Waiting for the Parade is a celebrated Canadian play set during the turmoil of World War II. The story unfolds in Calgary and follows five women as they cope with the absence of their husbands and sons, all away at war. Through wit and resilience, the women navigate the challenges of the home front, revealing the strength and solidarity born from adversity. The play also features beloved songs from the 1940’s, performed live by the cast.
Performances and Tickets
Tickets are $25, available at:
- Gibsons: Fong’s Market
- Sechelt: Sechelt Visitor Centre
- Pender Harbour: Earthfair Bookstore
- Roberts Creek: MELOmania
Buy tickets online
Gibsons Heritage Playhouse
Thurs Nov. 6 @ 7:30pm – Special pay what you can preview night.
Fri. Nov. @ 7:30pm – Opening Night
Sat. Nov. 8 @ 7:30pm – all revenue from the ticket sales of this performance will be donated to the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary.
Sun. Nov. 9 @ 2:00pm
Thurs. Nov. 13 @ 7:30pm
Fri. Nov. 14 @ 7:30pm
Sat. Nov. 15 @ 7:30pm
Sun. Nov. 16 @ 2:00pm
Pender Harbour Community Centre
Sat. Nov. 22 @ 7:30pm
Sun. Nov. 23 @ 2:00pm
Sechelt / Botanical Garden:
Sat. Nov. 29 @ 7:30pm
Sun. Nov. 30 @ 2:00pm
The Cast
The production features a remarkable ensemble of five Sunshine Coast actors: Angela Cruikshank, Jennie Biltek, Lindsey Blake, Miranda Beall, and Nicky Morgan. Each performer brings depth, humour, and authenticity to their roles, portraying characters who are as unique as they are relatable.
The Characters
- Marta, a German immigrant, faces prejudice and the isolation that comes from being distrusted by her community.
- Eve, a young schoolteacher, grapples with her discomfort over the glorification of war.
- Margaret, a woman of faith and a mother, fears she may have lost her sons to the war even before their return is certain.
- Catherine is anxious about the possibility of her husband not coming home.
- Janet takes on a leadership role, organizing the group as they collectively volunteer in support of the war effort.
As the women wait for the war to end, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, finding courage and resilience they never knew they possessed.
Melinda Oliver, Director
Melinda got the acting bug in high school, performing in Grease, Butterflies are Free and Waiting for the Parade, just to name a few. She continued on to the University of Victoria to pursue her Theatre Arts Degree. She joined Driftwood Players in 2022, performing in numerous shows and now making her directorial debut for Waiting for the Parade.
She is so grateful to her beautiful brilliant cast of women for trusting her, Mac Dodge for his guidance and support and to our amazingly talented crew. I couldn’t have done it without you all!
Director’s statement
Waiting for the Parade gives voice to women on the Canadian home front in the Second World War…women who carried on while waiting for news, waiting for return, waiting for peace.
Though set in the 1940’s, their stories feel close. Around the world today, families still wait.. for safety, for loved ones, for the end of war. The ache of absence is timeless.
Yet within the waiting, there is also resilience..laughter that survives, friendships that sustain and hope that refuses to fade. May these voices remind us of both the cost of war and the strength of the human spirit.
Forty-three years ago I first stepped into Waiting for the Parade as Janet under the direction of my drama teacher Mr. Troy Demmitt in Richmond BC.
His passion for theatre and for this play lit something in me that has never gone out. Now, all these years later, I return to this story not as a performer but as a new director..carrying their voice and memory with me.
My promise to you before you passed 2 years ago has come to fruition..I hope I have made you proud.
This production is dedicated to you..