This year, Project X Theatre Company is celebrating its twenty-second year offering live theatre to Kamloops, and its twentieth year holding summer theatre in the park! Formerly XFest, and now Theatre Under the Trees, the summer offerings have become a staple in summer entertainment. And this year is no different.
Running from July 6–25, this year’s festival once again brings live theatre to the park with Greg Banks’ adaptation of Robin Hood and Robert Munsch and Alissa Watson’s The Paper Bag Princess performed on alternating evenings. The first three nights, July 6–8, are preview performances with buy-one-get-one-free tickets, making it a perfect excuse to introduce someone to live theatre for the very first time.
For Artistic Producer Randi Edmundson, the venue itself is part of the magic.
“There’s something, these beautiful trees that just kind of wrap their boughs around us and make us feel, you know, held by the world outside,” she said. Behind her the incredible stage design nestled under the trees, offering a glimpse of what is to come when the productions open their gates.
“Our core sort of values are about supporting new theatre makers in our city and new theatre goers,” says Edmundson. “We’re interested in welcoming families and people who are maybe new to Canada or new to the community.”
That welcoming atmosphere is evident. There are no dress codes or here. Pack a picnic, bring a sweater for when the evening cools down, spend some time in the park, and don’t forget the sunscreen and bug spray. If Mother Nature decides not to cooperate, the company also has a backup home at the Pavilion, so audiences won’t miss out.
This year’s productions are familiar tales from childhood storybooks, full of laughter and intrigue.
Robin Hood, directed by Edmundson, is a swashbuckling, family-friendly adventure for ages six and up. With sword fights, laughs, and plenty of heroic shenanigans, the 90-minute production stars Jessica Buchanan, Merewyn Comeau, Sophia Dimopoulos, Berlin Msiska, and Alex Ward.
And who can forget the story of the precocious young heroine in the next adventure? Amy Baskin directs The Paper Bag Princess, featuring Aurora Maher, Harmony Maher, and Rem Murray. Running for about an hour, it’s the beloved story of a princess who proves bravery has very little to do with crowns and castles.
And it’s not just those on stage who make the shows what they are.
“It’s a really tight-knit group of people that work really, really hard to put the show on,” says Buchanan. “Everything we do on stage is delightful, but without the people to make the stage or paint the stage or build things, or even sell tickets, nobody would come and see me be fabulously evil.”
Behind the scenes, dozens of artists and volunteers help make the festival happen. Jared Raschke’s sets, Finn Modder’s props, Brittney Martens’ scenic painting, costumes by Marian Truscott and Emily Thibert, sound by Alex Ward, stage management by Emily Brown and Emma Davis, and fight choreography by Affair of Honour all come together to create the magic audiences experience each night.
Project X Theatre continues to make attending as easy as possible. Pay What You Choose performances will be offered one hour before the 11 a.m. matinees on July 18 for Robin Hood and July 25 for The Paper Bag Princess. Family Packs and Both-Show Packs offer additional savings, while cash purchases at the gate avoid online fees. If life, or the weather, gets in the way, free ticket exchanges are available throughout the run.
Twenty years in, Theatre Under the Trees has become more than a summer event It’s where children discover the love of live theatre, where artists continue to grow, and where the community gathers under a beautiful canopy of trees to share some time together in a whole new world.
Theatre Under the Trees runs July 6–25 at Prince Charles Park, 1198 Columbia Street. For tickets, show schedules, or to sign up for Project X Theatre’s newsletter and learn about auditions and volunteer opportunities, visit projectxtheatre.ca.