Persephone Theatre announces original play to kick off 52nd season

A new season of theatre, ranging from original performances to classic plays, will begin at Persephone Theatre in the fall.

Starting in September, the threatre’s 52nd season will consist of six main stage plays, two youth series plays, a BackStage show, programs like The First Monday and the Sixth Annual Queermunity Theatre Festival.

“Next season, we invite audiences to experience an exciting and eclectic line up of plays, with stories of extraordinary people living extraordinary live,” said Breanne Harmon, Persephone’s executive director, in a release.

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The season will open with Wake by Rachel Mutombo which follows character Miriam Kabongo as she returns to the Prairies for her father’s wake. The play will run from Sept. 23-Oct. 4, 2026 and was commissioned by Persephone Theatre in 2021, its first selection as part of the IBPOC New Play Commission program.

Artistic director, Heather Cant, called the development process on Wake “an absolute joy” alongside Mutombo.

“She has written an incredible script that is going to take audiences on a rollercoaster ride of every human emotion,” Cant raved. “I am so proud that this fabulous new Canadian play will premiere
at Persephone – Saskatoon audiences will be the first in the world to see it!”

In partnership with Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, Inner Elder – created and performed by award-winning Cree artist, Michelle Thrush – will run on the BackStage stage from Oct. 15-25.

Inner Elder tells the story of a young Indigenous girl growing up in Alberta who “navigates substance abuse, aliens and the spiritual presence of her guiding grandmothers.”

According to the release from Persephone Theatre, the play “weaves real-life memories with humour, grace, and playfulness to explore her own inner Elder in this intimate and heartfelt piece of storytelling, which will have audiences leaving the theatre with lightness and laughter.”

The Golden Anniversaries by Mark Crawford (running Oct. 21-Nov. 1) will also be performed on the theatre’s main stage. In the youth series, Taking Care of Maman by Djennie Laguerre (which runs Nov. 9-14) is described as a production that “young and old alike will enjoy,” and will feature English, French and Creole. The same series will also show the classic family favourite, Little Women, adapted from the novel by Lousia May Alcott.

Other shows set to run during the theatre’s latest season include Re:Union by Sean Devine (Feb. 3-14, 2027), the Little Onion Puppet Company’s Otosan, created by Shizuka Kai, Jess
Amy Shead and Randi Edmundson (March 3-6, 2027), Wonderful Joe, a production of Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes (March 9-21, 2027) and Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, created by Richard Maltby Jr. and conceived by William Meade (April 28-May 16, 2027).

Accessible programming will be available for all main stage productions at Persephone Theatre, supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada funding. Dates are available for ASL interpretation and audio description, relaxed and pay-what-you-choose performances. Caregivers who find the cost of childcare a barrier to attending are invited to participate in the PlayDate program Persephone offers.

The season will close in June 2027, kicking off Pride Month with the Sixth Annual Queermunity Theatre Festival, which began as the Queermunity 48-hour Theatre race. In the 50th season of the theatre, the event expanded from challenging teams of community members to create an original 10-minute play to be performed live in a span of 48 hours into the larger festival.

Those current season ticket subscribers saw season renewals begin on Mon., March 9. Early bird pricing is available until May 4.

Subscription sales for new subscribers and single tickets will go on sale on April 6.