Jessica Schacht is developing a reputation. Not the scandalous kind — unless you count jam, family secrets and porch gossip as scandal-worthy — but one that’s earned her a bit of a niche.
“I realized this is the third show in a row that has revolved around sisters for me,” she said with a laugh.
Schacht directed The Fiancée in 2023 and Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley in 2024 — both sister-centred stories for Chemainus Theatre Festival.
Her latest project, Home to Roost, opens Sept. 26 at Chemainus Theatre Festival and runs through Oct. 19. Written by Canadian playwright Kristen DaSilva (Hurry Hard), the heartfelt comedy takes place on a front porch on Manitoulin Island, Ont., where sisters Glenda and Suzanne have lived together for decades. Their quiet routine is upended when Suzanne’s daughter Beth returns home and sets off a cascade of long-held truths.
“I immediately loved it,” said Schacht of the play. “I was so drawn to it. It really deftly navigates between the comedy and the drama. And it’s hilarious. It made me laugh out loud while I was reading it and also really touched me. It’s a beautiful story.”
Schacht lives in Duncan and grew up on Vancouver Island, which she says has always felt like home. Home to Roost is her third mainstage production at Chemainus Theatre Festival. While she didn’t seek out another sister story, she’s clearly at home with them.
“I think it really just speaks to those themes of family and family dynamics,” she said. “That’s something we all experience, for better or worse. Whether it’s our chosen family or given family, I think everybody can relate to trying to navigate those dynamics. And what it means to grow up, leave home, come home. I feel like those are experiences that lots of people can resonate with.”
She also saw her own relatives reflected in the characters.
“When I was reading the script and when we’ve been in rehearsals, I’m thinking about how my mom and my aunts are going to enjoy the show,” she said. “Watching the way my mom and her sisters interact, it’s just like, oh yeah, I know these women.”
For the actors bringing sisters Suzanne and Glenda to life, the story’s focus on women in midlife is part of the appeal.
“There was no question about whether I was doing this,” said Sharon Crandall, who plays Suzanne. “I mean, for one thing, there aren’t very many plays about us; women, especially women in midlife, and at the same time, women-friendly. And the script is great. So it was an easy yes for me.”
Sabrina Prada, who plays Glenda, agreed.
“It was like, wow, a play that’s actually about women in midlife, like they exist or something! Oh really? They have things they care about?”
Their characters will likely strike a chord with Island audiences — a pair of no-nonsense women who sell jam, tease their neighbour and navigate love in all its forms.
“We’re not perfect, far from,” Crandall said of their characters.
“We’re not influencers at all,” chimed in Prada. Then, joking about their characters’ jam business: “But we may be sugar pushers…”
Rounding out the cast are Evelyn Chew as Beth, Suzanne’s sharp-witted daughter returning from the city, and Frankie Cottrell as Patrick, the next-door neighbour, a veterinarian who’s frequently roped into odd jobs by the sisters. The production is supported by Tamara McCarthy as understudy, with set design by Hans Saefkow, costumes by Crystal Hanson, lighting by Harika Xu, sound design by Mark DuMez, and stage management by Jasmin Sandhu.
Set almost entirely on a front porch, the play uses its rural island setting to explore intimacy, proximity and the way families fall into old patterns when they come back together. The rhythms of small-town life will ring true for Chemainus locals.
“There’s something about being in the front yard and putting yourself out there to meet people or chat with people,” said Schacht. “In bigger cities it can be hard to find those places of connection. It’s still private space, it’s their home, but it is also a little bit public.”
With the cast and crew living in Chemainus during rehearsals and the run, the play’s theme of “coming home” has landed in a deeper way.
“I’ve never lived in a town this small,” said Crandall. “Coming here, the first couple of days, I was definitely like, ‘I’m going so fast! I’m going city speed!’” But she embraced the opportunity to slow down, realizing, “No, I just need to relax.”
For Schacht, it’s been a pleasure to direct the show in a community that already feels like part of the story.
“I think people are going to have such a great time hanging out on the porch here.”
Home to Roost runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 19 at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. Tickets start at $23 and are available at chemainustheatre.ca or by calling 250‑246‑9820. Dining reservations for the Playbill Dining Room are also available.
