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RuminariLive Arts Talks

An ongoing series of things we find interesting, play and cast information, and anything else we'd like to share

This Session at RuminariLive Arts

22 February 2023

Did you know every theater class that happens at RuminariLive concludes with a full production? The students work towards that performance all season and we sell tickets to families and friends in the months leading up to the shows. It’s part of what makes us stand apart as a school, and it’s one of the most exciting parts of the program for the students.


Check out what’s happening this season!


The Phoenix Theatre Troupe presents “Cinderella”

Beautiful Cinderella, a young woman with a heart of gold, sees her world turn upside down when one parent dies, and her other remarries a wicked person who is cruel and jealous of their own children. As a result, things go from bad to worse, and before long, Cinderella finds herself at their mercy. Now, doomed to serve forever, shabby and neglected Cinderella doesn't stand a chance of attending the King's royal ball. Of course, captivating the handsome Prince is out of the question. As the night advances, will Cinderella ever find her own Prince Charming? With Character work galore, this wonderful story will come to life with laughter and music. Join us for Cinderella!


These productions comprise students ranging in age from 6 to 12 and there are 2 performances (if someone you know is in one of the Cinderella classes, please check the date for that specific class if you would like to see a specific child perform).

Our Friday class performs on April 14th at 5 pm

Our Saturday class performs on April 1st at 11 am


Scene Here! presents “CLUE”

Six blackmail victims are invited to an isolated mansion by a man who knows a dark secret from each of their pasts. On arrival, each is given a pseudonym before being introduced to the blackmailer. Each is handed a weapon, at which point the lights are switched off and the blackmailer is killed. Can the guests uncover the murderer before they all become victims?

What is the secret they are all trying so hard to hide? Come find out in this exciting program!


This production comprises students aged 8 to 12 who have all had a bit of theater experience in the past. They perform April 1st at 2:30 pm.


Magnetic Theater presents “Murder at the Renaissance Fair”

Stiff competition from the nearby Medieval World threatens to drive the annual Renaissance Faire out of business. Attendance is plunging, especially at the traditional Shakespeare production. Who wants to spend three hours on a wooden bench watching a play they don’t understand? To survive, the fair needs a new vibe that appeals to younger audiences. Enter a new director and her plan to stage a program called, “Great Death Scenes from Shakespeare.” It seems like a killer idea, until the famous Shakespearean actor playing Romeo goes missing, and a brash, young actor of questionable talent replaces him. As a major storm approaches, they find the missing actor murdered most foul. Someone, it seems, believes the pen is not as mighty as the sword. “Great Death Scenes from Shakespeare” is about to get real. Very real.

With its play-within-a-play structure, characters, Renaissance costumes, and improvisational nature of the performance, this is more than just a murder mystery. It’s a wonderful nod to the traditions of Commedia dell’arte.


This production comprises students ages 13 to 18 and is being performed on April 2nd at 11 am.


Ghost Light Theater presents “Heros and Heroines of Ovid”

Two thousand years ago, the Roman poet Ovid gave voice to a group of inspirational people – queens, sorcerers, pioneers, poets, and politicians – in a series of fictional letters.

They were the men and women left in the wake of those swaggering heroes of classical mythology: Theseus, Hercules, Ulysses, Jason, Achilles …

Now, drawing inspiration from Ovid, we are going to dramatize the lives of these everyday heroes and heroines in a series of new monologues for the twenty-first century. We are going to look at staging, lighting, and sound to join these monologues together, melding and allowing each voice to be heard, seen, and experienced.

This production comprises students ages 12 to 18 and is being performed twice on April 2nd, both at 4 pm and 7 pm.


The Barnstormer Solidarity presents “Steel Magnolias”

Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anxious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local curmudgeon Ouiser Boudreaux ("I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for forty years”), intelligent and compassionate career woman M’Lynn, and her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town. Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health complications. Eventually, when Shelby dies from complications related to her diabetes, M’Lynn has to deal with the most difficult of life’s challenges: the loss of one’s only child. As the women of Chinquapin make their way over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal ribbing) in one another. “You have no idea how wonderful you are,” M’Lynn tells the ladies at the end of the play. Truvy responds, with a smile, “Of course we do.”


