directly to their local audience. That said, the theatre hosts its share of musicals—including Charimaker, The Musica l—and comedies as well. So, what does Ship’s Company Theatre have in store for their 40th season? “I call this a season of celebration,” Laura explains. “I do feel like Ship’s has brought energy and vitality to this region for four decades, and I wanted to make a jam-packed anniversary season that was about laughter and joy and not taking life too seriously.”
“I love Parrsboro, I love the Ship, and I love theatre. So, I think all of those things led me here.” Over the decades, Ship’s Company Theatre has produced as many as 40 world premiers of Atlantic Canadian plays, and many celebrated playwrights have gotten their start there. Another highlight of the Ship’s history is the production of Chasing Champions by Jacob Sampson. It tells the story of Sam Langford, a Black heavyweight boxer from Nova Scotia. It went on to earn nine Robert Merritt award nominations winning 6 awards. More recently, the theatre produced Downed Hearts by two-time Governor General Award-winning playwright Catherine Banks. At the time of the interview, Downed Hearts was nominated for 11 Robert Merritt awards and won in six categories. The ultimate goal has always been to bring to the stage stories that were relevant to Nova Scotians and Atlantic Canadians, even if it meant tackling difficult topics. Plays such as Sisters or The Glace Bay Miners Museum , both by Wendy Lill and Dayboil by Sharon King-Campbell tackle hard-hitting themes that speak
“I do feel like Ship’s has brought energy and vitality to this region for four decades, and I wanted to make a jam- packed anniversary season that was about laughter and joy and not taking life too seriously.”
First up on the main stage is Til Death Do Us Part by Katerina Bakolias. This fast-paced comedy tells the story of a wedding weekend gone awry, as a couple deals with a raccoon infestation, a dead body, and an overbearing mother-in-law. The second main stage show is Still Dancing by Melissa Mullen. This production explores health and wellness in a rural region as a lively,
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 24 ISSUE 2 83
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