Thursday, September 22, 2011

Leader-Post: Play battles dating violence

by Lisa Goudy
 

The online movie version of the play

Far From the Heart Facebook group


The complete schedule of the Far From the Heart tour is listed below. The last public showing of the Saskatchewan leg of the tour is Oct. 1 at the Artesian.



Dating violence is being combated in an interactive way.

For the first time, the interactive play Far From the Heart put on by the theatre company Sheatre is touring across central and southern Saskatchewan high schools. The four-week tour has almost 40 shows in 24 locations, starting with a public launch in Regina on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the MacKenzie Art Gallery's Shumiatcher Theatre.

Producer David Sereda said the production aims to prevent dating violence, along with the use of drugs and alcohol, by educating students.

"It's important I think to take a positive approach, you know, to problems and that's why this interactive forum theatre, I think, is quite exciting because it gives people a chance to do the right thing in a safe environment," said Sereda.

The play, which has previously toured three times in Ontario, runs for approximately 20 minutes with young professional actors, but Sereda said the most significant part of the play comes when audience members get up on stage and replace the actors. They replay certain scenes to try and positively change the ending.

"It's really exciting to see students stop the action and get up and try their strategies. Sometimes their strategies work, sometimes they don't work," he said. "No two shows are ever the same because no two audiences are ever the same."

Sereda explained that afterward there is discussion and analysis to discuss what the students tried. He also said community members doing "prevention violence work" can educate students with additional information and to answer questions.

He said the play was well received by the communities across Saskatchewan who booked the performances.

He said Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of sexual assault in Canada. In 2001, the number of sexual offences committed in Saskatchewan was almost double the national average.

A 2009 Statistics Canada report stated less than 10 per cent of all sexual assaults were reported.

These issues are a rising concern in Canada and Sereda said the play will address this.
"It brings people into the issues in a safe way," said Sereda. "Nothing's going to happen because it's a play but the thing is it's portrayed realistically so you have almost like a rehearsal for reality."

Tickets for the launch are $10 at the door and the Saskatchewan tour public performances will wrap up in Regina on Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. with a free performance for Culture Days at the Artesian. There is an interactive movie version available on the play's website, www.farfromtheheart. com. The group is also on Facebook.

FFTH Itinerary
DATE
TIME
SCHOOL
LOCATION

WEEK ONE
Fri, Sep 16
1:00 PM
preview: Rainbow Youth Centre
Regina
Sat, Sep 17
7:00 PM
Launch – MacKenzie Art Gallery
Regina
Mon, Sep 19
AM
Riffel High School
Regina
Mon, Sep 19
PM
Luther High School
Regina
Tue, Sep 20
9:30 AM
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
Wilcox
Tue, Sep 20
1:15 PM
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
Wilcox
Wed, Sep 21
9:30 AM
Winston Knoll Collegiate
Regina
Wed, Sep 21
1:30 PM
Lumsden High School
Lumsden
Thu, Sep 22
9:30 AM
Pilot Butte School
Pilot Butte
Thu, Sep 22
1:15 PM
Ranch Ehrlo Society
Pilot Butte
Fri, Sep 23
AM (TBA)
Payepot First Nation School
Piapot
Fri, Sep 23
PM (TBA)
Payepot First Nation School
Piapot
Sat, Sep 24
10am
Community Show at U of Regina
Regina
WEEK TWO
Mon, Sep 26
9:15 AM
Robert Southey School
Southey
Mon, Sep 26
1:30 PM
Bert Fox Community High School
Fort Qu'Appelle
Tue, Sep 27
9:30 AM
Balcarres Community School
Balcarres
Tue, Sep 27
1:15 PM
Balcarres Community School
Balcarres
Wed, Sep 28
9:15 AM
Indian Head High School
Indian Head
Wed, Sep 28
1:30 PM
Broadview School
Broadview
Thu, Sep 29
9:30 AM
Kipling School
Kipling
Thu, Sep 29
1:30 PM
Kakisiwew School
Ochapowace First Nation
Fri, Sep 30
9:15 AM
Estevan Comprehensive School
Estevan
Fri, Sep 30
1:30 PM
Estevan Comprehensive School
Estevan
Sat, Oct 1
10am
Community Show: Artesian, Culture Days
Regina
WEEK THREE
Mon, Oct 3
9:30 AM
O'Neill High School
Regina
Mon, Oct 3
1:30 PM
O'Neill High School
Regina
Tue, Oct 4
9:15 AM
Bengough School
Bengough
Tue, Oct 4
1:30 PM
Gladmar Regional School
Gladmar
Wed, Oct 5
9:15 AM
Assiniboia Composite High School
Assiniboia
Wed, Oct 5
1:30 PM
Assiniboia Composite High School
Assiniboia
Thu, Oct 6
9:30 (9?)
Kincaid Central School
Kincaid
Thu, Oct 6
1:30 PM
Maverick School
Swift Current
Fri, Oct 7
9:15 AM
Macklin School
Macklin
Fri, Oct 7
1:15 PM
Macklin School
Macklin
WEEK FOUR
Tue, Oct 11
AM
Sakewew High School
North Battleford
Tue, Oct 11
PM
Cando Community School
Cando
Wed, Oct 12
afternoon
Humboldt Collegiate Institute
Humboldt
Thu, Oct 13
PM
Central Butte School
Central Butte
Fri, Oct 14
AM
Rouleau School
Rouleau

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