About Us
Wishbone Mandate & History
Wishbone’s mandate is to develop and produce plays that reflect and examine a broad spectrum of history and culture. Wishbone Productions incorporated as a non-profit theatre society in 2002. For our productions, we employ both local artists and crew, as well as draw on larger professional networks. Since 2003, Wishbone has been creating and producing theatre at various venues throughout B.C. Since 2008, Wishbone has been working in Valemount, Dunster and McBride with a theatre collective, creating plays that explore history and the many issues regarding life in small communities. Our productions are funded by B.C. Arts Council, B.C. Gaming, Columbia Basin Trust, Regional District Fraser Fort George, Community arts organizations, Community Forest companies, and box office revenue. Working with local actors, musicians, and technicians, we have developed a strong talent base that continues to blossom and grow as a solid community theatre presence in the Robson Valley.
Production History
2003 – Falling Out Of Place by Sharon Stearns – Vancouver & Vernon, B.C.
2004 – Five Beans in the Wheel by Peter Anderson, Nick Hutchinson & Sharon Stearns – Vernon, B.C.
2005 – Cowgirls Gone Wild in the West by Sharon Stearns – Vernon, B.C.
2006 – The Showdown of the Whiskey Girls by Courtenay Dobbie & Ajineen Sagal -Enderby & Kamloops, B.C.
2007 – Heebie Jeebies by Sharon Stearns – Enderby, B.C.
Plays and Cabarets produced in The Robson Valley
Valemount, Dunster, McBride
2008 – Valley Comfort by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with Robson Valley Theatre Collective
2009 – The Small Town Project by Sharon Stearns – in collaboration with RVTC
2011 – Romancing the Robson by Sharon Stearns – in collaboration with RVTC
2011 – Makin Tracks – Cabaret by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with RVTC
2012 – Gunsmoke Bonanza – Cabaret by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with RVTC
2012 – Valemountia – Rural Youth Collective play
2013 – The Bright Side – by Sharon Stearns – in collaboration with RVTC
2013 – Off The Rails – Cabaret by Sharon Stearns – in collaboration with RVTC
2014 Vera’s Saloon and the Oil Tycoons – by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with RVTC
2015 – FarmAlot- by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with RVTC
2016 – Outside In – by McBride High School drama students with direction and dramaturgy by Sharon Stearns, Miwa Hiroe & Ingrid Stengler
2016 – Minnie & the Mob by Sharon Stearns
2017 – Theatre of Dangerous Ideas – Cabaret by Sharon Stearns & Miwa Hiroe
2017 – Hunter of Peace – by Sharon Stearns
2018 – Luckyville – by Sharon Stearns
2019 – Head Over Heels – Cabaret by Sharon Stearns
2019 – A Womb With a View – Maternal Monologues by women of the Robson Valley –
2022– The Last Good Valley On Earth – by Sharon Stearns in collaboration with RVTC
2023 – Falling Out Of Place – by Sharon Stearns
2023 – I…. Human – by Miwa Hiroe
2023 – Showdown – A Western Musical – by Sharon Stearns
Wishbone is committed to working with other non-profit arts and culture organizations in the Robson Valley, sharing resources and a networking framework that supports and strengthens cultural programs and social activities in our communities
Community and Outreach Programs
Teaching and mentoring theatre and music programs in both secondary and elementary schools here in the valley.
Collaborating with other community organizations
A WOMB WITH A VIEW- MATERNAL DIALOGUES– Written by women in the Robson Valley of all ages, and edited for stage by members of the Theatre Collective, these monologues explored birthing stories and maternal issues specific to the Robson Valley. Two thirds of our box office revenue was donated to Valemount’s Robson Valley Community Services to help implement maternal care programs in the valley.
Who We Are
Wishbone Theatre Productions was incorporated as a non-profit theatre society in December 2001. For our productions we employ both local artists and crew, as well as, draw on larger professional networks outside the valley.
Since 2003, Wishbone has been creating and producing new work at various venues throughout B.C.
As of 2008, Wishbone has been working with the Robson Valley Theatre Collective, creating plays that explore history and the many issues regarding life in small B.C. communities.
Why We Are Here
To promote arts and culture in the Robson Valley
To engage our community and provide an opportunity for people to celebrate who we are with high quality cultural events.
To encourage local pride in arts.
To give recognition of the value of arts and culture in our community.
To encourage local leadership, positive attitudes and local entrepreneurs to invest time and resources.
Development of the arts encourages economic diversification.
Robson Valley Theatre Collective
Our collective is made up of theatre artists and musicians who work with playwright Sharon Stearns to create our shows, It takes six months to a year of focused, collective work to develop our material, from idea through to performance. Our shows are accessible to the Robson Valley and further afield. They are family-friendly, offer provocative themes and ideas, with wide appeal. Every show we create continues to be an education process where we search for ways to bring in an increasingly diverse audience, audiences that may be surprised to see the play they are watching is making a visceral connection in their lives. We challenge ourselves to create topical, edgy performance pieces that can act as a catalyst for community engagement.
Sharon Stearns
Artistic Producer
Playwright, actor, producer, freelance and short fiction writer. Sharon has been creating and producing original theatre events in the Robson Valley since 2008. She also works as a professional theatre artist with companies across Canada. She has been playwright-in-residence at the University of Regina, Passe Muraille Theatre in Toronto, Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg and Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops. Her plays have been produced at Passe Muraille, Western Canada Theatre, The Belfry Theatre, Catalyst Theatre, Theatre Network, the Globe Theatre, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Alberta Theatre Projects, Caravan Farm Theatre and Playwrights Theatre Centre
Her abiding interest has always been collective theatre creation and her professional, as well as her community experience, is focused on projects where work is collaboratively made to resonate with both artists and audience.
