To say I was excited to see The Shawshank Redemption on stage is like saying Ottawa got a little snow in February.
Above all else, Stephen King’s novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, is a story about hope and the strength of the human spirit. It was turned into a major motion picture in 1994 by Frank Darabont and titled simply The Shawshank Redemption. I had a copy on VHS―for real―that I watched so many times I wore out the tape. I couldn’t turn away from the horror of Shawshank penitentiary and the soul of the one man it could not crush.
The Ottawa Little Theatre (OLT) team is made up almost entirely of volunteers and it is amazing what they can achieve. They opened their 112th season this year with The Shawshank Redemption directed by Joanne Farrell, an adaptation by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns.
Scene from The Shawshank Redemption. Photo provided.
Their production was assessed on Feb. 28, 2025 by Rod Carley of the Eastern Ontario Drama League (EODL). The EODL fosters development and interest in the performing arts with two annual drama festivals, and the OLT’s The Shawshank Redemption is part of the EODL Full Length Play Festival.
OLT’s production is ominously staged on two stories behind bars. The set towers over the audience and the players and adds to the show’s ambience of oppression. The short transitions between highly emotional scenes make it hard to breathe but―in a way―this adds to the overall intensity of the show.
Scene from The Shawshank Redemption. Photo provided.
Dawson Fleming delivers a great performance of the diminutive banker, Andy Dufresne, a man convicted of murdering his wife and her lover who maintains his innocence throughout his incarceration.
The cast of inmates and guards are engaging and give the ‘prison’ a sense of fullness. Every character has personality and gravity, but it is Riley Stewart, playing Andy’s friend Red (Ellis Boyd Redding), who steals the show on this one. His thoughtful, heartfelt performance brings The Shawshank Redemption to life and makes the audience care.
Scene from The Shawshank Redemption. Photo provided.
Sean Dwyer also gives a fabulous performance as Warden Gregory Stammas, a detestable figure who I love to hate.
The dialogue is crisp and well-delivered with a few key lines that call back to the movie (and probably the novella), pulling the audience deeper into the story.
The Shawshank Redemption contains scenes of violence, sexual assault, and suicide, which happen on stage. However, the set and lighting show just enough to the audience to know what’s going on without without being too graphic.
The OLT runs a very tight ship with a very talented crew, and I’m really loving what they deliver.
Don’t miss The Shawshank Redemption at the Ottawa Little Theatre, 400 King Edward Avenue, playing until March 15, 2025. Get your tickets here.
