Honour Beat will run from October 5 to 14, 2023 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

New West Theatre’s ‘Honour Beat’ debuts October 5, 2023

Oct 4, 2023 | 3:27 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – New West Theatre debuts its new play Honour Beat on Thursday, October 5, 2023.

The play is written by Tara Beagan, and follows an Indigenous woman who tries to bring together her two daughters at the end of her life. New West Theatre describes the show as “a contemporary look at the significance of faith and family”.

Director Valerie Planche said it is important for the play to represent Indigenous values in southern Alberta.

She explained, “We have this divide of what we think an Indigenous person is, and this helps our audiences come and sit with folks that are going through the same things they are.”

Planche previously directed Honour Beat when it was performed in London, Ontario in February 2020.

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The director of the show said the reception to the performance was very positive from viewers and found they were very moved by the end of the story. That reception made her excited to return to direct.

Planche added, “I’m always surprised how audiences engage in this piece because you think you’re going into this kind of end-of-life situation, then they laugh. Tara has an amazing facility for opening your heart up with laughter, and then smacking you in the face!”

The play stars Sandra Lamouche as the mother, along with Michaela Washburn, Brianne Tucker and Jeremy Proulx.

Honour Beat will run from October 5 to 14 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. It is the second of four productions being put on this season by New West Theatre.

It was preceded by Wonderstruck, which ran throughout August. Honour Beat will be followed by Elf: The Musical around Christmas, and the season will conclude with Legends of Rock and Country in February 2024.

READ MORE: New West Theatre set for 35th anniversary season

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