Mike & Karen Langlois
Music
2025 ARTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Michael (Mike) Langlois started his musical career on his grandmother’s lap learning a few simple melodies by rote. Since then, Mike has gone on to acquire an Associate diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, and Licentiate and Fellowship diplomas with Trinity College London in piano performance. Mike has won numerous scholarships with the Saskatchewan Music Festival at local and provincial levels and the Florence Bowes Pedagogy Award. Mike is also a member in good standing of the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers Association. In addition to his classical piano background, Mike is very active as a performer in other genres of music. He leads his jazz combo, The Jazz Guise as arranger, vocalist and pianist. He also plays lead guitar and sings with the band “The Goodfella’s” as well as lead guitar for classic rock band Rewind. Darcy Sander and Mike also have an easy listening duo called “Turned Down” in which he plays guitar and sings. Mike also enjoys musical theatre and has been involved in many musicals. He was the musical director for eleven Broadway North Theatre Company shows including Cabaret (2006) Footloose (2005) and The Wizard of Oz (2001).
Originally from La Ronge, SK, Karen Langlois grew up playing the piano and singing with her mom and sister at home and church. Throughout her early years she studied voice and piano with Cheryl Tradewell. Karen went on to obtain a Bachelor of Music degree with Great Distinction in Vocal Performance from the University of Saskatchewan, studying under Janice Paterson. She later went on to complete the Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from Trinity College of London. She is currently a member of the SRMTA and has previously been active with the local Prince Albert Kiwanis Music Festival board as both vocal coordinator and piano scholarship coordinator.
Karen keeps busy maintaining a private voice, piano, theory and history studio of over 50 students, several of whom have received gold medals for their exam work with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has both directed and accompanied children’s choirs in the past. In the summer, Karen and her husband host an intensive Theory School where students have the opportunity to learn one grade of rudiments in a five-day period. Musical theatre has always been a great love. Karen currently teaches music through Broadway North Theatre Company’s musical theatre program for youth and teens. She has also directed the music for Broadway North Theatre Company’s Alice in Wonderland Jr., Elf Jr., Peter Pan Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr., Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Jr., Aladdin Jr. and Annie. Mike and his wife Karen operate a large teaching studio in Prince Albert. Between the two of them, there are over one hundred piano, voice, guitar, and theory students that come through their studio on a weekly basis.
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Dennis Adams
Music
2025 ARTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Dennis Adams is a lifelong musician whose dedication, talent, and generosity have left an indelible mark on our community. His contributions to the music scene span over five decades, making him an integral part of the city's cultural identity.
Dennis is a multi-talented musician, excelling in guitar, bass, steel guitar, and lead vocals. His passion for music has shone brightly through his participation in the Prince Albert Winter Festival for over 50 years, where he has played in countless shows. Beyond performing, he has taken on leadership roles, producing the Country North Show, Classic Country Show, and creating and producing The Rock Show Experience. His vision and dedication have helped these productions flourish, bringing together musicians and audiences to celebrate the power of live music.
Beyond the stage, Dennis has devoted himself to nurturing future generations of musicians. He has taught a significant amount of people to play guitar, sharing his expertise and love for music with aspiring artists. His impact extends beyond personal instruction—he has performed with countless musicians and played on renowned stages such as Craven, among many others throughout the province, further elevating Prince Albert’s presence in the broader music scene. His immense contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards (SCMA), further cementing his legacy in the province’s musical landscape.
Dennis's commitment to his community is as impressive as his musical achievements. He has dedicated years of service to the Prince Albert Winter Festival’s Board of Directors, helping to sustain and grow this beloved tradition. His generosity knows no bounds, as demonstrated by his Music Lives Here program, in which he collects used and damaged instruments, repairs them, and donates them to children, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder young musicians from discovering their passion. His efforts have provided many children with their first opportunity to learn and create music, a gift that will last a lifetime. Even beyond music, Dennis has given back to his community in countless ways, including his efforts to bring joy through his extraordinary holiday decorations, creating magical experiences for all to enjoy. His selflessness, dedication, and unwavering passion make him an inspiration to many. Despite facing personal health battles, Dennis has never let adversity slow him down. His love for music and his desire to share it with others remain steadfast. He continues to perform, teach, and inspire, ensuring that music lives on in Prince Albert and beyond.
