Women’s hockey pioneers face offon PTE stage
You probably haven’t heard of the Preston Rivulettes, but nearly a century ago, they were considered by many to be the best hockey team in Canada. Not the best women’s […]
The Preston Rivulettes, a hockey team from nearly a century ago, were considered the best in Canada. The team, formed in the 1930s, dominated the Dominion Women’s Amateur Hockey Association and lost fewer than 10 games out of an estimated 350 matches. The Winnipeg Olympics, led by Marge Lumsden, Winnie Fullerton, Maj Topp, and Maureen Gault, faced the Rivulettes in the 1937, 1938, and 1939 championships, but the Rivulettes remained undefeated.
The Rivulettes' significance was recognized when they were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in December. Their story is brought to life in Prairie Theatre Exchange's production of Tracey Power’s Glory, which features two pairs of real-life sisters in the script: the Ranscombes and the Schmucks. The play, directed by Mariam Bernstein, highlights the skaters as they strive for victory and respect for their athletic pursuits.
Actors Cora Matheson, Cora’s great-granddaughter Helen Schmuck, Katie Welham, Jada Rifkin, and Emily Meadows, who plays goaltender Nellie Ranscombe, immerse themselves in the sport to create authenticity on stage. The production, set against themes of sexism, marginalization, and racism, captures the high-energy atmosphere of a hockey game through choreographed swing dancing, inspired by the actors' backgrounds in competitive dance.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
