SAC launches musical theatre workshop series

Steinbach Arts Council executive director David Klassen has introduced a new adult theatre and musical workshop where he will be the instructor.

“That’s exciting for us and we’ve been thinking of doing this musical theatre class for a class number of years as well and this was the year where we thought we had enough time to invest in that and we opened it up. We’re hoping that we have a whole bunch of people who are interested in understanding staging from a different perspective and want to participate and join us and learn something new.”

The theater workshops have been running now for two to three years and they growing in popularity. Klassen said the participants are really excited to participate in something that they’ve been interested in.

“You experience it and you realize how much you love it and it all of the sudden it becomes something you like to do in free time.”

Klassen said he expects to have from eight to 10 people in class. The adult classes are a little bit smaller as the work tends to be a little bit of a higher level.

“More of an intimate atmosphere. Yeah a smaller group of people who can balance ideas off of one another we can teach them as a group but they can also showcase for each other in a positive way just like we would with any age group but it gives them the opportunity to try out a lot of the things they are learning but in a safe environment,” said Klassen, adding the workshop is an auditioned class, which Klassen hoped will bring enthusiastic people who love to sing and act together.

Students are asked to bring a repertoire that they already know so that we can get in quickly and start workshopping these pieces and experimenting with different staging skills and helping people to really understand all the elements that go into the staging of a single musical theatre number.

Students are asked to bring two pieces to perform that they all ready know and understand. Registration fee is $100.

The series, open to adults age 16 and older, of all skill levels, will take place over four workshops on the following dates: Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, 2026, Feb. 11, 2026.

Southeastern Manitoba Festival (SEMF)

In 2026, the Southeasten Manitoba Festival has come back from a five-year hiatus from COVID. The festival provides a platform for amateur musicians and speech performers to perform, compete, and receive adjudication from experts in various categories, culminating in awards nights and highlight evenings. It provides an important step in expanding the arts and performance opportunities available to young artists across the Southeast.

“Dance was once a strong and successful component of the festival, and we are thrilled to bring it back for our 2026 season,” said Cassandra Kornelsen, manager of community programs at The Steinbach Arts Council. “We’ve heard from many in the dance community who are eager to see this platform return—and we’re proud to provide a space where rural dancers can grow and succeed.”

The SEMF Dance Festival is non-competitive, where dancers will have the opportunity to perform and receive professional adjudication, allowing them to gain valuable feedback ahead of future competitions and recitals. This format offers a supportive environment where learning is the primary goal.

About 200 or more people come to the festival every year to participate.

“That festival again is like a competition so the participants bring their own repertoire and we know in advance because they apply to perform it but we don’t have any control in what comes in those are the participants selection that come to us we don’t give it to them,’ said Klassen.

The registration fee for the festival is different and depends on the discipline. There’s choral, vocal, strings, piano, musical theatre and dance. This information is included on the SEMF website in the addendum.

“For the dance piece the reason we’re bring the dance position back was because historically it was a very strong and successful component to the festival and we’re looking forward to being able to provide that service back to the community and the response has been really well received. It’s non-competitive but it is an opportunity for dancers to come and perform and receive professional adjudication towards their dance pieces. Even prior to going to say some of the competitions that happened in Winnipeg,” said Kornelsen.

Dance studios teaching hip-hop, ballet, contemporary and many more across Southeastern Manitoba are encouraged to participate. Registration materials, including the Dance Addendum 2025–2026, Dance Entry Form 2026, and 2023 Syllabus, are available online at semf.ca.