Arjun Pillai
Daily Herald
A cozy living room is taking shape inside the Mann Art Gallery, not for an exhibit, but for a memory.
Regina-based theatre artist Kris Alvarez is bringing “Banana Musik” to Prince Albert on May 30, a tender and immersive performance that blends theatre, music, and family history in tribute to her parents, and to all immigrant families navigating time, memory, and care.
The performance, which begins at 7:30 p.m., is a 45-minute “memory play” starring Alvarez alongside her real-life parents, Jim and Susan Alvarez. They don’t play characters, they simply play themselves. Together, they welcome the audience into a recreation of their home and their past, as Kris reflects on what it means to grow up as an “immigrant kid” in Saskatchewan.
A family story in real time
At the heart of Banana Musik is a table, some family belongings, and the sound of original music recorded by her father, song that once filled their basement and now echo through the performance.
“I wanted to share my dad’s original music,” Kris explained in an interview. “Music is a place marker for anyone who has older relatives, parents in their life… We know our parents, but maybe there’s a lot we don’t know.”
The performance takes that idea literally. While Kris narrates, her mother prepares an actual breakfast on stage. Her father plays live guitar. And through it all, they unearth stories, about family road trips, sacrifices and the unspoken dreams of immigrant parents who worked full-time jobs while art remained quietly in the background.
Prince Albert’s place in the journey
The Show is part of a broader tour supported by the Artists in Communities program and presented locally through the Prince Albert Arts Board and the City’s Municipal Cultural Action Plan.
Jesse Campbell, Interim Artistic Director of the Mann Art Gallery, said the themes of Banana Musik beautiful align with the gallery’s current exhibition and mandate.
“Kris is very community-minded,” she said. “She has strong themes of empathy, care, and, intergenerational work within her practice.”
Campbell added that the gallery’s partnership with Alvarez was also a way to maximize her time in Prince Albert, where she’ll also be doing professional development work with local artists.
Creating space for conversations
The performance doesn’t end with the final scene. Audiences are invited to stay for a post-show community conversation, with Kris, her parents, and fellow attendees.
“The ending of the show actually moves into the community conversation,” Kris said. “It’s not just about watching. People sit and talk, share their stories, even about their parents.”
One such instance stuck with her: someone approached after a show to say their father also wrote music, but no one ever saw him perform.
“It’s about humanizing our older communities,” she said, “remembering that they have hopes and dreams too.”
Kris Alvarez hopes Banana Musik resonates across generations, especially with adult children of immigrants. While the narrative is rooted in her own Filipino family experience, she’s seen the themes connect broadly, with indigenous, settler, and newcomer communities alike.
“Whether you’re an immigrant who arrived in the 70s or someone who grew up here with deep cultural roots, you can identify.” Alvarez said. “Filipinos, Asians, Polish immigrants, Indigenous friends, even settler Canadians, have told me they saw themselves in the story.”
For everyone who’s ever wondered what their parents gave up, or held onto
The performance takes place Friday, May 30 at the Mann Art Gallery. Doors open at 7.00 p.m. Admission is by donation, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Guests can RSVP and make donations on the Mann Art Gallery’s Banana Musik event page.
