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Theatre by the River’s latest production draws wisdom from Ovid

The seed of Sap — the production debuting tonight by Winnipeg indie company Theatre by the River — was planted during the reign of Augustus Caesar.

Published four years ago by British playwright Rafaella Marcus, Sap is a fable that shines light on the epic first-century poetry of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, intertwining the story of Daphne — who wills herself to be transformed into a tree when pursued by an overzealous suitor — as a modern reminder of the universal need for peer-led queer sanctuary amid an increasingly violent political landscape for members of the LGBTTQ+ community.

When director Elio Zarrillo encountered the poetic script, it seemed an obvious match for Theatre by the River, a roving company founded in 2006 to produce work that builds compassion and respect for underserved narrative.

After getting initial interest, Zarrillo — a Winnipeg-raised playwright and performer who’s been onstage in recent years at Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (Narrow Bridge) and Prairie Theatre Exchange (The Outside Inn) — chose an appropriate location for a readthrough with Theatre by the River’s production team.

Closure of Nomads field massive upset for North End

The North Winnipeg Nomads have a flag on the field.

The long-standing minor football club was recently informed that its field is unfit to host games and that it would need to find a new home for its five youth and adult teams until repairs are made to the playing surface.

“Our board has made every effort to address the condition of our home field,” the club wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, following a professional assessment, the field has been determined to be unsafe and unstable for our athletes.”

All five of the club’s teams will play their 2026 season at Frank Whyte Field, part of the Northwood Community Centre, with no confirmed date for when they can play on their home field again.

Childfree Winnipeg group gives women without kids a place to gather

Katelyn Sawatzky founded Childfree Winnipeg Women in 2021 to bring together women who don’t have kids — be it by choice or circumstance — and do not plan on raising children.

The group is designed to help them share experiences and build meaningful friendships.

The community welcomes cisgender, straight, transgender, bisexual and lesbian women. Parents, including empty nesters and men, are turned away.

“Our group is a safe space where women can hang out with other women without being asked when you’re going to have kids or why you don’t have kids … where you don’t feel like you have to validate or defend your choices in any way, because everyone gets it,” Sawatzky says.

Education minister’s reasons for revoking teacher’s licence ‘not good enough,’ judge decides

A Manitoba judge has rejected the education minister’s decision to end a teacher’s career because he repeatedly messaged with a 13-year-old girl on social media.

Awareness is the first line of defence

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Canada. This proclamation helps focus public attention on the very important protective role that such awareness can play in reducing the death and suffering associated with this disease.

The underlying reason for that is simple. In its beginning, prostate cancer, as is true for all cancers, starts and grows silently and stealthily, giving no indication through pain or other symptoms of its presence and of the developing pathology. Everything appears normal to the unsuspecting host until the cancer has grown to an extent that it interferes with normal function. There might then be pain, bleeding or some other manifestation of the growing tumour.

Unfortunately, by that time the disease may have reached an advanced stage, which is much more difficult to treat, and less likely to have a favourable outcome. It is a general truth in dealing with all types of cancer that the earlier it is discovered and treated, the better the likelihood of a favourable outcome. Awareness can be a major determinant of whether such early discovery happens or not.

Discovery of the cancer during its period of silent, surreptitious growth creates the opportunity for early treatment. Fortunately, in the case of prostate cancer such detection is favoured by two factors.