This production comprises students mostly over the age of 50 and done in our very own “Barnstormer reader theater” style. This is our own version of reader's theater involving the movement and character work of a traditional production, while the cast members keep their scripts in hand.

They perform on April 16th at 2 pm.

Actor Cody Porter sits in front of a screen portraying a self portrait of Vincent Van Gogh

Actor Cody Porter portraying Thomas van Gogh

Reviews from the Crowd: "Vincent"

Written by Jody Zacharkiw

15 February 2023

In a poignantly delivered performance by Cody Porter, directed by Hunter Gates, you will delve into the life of Vincent Van Gogh, the man behind the painter. Based on letters penned by Vincent himself, Leonard Nimoy’s one-man stage show offers a glimpse into a man’s soul as you’ve probably never heard before. We span the years leading up to Vincent’s time painting, as he came to it with only a decade left in his 37 years on this earth. The imagery Cody conveyed left one almost actually smelling the stench of macabre living conditions and feeling the despair of the people Vincent associated with and felt most comfortable with; those who society would deem unworthy. We meet the women in his life, his woes of unrequited love, and deep desire to provide for others before himself. We are transported back in time to his birthplace of the Netherlands, travelling to Belgium where he engaged in his missionary work and his time moving around France to paint, culminating in his final days at an asylum where he created a seemingly insurmountable number of works in a matter of mere months. And of course, you will come to know just what led him to cut off his ear!


There were pockets of laughter and tears from the crowd, but mostly a deafening silence enveloped the room. Perhaps a bit unnerving to Cody during the performance, make no mistake the decibel level was indicative of an audience absolutely captivated. The show’s end brought comments from the group of a yearning to learn even more about this prolific painter.


Don’t miss your opportunity to discover the details of Vincent Van Gogh’s life, as told through the lens of his brother Theo; a tale of a man’s inner torment, unconditional love of a brother, and the experiences of a hard lived life on a path to posthumously becoming a globally renowned painter. Get your tickets at www.ruminarilive.com

Reasons to Attend Live Theater

1 February 2023

Do you know why attending live theater performances is so important? Sure, the shows are entertaining, but they offer much more than that. Live theater has the unique ability to create shared emotional experiences among strangers. It creates opportunities to form meaningful connections with fellow audience members. Engaging with live theater helps us develop empathy as we witness the story happen. Embodying the characters' journeys allows us to understand others' struggles and perspectives. There are many reasons to attend live theater - allow us to share a few more!

  • Get a break from screens and technology.

So much of our time is being spent in front of glowing screens. Studies have shown that our focus - both mental and physical - is being affected. Attending live theater allows you to broaden your focus - seeing events on the full stage. It allows your eyes a break from the strain of the screen. It also allows you to work on the ability to focus for more than an hour at a time.

  • Transport yourself to another time or place.

Live theater gives us an opportunity to explore the past and new settings. You might travel to a different country, an imaginary place, or inside someone's mind - all from your chair.

  • It's a unique experience that you can't get from watching TV or movies.

All live theater gives you a chance to experience something new. Actors reacting to the energy of the audience and vice versa means the energy of a live play is contagious. You may begin smiling or crying at something because you relate to the person the event is happening to.

  • It's a great way to learn more about our history and other cultures.

Many plays set us in different time periods and different cultures, allowing us to learn if we are open. Watching a play set in World War II might give insight into how the people of that time were feeling. Enjoying a play set to take place in Africa would give a very different experience than one set in Alberta. These differences make each play a learning experience, if we take it.

  • Support the arts!

Funding for the arts is being removed in many places, and Alberta is no different. Attending live theater allows many theater companies to keep their operations going. With each ticket sold, a theater company looks forward to their future possibilities.


Live theater is an experience like no other. There are few experiences that match the feeling of seeing a story unfolding in front of you. Being in the moment and sharing the emotions with everyone around you is a unique experience. Energy, passion, and artistry come together to create something special... Everyone should get the chance to experience it.


So, what are you waiting for? Go buy yourself a ticket to see a play! Let us know in the comments what your next play will be.

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