be ushered by our team to a socially distanced hula hoop within our audience viewing area where you can watch our performance and then we will usher you out afterwards.
Thank you for following these guidelines to ensure your safety and the safety of the performers.

Cast & Crew

Sarah Bergbusch

Ensemble

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Sarah Bergbusch (she/her) is a theatre artist from Regina, Saskatchewan. She is passionate about performing on the prairies and is proud to call Saskatchewan home! Sarah has worked throughout Saskatchewan with Arts Organizations such as Globe Theatre, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan, Live Five Theatre, Curtain Razors, Common Weal, and Sum Theatre. This is Sarah’s second summer with SUM Theatre’s Theatre in The Park. She is thrilled to be back singing, dancing, and puppeteering in the parks of Saskatoon and beyond. 

Chris Krug-Iron

Ensemble 

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S.E Grummett

Ensemble 

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S.E. Grummett (they/them) is a queer, transgender theatre artist from Treaty 6 Territory. Over the past 5 years, Grumms has created a body of original queer work and toured it to festivals and stages around the world. They are the co-creator of “SCUM: a manifesto”, “Pack Animals” and “Creepy Boys”. Their solo-show, “Something in the Water", won “Best Theatre” at the Adelaide Fringe and was selected by the High Commission of Canada for Spotlight Canada 2021. Their creations have been seen at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Twin Cities Horror Festival, Undercurrents Festival, Persephone Theatre and Live Five. Outside of self-creation, Grumms also works as a performer, puppeteer & video artist. 

Peace Akintade

Ensemble

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Mitchell Larsen 

Ensemble 

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As a child, living in rural Saskatchewan, Mitchell(they/him) dreamt of sprouting fawn legs and bounding through the prairie, conjuring melodies on cliff sides, trees opening their eyes as they lumber through the streets. With siblings and friends, Mitchell carved out palaces of snow, explored alien ships, and constructed haunted houses.Nowadays, Mitchell voyages through alternate Oz’s, feels their body billowing, the sail of a ship, summits dumpsters that are mountains, and persisting: the struggle of roots, the cracking of pavement as elm, oak, apple stretch, plant limbs in fresh earth, rise up to stride, lids parting to survey new worlds.

Krystle Pederson 

Ensemble / Musician/

Artistic Associate    

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KRYSTLE PEDERSON is a Cree/Metis actor singer songwriter with an outstanding career. Krystle is a recipient of CBC Future 40 Award, Shorted listed for the Saskatchewan Arts Awards for Emerging artist as well as a nomination in the YWCA Woman of Distinction Awards.  Krystle’s list of acting credits includes Saskatchewan film Run: Broken Yet Brave; Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre: The (Post) Mistress, Sum Theatre’s Little Badger and the Fire Spirit, National Arts Centre’s “Gabriel Dumont Wild West Show.” Ferre Play Theatre “Penelopiad” . Currently Krystle is the lead vocalist for “Lynx Lamour Goes to Nashville” a brand-new one-woman Cree musical written and composed by Tomson Highway. Krystle has had the great pleasure of taking this musical to New Zealand and has been touring Canada over the past two years. Krystle Has just returned home from Winnipeg having worked with Manitoba Theatre for Young People on the World Premier of “Frozen River” 


Megan Zong 

Ensemble

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Donovan Scheirer

Ensemble/Musician

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Donovan (he/him) is a Saskatoon based actor and musician originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and is a frequent collaborator with SUM Theatre. Past credits with SUM Theatre include Turn Turn Turn, The Young Ones, Theatre in the Pool, The Hockey Sweater, Little Badger and the Fire Spirit, and Hercules. Donovan received the SATAward for best musical direction and outstanding composition for Two Corpses Go Dancing (Live Five). Donovan is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a proud uncle to two wonderful nephews. Stay safe, everyone!

Kris Alvarez

Ensemble/Musician

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Kris is a theatre artist, a Regina monologue, a brown kid grateful for the village who raises her. She is privileged to build relationships in artful ways (Curtain Razors, Fadadance, Artesian, Globe Theatre, Common Weal) Kris performs in other people’s work (Bad Blood, Carmen Angel), makes her own work (What Kind of Brown Are You, Burnt Sienna), and moments before the pandemic, she was humbled by life-inspiring experiences (Reasonable Doubt) Through the pandemic & onward, Kris continues… in film (Donkeyhead, Karma Films / Agam Darshi), in parks (The Other Side of the River, Sum Theatre), on TV (ZARQA, CBC Gem), onstage (Making Spirits Bright – Globe Theatre) and in creation (Acknowledging). Kris is happy to drive back up the 11 to join Sum Theatre for the 2022 Theatre in the Park!

