On October 28–29, Steinbach Neighbours for Community will be staging Still Listening… Voices Among Us, a theatre production that strives to tell stories based on the experiences of local members of the LGBTQ community.
Val Hiebert, who wrote and directed the production, has spent a considerable amount of time listening to people tell their stories. The eight fictional characters in Still Listening represent the 29 people who spoke with her, including LGBTQ individuals, parents and families, and community allies, all of whom live in southeastern Manitoba. Hiebert says hat much of the show’s dialogue has been drawn verbatim from their real-life stories.
The show includes music performances directed by Millie Hildebrand.
Hiebert, an associate professor at Providence University College, emphasizes that the goal of the show is to start conversations. “We’re really looking to connect with what I think is a really large group of people in this area who do want to enter into real authentic listening conversations and see if we can’t find a better way than to continue to polarize,” Hiebert said in The Carillon.
Steinbach Neighbours for Community is comprised of individuals who are working to promote understanding and acceptance of diversity in our communities.
“We acknowledge that there are numerous sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, locally and globally,” says a statement on their website. “The common goal of SNFC is to facilitate the conversation while providing insight and education around this often divisive subject.”
The performances will take place both evenings at 7:30 p.m. at the SRSS theatre in Steinbach. Tickets are available for $10 at the Steinbach Arts Council office.