Christina Thoen
Builder
2025 ARTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Christina Thoen is an artist born and raised near Young, Saskatchewan. She has a Bachelor of Education Degree with an Art Major, taking her first formal painting instruction from Eli Bornstein at the University of Saskatchewan. She has been painting and selling her artwork now for over 30 years! After moving to Prince Albert, she quit teaching in 1995 to open her first business, her main passion, "Christina's Art & Soul Studio" (formerly Christina’s Gallery & Art School). She has now opened a second location in Saskatoon where she now lives.
Christina works in a variety of mediums and subjects, with a preference for still-life, street scenes, landscapes, trees, Saskatchewan skies, and portraits. Her true passions are two very contrasting genres: "I love the high energy of big city life and yet have a huge passion for the tranquility and peacefulness of nature." She specializes in large-scale artworks and is known for her bright color palette, Van Goghish style, and the energy that her artwork carries, giving the rooms they hang in a very positive feeling. She has had numerous people tell her that her artworks have a really "Happy Vibe" and just looking at them leaves a smile on their face. She describes her work as “Abba paintings… full of passion, love, fun, and a great vibe.”
2010 was a notable year where Christina received both 1st and 2nd place for People's Choice Awards at the Kyla Art Show. "I was surprised when I received both awards because I knew those two pieces would also be in competition with each other and didn't expect
either to place."
Her varied capabilities and talent have led Christina to be commissioned for many different types of paintings, including her latest, super fun portraits. She loves the challenge and excitement of creating someone's idea, and especially loves creating the perfect piece for a specific space! She has exhibited and been juried into various art exhibitions and her works are a part of many private and corporate collections. "On more than one occasion I've been told I wear rose-colored glasses, and am passionate about sharing this rosy perspective on life and the beauty it beholds. For me, being an artist is an opportunity to re-experience and share God's amazing creations!"
Christina continues to pursue her lifelong passion with the world of art, either painting or teaching art classes to students. She loves teaching and immerses herself in art while coaxing and releasing the artistic talents in her students. She has witnessed lives being changed as she has instilled the love of art and creativity in over 200 students per year in Saskatchewan. Her artwork adorns the walls of hundreds of art lovers all over the world. In 2018, she started her TLC (Thoen’s Life Coaching) Soul School, which is an extension of the positive energy of her artworks and the important use of the energy of color and the
meanings of each color’s different frequencies in our lives.
Cheryl Ring
Visual Arts
2025 ARTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Cheryl L. Ring works out of HeartSpace Studio, a commercial space in Prince Albert, SK, Canada. Cheryl is an eclectic and dynamic artist whose work has been recognized locally and internationally. HeartSpace studio represents a place to grow and connect, allowing makers time to reflect and make sense of their world while creating. The heart is meaningful to Cheryl for its cultural significance and universally recognizable shape which is entrenched in our psyche as a cultural icon. The heart and our connection to it signified
Cheryl's desire for a kinder, more connected community through art. One of Cheryl’s recent art projects, “Heart Spirits” has been recognized internationally. This project aims to shift our collective mindset by influencing emotions through the making of 1200 clay hearts - a real, physical reminder of the women and girls whose family’s hearts have been broken.
“I was frustrated with the turmoil that the MMIWG National Inquiry faced, nearly since its beginning in September 2016. During the barrage of news stories at the outset I was struck by constant references to the MMIW and I realized, as an average Canadian, I was losing touch with this important issue. Hundreds of missing & murdered women & girls were being reduced to an anonymous list, an acronym with little context. Canadians were losing touch with their own humanity and they didn’t even know it was happening. This project represents one woman trying to make her mark for a hopeful future. I chose the number of hearts for this project because 1200 is a significant number and it coincides closely with an RCMP 2014 National Overview which put the total of missing & murdered to 1181, an all-time high.”(Cheryl Ring, MMIW + G – Heart Spirits Project Statement)