After another round of lockdown the Highland Arts Theatre and its team are more ready than ever to bring their summer lineup of shows to the community, many of which are a first for the arts organization.

Starting this week, the HAT will be presenting its first outdoor theatre production: Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Continuing the long tradition of Shakespeare in the Park, the play will be shown at Sydney’s Open Hearth Park (July 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, & 15), North Sydney’s Indian Beach (July 9), and New Waterford’s Rose Schwartz Memorial Park (July 12). The comedy is directed by Mark Delaney a frequent presence on the HAT stage, who was co-founder of the Bandshell Players, a theatre group that brought Shakespeare to Sydney’s parks for many summers past. The production is free of charge thanks to the Radical Access program, but tickets still need to be booked in advance so provincial gathering limits can be enforced.

While the company is performing in the park, the theatre’s mainstage will be preparing to bring back one of this year’s most popular shows, Disney’s Frozen Jr. This will be the musical’s encore performance after its sold out run in March. The Broadway hit features a cast of bright rising stars from Cape Breton’s next generation of performers. Running for 8 performances from July 14th to 18th. Reserved seating only, as seats are physically distanced and masks are required.

To close out July and ring in the August tide, The Sea Shanty Show is making its debut. Whether it’s by destiny or the musically manifested cabin fever of a world that spent a year inside, there has been a global resurgence of the sea shanties of days gone by. Also free of charge thanks to the Radical Access program, this show will feature original musical arrangements by music director Chris Mounteer. That name may be familiar to HAT goers as he was the talent behind the mind melting melodies of show’s like ‘Swonderful and Kitchen Party. The show runs from July 29th to August 8th.

Finally, the 2021 summer season will conclude with the HAT’s first ever piece of dance theatre on the mainstage. In additional to being one of the free show’s under Radical Access, the theatre also made the commitment to develop a new theatrical work, created by and featuring Mi’kmaq artists and performers from the Unama'ki region. That show is Samqwan, created by and choreographed by Eskasoni artist Sarah Prosper. Samqwan is the Mi’kmaq word for water and this new multi- disciplinary show will inspire and welcome you to experience the value of water from an indigenous perspective; its sacredness, purposes, and to show the gift of walking in two worlds but also the responsibilities. Samqwan will feature an integrated cast of local performers and takes the HAT stage from August 17 to 22.

To book their free tickets, or purchase those not under the Radical Access program, interested parties can visit the theatre’s website at www.highlandartstheatre.com or call the box office between noon and 6:00PM, Monday through Friday.

Highland Arts Theatre

40 Bentinck Street, Sydney, NS B1P 1G2

902.565.3637

[email protected]