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All shows performed at Venables Theatre unless otherwise noted.
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 Congratulations go out to the full cast and crew of Knickers! a 'Brief' Comedy, which wrapped up at the Venables Theatre on Saturday November 5. Thank you to all of our patrons who came out to see the show and a special thank you to Jen Jenson, our Director, who also juggled Producer, Stage Manager, Poster Designer, Promotions and a host of other duties! Check out our Knickers Archives Page for pictures and other information!
So what's next? A well-deserved rest? No chance . . . We are diving straight into rehearsals for our next production, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon by W.O. Mitchell, scheduled to be on the Venables stage from February 3 to February 11. This is a fine, old-fashioned, funny story, firmly set in the Canadian prairies, as you'd expect from Mitchell. You might even call it a "sweeping" saga. Visit our Black Bonspiel Show Page for full details annd ticket links. Looking for a deal? Sign up for our SOAP-Box Newsletter and receive information on future shows as well as exclusive, early-bird discount codes for our performances. But act fast . . . The next edition will be out in this week!
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Only two shows remaing in our fall production of Knickers! a Brief Comedy by Sarah Quick, playing at the Venables Theatre in Oliver on Friday-Saturday November 4-5 at 7:30 pm. Check out these comments from our opening weekend:
Or, if you prefer a personal touch for buying tickets, the Venables Theatre Box Office at 6100 Gala Street in Oliver is open to serve you Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. You can also purchase by phone during the same office hours by calling 250-498-1626.
 Although this is not a SOAP Theatre production, SOAP is providing financial sponsorship, on-line exposure and some use of its faciliities to support the independant production of Double D Diner, written and directed by Jim Dinwoodie of Osoyoos BC.
____________________ Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be part of a live theatre production? To hear the roar of a crowd as you take your much deserved bows? To feel the excitement of standing backstage before the curtain rises? To desperately hope you remember the next line? A brief synopsis of the play is listed below. Jim is looking for two young male actors (20-30 years of age) to join his motley crew of colourful characters.
Synopsis: After spending over 30 years working and living in various ‘tourist towns' throughout British Columbia, local playwright Jim Dinwoodie has discovered that they all have one thing in common; the local coffee shop. These places are often the heart and soul of a town and the gathering spot for some of the community's most interesting characters. Characters who names may change from town to town but are all basically the same people. Characters who have frequently solved all sorts of problems, ranging from World Peace to what's wrong with Silly Hall. Jim has brought all these people together for one night in the “Double D Diner”. So order a large Mocha, maybe a fresh baked muffin or scone, grab a corner table and see what happens when our beloved locals (maybe someone you know or even yourself) meet the New City Guy. Will he be accepted into their community or be run out of town?
Yaaaay !!
All are welcome to attend the auditions, including those interested in technical aspects such as
set construction, lighting, sound, costumes, make-up, etc.  Interested in Theatre? Consider attending a workshop during the Mainstage Theatre Festival in Vernon Workshop dates are July 12 - 15, 2022. Workshops are listed below. Visit the Theatre BC Website for full details and registration links.
 Our regular season run of When the Wind Blows wrapped up on Saturday, April 30 to great audience reviews. If you missed it, it was a great show, centred on a retired English couple who hopelessly reminisce about World War II in the face of a pending nuclear strike at the height of the Cold War. This was also our entry in the 2022 Okanagan Zone Theatre Festival, where it was recoginzed for the following awards:
What audience members said about When the Wind Blows:
Saw the show last night. Poignant, powerful, funny and frightening. Really enjoyed it. Hope you get the crowds it deserves. Well done to all of you. - Sylvia S. (Osoyoos) I was at the opening night. Ritchie and Margie were awesome - I never thought two people could carry a whole show, but you proved me wrong! - Miles K. (Penticton) Saw the show last night ….I would recommend it to anybody….great play...great acting. - June J. (Oliver) Enjoyed the show. Acting was spot on. The set was well done and the audio-visuals were frighteningly effective. -Scott M. (Oliver) I've been privileged to watch this extremely satisfying play. A cast that has chemistry and weaves its magic. The story is poignant, it echoes todays international mayhem. This play was written 40 years ago but it could have been yesterday. Thank you Ritchie, Margi, set designers, cast, crew, M/C and myriad behind the scenes supports... - Jill M. (Kelowna) Great play! Glad I went. Valeria D. Amazing show. Bittersweet as this is going on now in Ukraine. Let there be peace. - Doris K. Excellent acting. Kept me engaged the entire time. - Colleen M. Very well done! - Nicole N. (Penticton) Wonderful show. So well done. Difficult to watch at times. Thank you. - Lefa S. (Saskatchewan) Well done. I cried. Especially when this world of ours is in such a horrific state. Peace and Love is all we need. Imagine… - Wendy C. (Oliver)  We are pleased to finally stage When the Wind Blows, by Raymond Briggs. Planning for this show began in 2019. It was originally scheduled for production in April 2021, before our season was fully cancelled by Covid. Now, here we are in the spring of 2022, presenting an anti-war play that was first written almost 40 years ago, at the height of the Cold War, when nuclear disarmament protests were at their height throughout western democracies. Some of you may remember the annual Mother’s Day ban-the-bomb marches held throughout Canada. Now, 40 years later, we are witnessing a devastating invasion of Ukraine, along with rising tensions between “The West” and the Russian government, arguably at an unprecedented level. What can we make of a play that is centred on a nuclear attack by Russia in these uncertain and worrisome times? How can we respond? Some of our patrons have suggested to us that current world events will turn this dark comedy into just something dark. But we take a different view. The threat of war, including nuclear war, was front and centre in our popular psyche in the 1980s. Anti-war protests were not uncommon. These worries and protests were the catalyst for Briggs to originally write When the Wind Blows. Now, as we contemplate the current world situation, we realize that not much has changed in 40 years. While the threat of war may have taken a back seat since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, and some say it was swept under the rug, we realize it has remained a real threat all along. So, we present this show in its original form, with its original message: Can any population really be prepared for a nuclear conflict? Are there any winners? Is war an answer to our worldly problems? All world leaders must hear this message loud and clear and cannot be supported in their pursuit of military conquest! The people of Ukraine are the most recent, living, eyewitnesses to the horrors of war. We dedicate this show to them and to all other peoples suffering from the effects of invasion, civil war, terrorist insurrection and all armed conflict around the world, including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia and Palestine, to mention only a few. You Can Help ..... Click on a logo, below, to donate:
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