About Us
​Dancing Sky Theatre is a group of theatre artists committed to involving people in the lively act of theatre. We aim to empower children, youth and all people by helping them to recognize issues in their lives and by opening a space in which they can actively shape the culture around them.
Dancing Sky Theatre was established in 1993 as a non-profit, charitable organization in Saskatchewan.
Despite being an improbable proposition, Dancing Sky Theatre has thrived for over the years, located in the small rural village of Meacham; population 96. We have contributed significantly to the vibrancy of the Saskatchewan’s arts community, created and developed many exciting new Canadian stories, developed and nurtured many emerging Saskatchewan artists, and we have brought professional theatre to rural audiences that had little or no previous access to it. We remain constantly connected to artists creating in other art forms and involve many of them - musicians, painters and sculptors - in our artistic creations. We have used a live musician in all our productions.
DST bought and renovated a beautiful old hall (built in 1917) that has deep roots in our tiny community and transformed it into a working professional theatre and cultural centre. Through careful planning, we have created a model that supports both the infrastructure and our creative vision.
In 1993, when we started, most Saskatchewan theatre artists had to leave the province to make a living and be artistically satisfied. DST responded by engaging and nurturing a theatre community here. We have always hired 100% Saskatchewan artists. We seek out emerging artists and maintain dialogues with established artists to find out what challenges and experiences they need, to continue growing and working in our province. Many of our productions come from the ground up, through conversations with the community rather than the top-down approach.
​We believe that theatre remains a powerful art form that provides people with a meaningful and potent experience, shared with others, as part of a living community. Culture is an active thing that needs the input of people to evolve and remain healthy, so we engage community in any way we can. We hold community events like the Meacham Show and Shine and have recently created an outdoor storytelling space. We have flourished and have been embraced by artists and community members alike.
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As we got to know our audience, we discovered that Canadian writers speak most directly to them, so we committed to producing 100% Canadian scripts. We honed this by taking on the creatively intense, challenging and rewarding practice of developing new work. Our intent is to give our audience the empowering experience of seeing themselves reflected in the art.
Founding Artistic Director Angus Ferguson has always been determined to passionately pursue the development and production of new Saskatchewan plays and playwrights.
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Our processes and aesthetic are shaped by our rural setting. Collective creation, simple minimalist design and creative ‘make-do’ solutions to challenges are our trademark. We firmly believe that the power of theatre springs from the imaginations of the audience and their willingness to ‘suspend their disbelief’. We never strive for realism. Theatre is a place of connection, communal experience and simple imaginative storytelling.
All art seeks to draw an emotional response from its audience. Dancing Sky Theatre is aware that the tone and ‘feel’ of our work springs from a very consistent and recognizable place. We are conscious that the art that we seek to create comes out the other side of gritty realism into a constructive space. We have set ourselves the task of engaging our audience in a positive and constructive artistic experience. We aim to show the challenges and pain of life, yes, but we ultimately aim to enchant, inspire and encourage both our artists and our audience. Without shying away from reality or resorting to escapism, we aim to engage and uplift the spirit.
​We hope that all who come to Dancing Sky, whether it is their first time or 50th visit enjoy and feel welcomed into our theatre community.
