Sum Theatre has a love letter to the community, which anyone can view as of Valentine’s Day.
Artistic Director Joel Bernbaum explains that what they do is guided by their core values, which include reciprocity, empathy and innovation, so when the pandemic hit, the troupe wanted to do something for residents a long term care homes, who were feeling isolated and alone because of the lockdown.
Artists interviewed residents from care homes in Regina and Saskatoon, and then transformed those conversations and memories into a 15 minute entertainment piece, which was performed live outside of these homes, while residents looked on from their windows.
Bernbaum says they kept the performances short so they could do as many as possible, and sometimes they would do more than one at a care home, going to different sets of windows to perform.
The free video to the community is a blend of the live performances, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips of the original interviews with residents.
You can see “Through The Window” as of Valentine’s Day on Sum Theatre’s website and YouTube channel for fee until the 21st.