Caravan Farm Theatre’s horse opera ready to ride in the North Okanagan

After a two year hiatus, Caravan Farm Theatre‘s signature ‘horse opera’ is ready to enchant audiences for four weeks this summer.

Tickets are now on sale for Blackhorse, Caravan’s summer show, which will run from July 12 to Aug. 7.

“The horse has been a partner in human progress for thousands of years, and as such holds a potent place in our imagination,” said Estelle Shook, Caravan’s artistic director. “Blackhorse harnesses the symbolic power of the horse to pull us into the story, the ideas, and the heart of the play. A hybrid of musical theatre and top-notch horse action, the ‘horse opera’ is a spectacular a form of theatre only possible here at Caravan Farm Theatre.”

Three behind-the-scenes films were shot to capture the process of creating Blackhorse, which can be viewed here and on Caravan’s website.

Created by Shook as well as songsmith, poet, playwright and composer Linz Kenyon, Blackhorse tells the story of a B.C. couple raising their family and pursuing dreams, backdropped by many of today’s socioeconomic forces. With the father away working the Alberta oil patch and the mother working closer to home and taking care of the kids, they struggle against inflation, the housing crisis and the economic toll of “one week out and three weeks in.”

A cast of six actors and four musicians tells the story, along with six black horses which serve as the stage machinery.

“Blackhorse is a story about love and dreams, and what happens to both when they come up against larger pressures beyond the individual’s control. Oh, and it’s funny. And moving. And so now,” Shook said.

Years in the making, Blackhorse is the third instalment of the theatre’s horse operas, following Cowboy King (2000) and IOU Land (2005). Caravan spent two weeks workshopping Kenyon’s score with a full band, as well as the horse choreography led by Salmon Arm teamster Joyce Marchant.

“Blackhorse will have the excitement of the rodeo, the emotional power of Greek Tragedy, and all the humour, musicality and spectacular design that folks have come to expect from a Caravan Farm Theatre show. And, we have made the first ten performances ‘pay what you can’ to ensure anyone who wants to will have a chance to see this production,” said Shook. “This is our love letter to the community.”

Blackhorse opens July 12 with pay-what-you-can pricing for the first 10 days of its four-week run. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit caravanfarmtheatre.com.