Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre celebrates 40th season

It all started on a wing and a prayer by three young artists40 years ago.

When Janet Wright, Susan Wright, and Brian Richmond produced theirfirst show as Persephone Theatre, they hardly imagined what lay in store for the theatre.

"We were just hoping they [the provincial government]would fund us cause there was already the Globe," Janet Wright explained."We certainly didn't think it would carry on."

Now four decades later, the theatre's artistic director, Del Surjik, announced a season full of entertainment options for the entire family.

Theseason will kick off with the drama Hedda Gabler,directed by Wright. Other highlights on the main stage include the holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life,the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,and, for the first time ever, a collaboration with Regina's Globe Theatre. The company will be bringing it's production of A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline to Persephone stage.

There's also plenty for the whole family as Persephone has opened up its Youth Series to the public. Performances will include Pinocchio and Where the Wild Things Are.

"We really take care in our programming that the work respects young minds," Surjik said. "We always try to make our programming pan-generational. Any age from the wee ones to the elder generation."

The season kicks off with a special summer show in August.