Unscripted Connections: Building a Movement Through Popular Theatre in Regina and Edmonton

Yaw Baayim, Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Summer 2026 marked a powerful journey as our popular theatre workshop train pulled into Regina and Edmonton. On June 30, our team gathered at Regina’s Seven Oaks Hotel, followed by a July 7 session at Edmonton’s Ortona Arts Centre. Both stops brought together diverse, gender-balanced groups of local performing arts stakeholders to explore unscripted performance as a visceral anti-racism tool. Popular theatre has no script. Instead, its magic lies in free-spirited, spontaneous creation. Across both cities, the energy was immediate as artists connected and got ready to create.

Each gathering opened by grounding ourselves in purpose and acknowledging the land through Indigenous circle sharing practices. Ally from Righting Relations Canada introduced the Regina session alongside Lautaro and Manuela, while our Edmonton team established shared protocols to honour the wisdom and experience in the room. Lively icebreakers in both cities quickly proved we were surrounded by exceptionally talented, dedicated performers.

While traditional training relies on intellectual instruction, performance creates immediate, felt awareness. Through unscripted movement and dialogue, participants tackled systemic racism, Canada’s history, the government’s disconnect from reality, and the lack of stage activism. Crucially, we examined the barriers preventing diverse storytellers from sharing narratives that impact their own communities and the structural hurdles keeping them out of the conversation entirely.

A recurring theme across both cities was the urgent need for a unified community coalition. Working in isolation leaves artists facing severe burnout, directly hindering the creation of diverse, impactful work. Thanks to Canadian Heritage’s Multicultural Anti-Racism Program, these workshops provided crucial spaces to break out of silos, share resources, and build collective power. We left both cities energized, reminded that, together, we are building a movement.