Nearly two decades after its world premiere, Dancing Sky Theatre is bringing a heartfelt, prairie comedy back to the stage. James O’Shea’s The Red Truck is an unmistakably Saskatchewan story of family and resilience.

That’s what this story is about; home, memory, and figuring out where you belong

“At its heart, this is a play about roots and history,” says director Angus Ferguson. “Sometimes you don’t want a new truck, sometimes all you want is the old truck, the one rusting out in the back forty – the one you learned to drive on. That’s what this story is about; home, memory, and figuring out where you belong.”

The comedy comes from the constant tension between father and son

Originally premiering in 2007, The Red Truck follows Troy, a young man who returns home to the family farm after searching for a life in Alberta and British Columbia. He’s determined to take over the family farm but, his father Lloyd wants nothing to do with that idea. This show incorporates a few updates from the inagural production and an original soundscape performed live by Saskatoon musician Jordan Wellbourne adding to the magic of the comedic tale.

“The comedy comes from the constant tension between father and son,” says actor Blaine Hart who play’s Lloyd. “There’s that thing where they skirt around the main issue, where they discuss everything else except the thing they should be talking about. It reminds me of being on the farm with my dad.”

It’s about coming together and supporting each other

Carson Walliser, who plays Troy, this story captures a distinctly Saskatchewan experience. “The land and the space between people are part of the story,” Walliser explains. “Trying to get the truck running is really Troy trying to reclaim home and repair his relationship with his father.”

Through it all is Mary, played by Savana Gallant, who’s trying to maintain the peace between her father and brother in a story that is familiar to so many of us. “For me, it feels like coming home,” says Gallant. “It’s really fun comedy, but there’s so much heart in it. It’s about coming together and supporting each other through life’s changes.”

Adding to the production’s charm is the literal red truck featured on stage – no small feat in the intimate Dancing Sky Theatre space. “When I walked in and saw it, I thought, ‘Wow, they actually got that darn truck on the stage!’ It’s pretty amazing,” says Hart.

With it’s prairie wit, emotional honesty and unmistakable Saskatchewan spirit, The Red Truck promises to give audiences an experience filled with laughter, nostalgia, and heart.