St. Marys Community Players delivers extraordinary events in an ordinary backyard with Hilda’s Yard

Pictured from left, Derek Roberts, Matt Schell, Alex Pedersen, Don Van Galen, Edie Pedersen and Sarah Nixon star in St. Marys Community Players’ production of Hilda’s Yard, a Norm Foster comedy promising a mix of moments that tug at the heartstrings and produce belly laughs.

By Emily Stewart

New and returning actors will bring lots of laughs and heartfelt moments to audiences watching the St. Marys Community Players’ (SMCP) production of Hilda’s Yard by Canadian playwright legend Norm Foster.

SMCP will bring Hilda’s Yard to the Town Hall Theatre between Oct. 16 to Nov. 2. Hilda’s Yard, which premiered in 2012 at Theatre New Brunswick, takes the audience to 1956 and follows Sam and Hilda Fluck, two empty nesters looking forward to the next stage of their life.

However, their empty nester stage appears to be a short one as their adult children, Janey and Gary, fall over the fence while Hilda’s hanging up laundry and Sam is out buying a new TV.

“The title of the play is Hilda’s Yard. We’re calling it, ‘One ordinary backyard, one extraordinary day,” said assistant director Gregory George. “There’s lots of humour, lots of funny lines, lots of incredibly funny situations.”

The cast includes SMCP veterans Edie Pedersen and Don Van Galen as Hilda and Sam along with new to SMCP actors Alex Pedersen (Janey), Matt Schell (Gary), Sarah Nixon (Bobbi Jakes) and Derek Roberts (Beverly Woytowich).

At any given time, there are more than 100 productions presented by theatres around the world of one of Foster’s works. SMCP last presented a Foster play in 2023 with Opening Night.

“Norm Foster is an audience pleaser,” George said. “He’s known for his humour with heart, and I think in particular, this play speaks to our audience.”

Director Costin Manu is well-versed in Forster’s works, as he also directed the SMCP’s 2023 production of Opening Night.

“He’s elevating this production two or three levels to what the normal community theatre productions generally are,” George said.

Tickets can either be purchased in person at Troyer’s Spices (110 Queen St. E), by calling 226-661-8777, or online by visiting www.stmaryscommunityplayers.ca.