(February 2009)
As part of the 25th Anniversary season, it seems only appropriate
to pay tribute to the founder of Regina Summer Stage.
Sylvia Oancia (1938 –
1993) will be known to many of you as the
originator, director and producer of Regina Summer Stage. Others will
remember her
as one of the creators of the Regina International Children’s Festival, her
work
with Lyric Light Opera, her years of leadership with the youth choir of her
church,
or her work with the Soroptomists. Sylvia was also intimately involved in
the fight to keep
Darke Hall from the wrecking ball and in the successful effort to establish
a performing
arts center in Regina – Theatre Regina (the Regina Performing Arts Centre).
But Sylvia was more than the work she did, the accomplishments, the
accolades.
Yes, Sylvia Oancia will
be remembered as a ceaseless worker for the
cause of the arts. She was the greatest character on that stage. But she
will be
loved forever for just being Sylvia. Sylvia had a wonderful sense of the
ridiculous.
One day she walked to work, stood in her parking space, and couldn’t figure
out why
she couldn’t get her car door open! Sylvia couldn’t wait to tell us all the
story and laughed
as hard as we did at the preoccupation caused by working in the arts.
Waiting at the airport to come back from Edmonton on one occasion, she was
so involved
in reading the script for the next Regina Summer Stage production that she
literally
sat through the boarding call! When she became aware of the time, she was
perturbed
that the plane would be so late in leaving and spoke to the attendant about
poor notification!
Again, most of us might
not want our humanity to show as clearly, but
Sylvia couldn’t wait to share the joke. Sylvia’s sense of style is
legendary.
She always dressed in the brightest, most daring colours and her earrings
had to at least
touch her shoulders to be considered wearable! The Saskatchewan Drama
Association members
who worked as apprentices for Regina Summer Stage will remember her
heartfelt
commitment to and appreciation of youth and her determination that the
qualities they brought
to the arts would be recognized. Sylvia celebrated life every day.
She shared that celebration with children of all ages – 7 to 93! – through
her humour,
humanity, colour, style, wonderful laughter and her enviable ability to
recreate her
character each day.
– Jean Taylor
(Reprinted with permission of the Saskatchewan Drama Association)
