Mike Walters keeps Pine Tree Players’ productions running smoothly, often without the audience ever realizing just how much he’s doing. As stage manager for the upcoming The Importance of Being Earnest, Mike plays a central role behind the scenes, drawing on years of experience with Pine Tree Players as a backstage crew, tech operator, actor, and stage manager.
Sometimes at Pine Tree Players — when you’re not quite off book or up all night sewing costumes — it can feel like every day is “theatre day.” Officially, however, March 27 marks World Theatre Day, and to make theatre even more accessible Pine Tree Players is offering a three-day, 20% discount off its upcoming production, The Importance of Being Earnest.
Love takes many forms on stage. From fairy royalty to newlyweds, from awkward flirtations to forbidden affairs, intimacy on stage helps tell the story of how characters are connected and what they mean to each other.
This Valentine’s Day, we spotlight intimate moments on stage across eight seasons of productions, honouring the care, choreography, and creativity behind every embrace, kiss, and whispered confession.
Anastasia’s connection to theatre began early, sparked by a junior high school production that made something click deep inside. “I saw a production the grade 8s had created for a ‘Welcome New Students’ night and felt an intense pull to be involved,” she recalls. “I haven’t stopped yet.” That lifelong passion eventually led her to Pine Tree Players, where she first appeared as an actor in the 2018 Canmore Summer Theatre Festival production of Romeo and Juliet, and earlier that same year she was the fight director for I Hate Hamlet.
Her latest creation is the portable set of Bob’s Your Elf. Since moving to Canmore a few years ago, Liv has volunteered on nine sets for Pine Tree Players and was the lighting board operator for Loose Knit. She’s also been on the play recommendation committee for two years.
Family duos, musical hijinks and small-town humour collide in Pine Tree Players’ production of Bob’s Your Elf.
In a feat of theatrical multitasking, Pine Tree Players’ summer festival transforms Centennial Park into both Kansas and Neverland. With two plays, one stage, and dozens of actors switching roles, it’s a whirlwind of creativity, collaboration—and costume changes.
Ever wondered what goes on behind the curtain? Come with us backstage to see what it takes to bring a play to life. We’ll take a look at some of the extraordinary work that’s gone into the backstage action of Little Shop of Horrors, Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Stage Kiss, Young Frankenstein, Romeo and Juliet, I Was a Rat and so many others.
Tom Smith’s award-winning two-act play features nuns and priests, reporters, former lovers, and all the usual hijinks that make up a farce: mistaken identities, accusations, multiple door slammings, a bit of a whodunnit and over-the-top non-stop action.
So, you’ve auditioned for a community theatre production, and now you’ve been invited to a callback—congratulations! But what exactly does this mean? Here’s everything you need to know about callbacks, why we do them, and how to prepare.
