Content Note for The Waltz

This production is approximately 70 minutes with no intermission. 


What is the world of the show? What is the vibe?

The Waltz is a romantic comedy. It is a sequel to the play Prairie Nurse which was inspired by playwright Marie Beath Badian’s mother’s immigration story. In the play, two young nurses arrive from the Philippines in 1967 to take a two-year contract in a small Saskatchewan town. One of the nurses, Puring, falls in love with the town’s star hockey goalie, Wilf. The other nurse, Penny, is looking forward to when her fiancé will join her from the Philippines and they can start their life in a cosmopolitan city.

Although The Waltz is a sequel, it can be enjoyed without having watched the first play. 

The Waltz is set in the 1990’s. Penny’s son, Romeo Alvarez Jr. (RJ for short), is driving from Ontario to BC to begin university.  RJ makes a stop in rural Saskatchewan to visit some of his mom’s friends from her days working in the hospital. He ends up on the doorstep of a rustic cabin. Unexpectedly, RJ is confronted by the crossbow-wielding Beatrice Klassen, the daughter of Puring, who was definitely not expecting company. 

These two seem like opposites – RJ is confident and outgoing. Beatrice is guarded and wants to be alone. But, although their experiences of being 2nd Generation Canadians differ in some aspects, through the course of the day, they find common ground under the beautiful Saskatchewan sky.  

Who is this suitable for?

This show is suitable for adults, or well-prepared young people 12+. 

An age rating is based on a general idea. You are the best judge of what content is a good fit for you as an individual. Feel free to contact the box office if you have questions not answered by this note.

What are some of the themes/references in the play? 

  • Teenagers drinking alcohol

  • Threat using a crossbow

  • Trust

  • Immigration

  • Central Ontario versus Prairie customs/stereotypes

  • Sports, hockey, The Jays and Leafs

  • Family conflict

  • 90s references to language, pop culture like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. 

  • Filipino culture

  • Popularity and bullying

  • Swearing 


What technical elements does this show include?

  • Recorded sound effects such as car driving, birds chirping

  • Breathing/strained noises

  • Yelling

  • Clattering

  • Actors eating and drinking.

  • Shift in light– use of spot light

  • A simulated punch

  • An actor entering from the back of the theatre

Image description: A close-up of a rainbow underside of a CD disc, the center of the disc frames a collage image of a prairie field of lush wheat and a blue night sky with a full moon. In the field stands a large red grain elevator. To the left the CN Tower pokes into the framed scene.