Joel Bernbaum

Co-Director/Artistic Director

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Joel Bernbaum is an actor, director, playwright, journalist and the founding artistic director of Sum Theatre in Saskatoon. He is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts and Carleton University, where he did his Master’s Thesis on Verbatim Theatre’s Relationship to Journalism. Produced plays include Operation Big Rock, My Rabbi (with Kayvon Khoshkam), Home Is A Beautiful Word and Reasonable Doubt (with Lancelot Knight and Yvette Nolan). Previously for Sum Theatre, Joel has performed in Alice in Wonderland and The Pied Piper and has directed Walk the Trail, Hercules, Little Badger and the Fire Spirit, Nutana Talks, The Hockey Sweater, Theatre in the Pool: Earth Diver, Queen Seraphina and the Land of Vertebraat and The Young Ones. Joel is currently a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, where he is investigating the potential of theatre companies to strengthen cities. Upcoming productions include Being Here:The Refugee Project (Belfry Theatre).

Laura Negraeff

Co-Director/Artistic Associate

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Laura Negraeff is a writer, director, performer, assistant stage manager, and educator who recently joined the Sum Theatre team as a producer/artistic associate. She holds a BA in English, a Masters of Educational Foundations from the University of Saskatchewan and an Advanced Certificate in Human Resources from SaskPolytechnic. After twelve years teaching Business at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Laura is thrilled to be be combining her knowledge of business with her passion for community engagement and the arts. Laura has been an active volunteer with Saskatoon Summer Players for many years with select credits including, The Addams Family: A New Musical (director), Annie (Miss Hannigan), and Cabaret (Fräulein Kost). She has also worked with Ppl r Ppl Productions on Avenue Q (Assistant Stage Manager) and The Rocky Horror Show (Phantom). She is excited for the opportunity to share, learn, and create as part of the Sum Theatre team.

Ricardo Alvarado

Production Manager

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Ricardo Alvarado (Production Manager) is a local theatre artist who believes in the power of music, positive energy, diversity, and teamwork. He is the Artistic Producer for Saskatoon Summer Players, the co-founder of Ppl r Ppl Productions, a long-time member of Artists Against Hunger, and he spends his spare time daydreaming and pretending to be a grown-up. This is Ricardo's third season with SUM Theatre and he is grateful for the opportunity to create with such a wonderful group of artists on a regular basis. Past Credits: La Troupe du Jour, Persephone Theatre, SUM Theatre, Ppl r Ppl, SSP, Live Five, Shakespeare on the SK, Greystone Theatre, and Saskatoon Opera. Up next, he's directing and starring as Jeff in [Title of Show] for Ppl r Ppl Productions and getting ready to once again hit the parks in both Saskatoon and Regina with SUM's Theatre in the Park show this summer!

Johanna Arnott

Assistant Stage Manager 

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Johanna (she/her) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist who works primarily as an actor, writer, stage manager and newbie director. A selection of her theatre credits include: The Last Children (SM; Curtain Razors Theatre), Shadows Among the Prairies (SM; GTNT), The Winter’s Tale (actor; Bridge Theatre Co.), The Wolves (actor; littleBIG Theatre & Evilstick Productions), You Said We’d be Together Forever (director; We Treaty People Burnt Thicket Theatre), and Breaking the Curse (co-director; 25th Street Theatre & Ferre Play). Johanna is thrilled to be a part of the Sum Theatre team again this summer.  When she’s not working in theatre, Johanna enjoys knitting, saying hi to dogs, and doing crosswords with her partner.

Taegan O'Bertos

Designer/Puppet Master/Poster Design

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Taegan O’Bertos is an emerging artist from Saskatoon. Her most recent work includes costume and projection design for Reasonable Doubt (Persephone Theatre, 2020), Puppet designer/builder for the travelling theater experience of Turn, Turn, Turn...(Sum Theatre, 2020), and set design for I Lost My Husband (Persephone Backstage Theatre, 2019). Taegan’s design work has led to positions such as Head of Props at the University of Saskatchewan, and Production Assistant at Persephone Theatre. She has also found artistic outlets such as Shadow Puppet Builder, commissioned poster artist, and body painting artist. Taegan has her thinking mask on and is ready to create, innovate, and integrate safety consciousness into her upcoming projects!

Milaine Curé

Designer 

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Laura Crossman

Designer 

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Kevin Niessen

Audio Technician

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Bio coming soon!

Noah Rossmo

Builder

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Bio coming soon!

Ruaridh MacDonald

Composer/Musical Director 

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Clinton Ackerman

Music Mentor 

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Mackenzie Dawson

Artistic Associate

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Born and raised in Saskatoon, Mac is proud to call the prairies home. He received his BFA in Acting from the University of Saskatchewan, and has since diversified his practice to include playwriting, direction, and stage management. Mac is grateful to play a role in Sum’s ongoing commitment to community-oriented art and radically-inclusive theatre-making. Projects with Sum Theatre include The Young Ones (Assistant Stage Manager) and The Hockey Sweater / Le Chandail (Co-Director).

