Darkhorse Youth Theatre Shines with Superfreaks

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

The Darkhorse Youth Theatre is definitely following in the footsteps of their more experienced adult counterparts. Since its inception over three decades ago, Darkhorse has always prided itself on delivering first-class presentations that are on par with any professional production.

Now, the youth group is following that example, presenting a pair of wonderful and hilarious performances last week of the two-act comedy “Superfreaks”.

The play centred around a big-city journalist writing about the current state of mental health facilities. Her research takes her to a hospital populated with a unique group of quirky inmates who imagine they are crime-fighting superheroes. At first, the reporter finds their elaborate superhero fantasies to be an entertaining diversion, the wild delusions of unstable minds, until something unusual happens that makes her wonder if there could be more to the story.

The play, penned by Scott Haan, is a comedy that provided a great platform for the young cast of Darkhorse to showcase their impressive acting and comedic skills. The production featured a number of standout performances, with notable moments from Aiden Burch, Dekkar Horn, Jamison Ross, Medwyn Goldstein, and Stephen Jogno, all of whom returned to the stage for their second Darkhorse Youth Theatre fall production. Serenity Knight also made a nice debut with the company, marking her first appearance on stage with the youth group.

The crowd laughed throughout the show, as each character brought their own unique character to the production, with a few scene-stealing performances that were particularly memorable.

“The kids did an amazing job bringing this show to life, and I am incredibly proud of them,” said director Amy Leslie. “There is a magical moment as a director where the show goes from being something that I direct to belonging completely to the cast and their characters. This show came to life because of the effort and commitment of the kids involved, who made it their own.”

Two of the cast members, Burch and Jogno, are Grade 12 students making their final youth appearance.

“It was a bit of a bittersweet show for a few of our cast members who will be graduating this year and heading out on their next chapters in life,” added Leslie, who also directed last year’s youth play. “I really hope they continue to pursue their passions for creativity and the arts, and maybe one day make a return to the Darkhorse stage.”

The production also featured a lot of volunteer support, including a strong contingent of Darkhorse veterans as well as individual members of the public. “As always, this show wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of the Darkhorse board, volunteers, and parents of the cast, who put in hours of work behind the scenes getting the show ready,” stated Leslie. “I’m always in awe of what can be accomplished when we all come together.”

Leslie says that plans are already underway for next year’s youth production. She feels confident that the group will see some returning faces, with a hope to have some new cast members joining the group as well.

Meanwhile, Darkhorse is already busy at work planning and rehearsing for their fall adult production, “Sex Please, We’re Sixty”, by Michael Parker and Susan Parker, which will hit the stage with a matinee show on November 23, a pub night on November 26, and three dinner theatre shows on November 27, 28, and 29. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 29.