The Birds and the Bees: A cheeky Canadian comedy flies into Lethbridge

By Lethbridge Herald on February 12, 2026.

HERALD PHOTO BY JOE MANIO Mark Campbell and Kathy Zaborsky in character as Earl and Gail on the Sterndale Bennett Theatre set, navigating love, laughs, and thin-wall farmhouse mishaps in New West TheatreÕs ÒThe Birds and the Bees.Ó

By Joe Manio

Lethbridge Herald 

New West Theatre brings sharp humour, romance, and thin-wall farce to the Sterndale Bennett Theatre, just in time for Valentine’s Week.

If you thought “the birds and the bees” was an awkward conversation best left to health class, think again. Just in time for Valentine’s Week, New West Theatre is giving the phrase a grown-up, mischievous twist at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre — a comedy so cheeky, even the bees might blush.

Opening Thursday, Feb. 12, The Birds and the Bees runs through Feb. 21. With a cast of four portraying two couples navigating romance, regret, and rediscovery, it’s a perfect — and slightly blush-worthy — date-night play.

Directed by Kelly Reay, artistic director of New West Theatre, the Canadian comedy follows Sarah, newly separated and reluctantly returning to her mother Gail’s farm. What begins as an uneasy homecoming soon becomes complicated when love arrives in unexpected forms: a lonely neighboring farmer, an eager entomology student, and a farmhouse with very thin walls.

“It’s currently one of the most produced Canadian plays across the country,” says Reay. “It’s been staged in big cities from coast to coast, and there’s a reason for that. Mark Crawford, who is a Vancouver-based playwright, has crafted a really universal, relatable story. When I read it, I knew it would be a perfect fit for audiences here in Lethbridge. 

“There were a few other factors, too, especially knowing it would be running over Valentine’s Day. We wanted a romantic comedy — something seasonal, that couples could enjoy for a little escape and a fun, romantic evening out.”

For Kathy Zaborsky, who plays Gail, the play’s heart is just as important as its humour.

“Absolutely, it’s a charming story — a very Canadian, post-COVID romantic comedy,” Zaborsky says. “It takes place in a farmhouse, and it’s just the kind of story people can relate to.”

Zaborsky’s character is a lonely beekeeper whose daughter, recently separated, returns home after 20 years. Complicating life on the farm is Earl, a frustrated, somewhat cantankerous farmer with a history that stretches back years. Together, their worlds collide in situations both humorous and tender, capturing the messy, relatable side of love and family.

“It’s heartwarming, and audiences will see pieces of themselves in it,” Zaborsky adds. “It’s the kind of show that makes you laugh, but also has moments that might bring a tissue. And I just love being part of this cast of four — the chemistry is incredible.”

Among the cast is Mark Campbell, who plays Earl, the well-meaning farmer whose interest in Gail adds both humour and heart to the story. Many in Lethbridge know Campbell from city council chambers or decades in broadcasting, but theatre has long been part of his creative life.

“You just wear different hats,” Campbell says. “In the city council, you focus on important issues — it’s significant work that I truly enjoy. But stepping onto the stage, even just a short distance from City Hall, you’re in a whole other world. It’s a chance to leave that behind for a while and immerse yourself in something creative and completely different.”

The Sterndale Bennett’s intimate space keeps audiences close to the stage — so close, in fact, that viewers may feel like they’re peeking in on private conversations. The closeness amplifies both the comedy and the tender moments, making the laughs feel immediate and the awkwardness almost tangible.

Under Reay’s direction, the production leans into both mischief and warmth. Though packed with laugh-out-loud misunderstandings and blush-worthy encounters, The Birds and the Bees ultimately lands somewhere tender. Beneath the innuendo and thin-wall farce is a story about family, forgiveness, and the courage to try again — themes that feel especially fitting in a week devoted to love in all its complicated forms.

Tickets and Info: Tickets are available online through the VisitLethbridge.com Arena Events platform, powered by Paciolan, with options for adults, seniors, students, and families.