Yvette Nolan

Playwright/Company Dramaturg

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Yvette Nolan (Algonquin) is a playwright, director and dramaturg. Her work with Sum Theatre includes Thicker Than Water, Little Badger and the Fire Spirit, Queen Seraphina and the Land of Vertebraat, The Young Ones and Last Sunday. Other work includes The Tempest (Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan), Reasonable Doubt (Perspehone), The Unplugging (Arts Club; Factory; GTNT), the dance-opera Bearing (Signal Theatre), and the libretto Shawnadithit (Tapestry Opera). Her book, Medicine Shows, about Indigenous performance in Canada was published by Playwrights Canada Press in 2015. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Policy at Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Theatre in the Park

What is Theatre in the Park?

Theatre in the Park is a free professional live theatre show for everyone. We tour to over 26 communities around Saskatoon every summer.

This year with the support of Common Weal Community Arts, we are pleased to extend our tour to 5 Regina neighbourhoods, with additional performances in Davidson and Indian Head.

What are the shows about?

Our shows are about current relevant topics that bring together community and inspire conversation and dialogue for audiences far and wide, young and old. We have done shows about Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Relations, Newcomers, Disability, Climate Change, and Race Relations.

How much are tickets?

The show is free for everyone, but you MUST reserve your ticket before you arrive.

Are the artists paid?

Our professional artists are paid by our many wonderful sponsors and donors.

When is Theatre in the Park in my neighborhood?

Please see the schedule near the top of the page for information on when we will be visiting your neighbourhood, or a park near you. Don’t forget to book your FREE tickets in advance.

How long is the show?

The show this year runs approximately 30 minutes. We will have multiple showtimes in each neighbourhood.

Why come see Theatre in the Park?

Theatre in the Park is a fun filled experience that connects community members to live theatre, and each other.

Accessibility

Will there be ASL interpreters?

Yes! Sunday and Thursday performance in the Saskatoon portion of the show will feature ASL interpretation.

Will there be audio description?

There will be audio descriptions provided at two different performances. Please contact us if you are interested in this service.

Are the parks wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All the parks are wheelchair accessible. If needed we have staff on hand to assist you.

Tickets & Seating

How do I get tickets?

Free ticket reservations can be made at the top of this page!

Are there always tickets available?

Tickets are limited this year due to COVID restrictions, so make sure you reserve yours to ensure your participation.

Are there any limits to group sizes when I am reserving tickets?

The maximum size of a group booking this year is 4 people. If your bubble is bigger than 4, we ask that you make a second reservation.

Why do I need a ticket?

We have to limit the number of people due to public health guidelines.

What happens if I don’t have a ticket?

You must have a reservation in order to view the show.

What time should I arrive at the park?

Please arrive no earlier than 30 mins before the show starts.

What should I do when I arrive at the park?

Once you arrive please go directly to the Box Office table to check in your reservation. Please maintain proper social distancing when lining up for the Box Office.

What happens once I check in with the Box Office?

Once you have been checked in, you will then be escorted to the audience viewing area by a Sum Theatre staff member.

COVID Safety

How will Theatre in the Park be different this year because of COVID-19?

Each viewing area will be properly sanitized before and after each show and our performers will be socially distanced from the audience and each other. 

Do I need to wear my mask when watching the show?

Masks must be worn at all times when arriving and inside the viewing area at the park.

Will there be social distancing?

Audience members will be seated around a hula hoop that has been placed at least 3 metres apart from another hoop to preserve proper social distancing.

Can I move my hula hoop?

Please do not move the hula hoops. It’s very important to keep the hoops where they are so everyone can feel safe and enjoy the show.

What if I am really good at hula-hooping?

If you are REALLY good at hula-hooping you may stand in your spot and show us how good you are.

Can I bring a lawn chair to sit in?

Yes. But our staff will seat you in a certain location in order to preserve sight lines and spacing.

Will the actors be speaking and singing without masks?

The actors in the middle of the play area will be masked while operating puppets. They will not be singing or speaking.

Will there be any music this year?

Yes! Musicians will be singing and playing on four platforms behind plexiglass at the edge of the park.

What if restrictions get lifted?

One of Sum Theatre’s core values is inclusivity. We want to make everyone feel comfortable watching the show for 30 minutes. If restrictions are lifted you will still be required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Our Builders

Title Sponsor

K+S Indigenous Artist Mentorship Fund

Community Stage Sponsor

Regina Tour Co-Producer

K+S Indigenous Artist Mentorship Fund

Community Stage Sponsor

Music Sponsor

Regina Tour Co-Producer

Our Ambassadors

Community Connections Sponsor

Youth Engagement Series Sponsor

ASL Sponsor

Education Sponsor

Community Connections Sponsor

ASL Sponsor

Education Sponsor

Our Friends

Charles & Leila Olfert

Charles & Leila Olfert

Community Partners

Rosetown