Mirka with special guest Jessica Ridley - Time for the Living Concert - Live at Cactus Theater!
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Doors: 6:50 pm • Showtime: 7:30 pm

Experience an evening of pure magic as two compelling voices - one originating in South Africa and the other in Canada - present their multi-textured original songs to an audience awaiting their sweet arrival.  Truly a refreshing take on all things woven in the magical tapestry of singer-songwriters striving to present their own personal stories through song.  

Cactus Theater welcomes these two talented creators as they take listeners on a fresh new journey in song.

Mirka

After a 12-year hiatus, Nashville-based artist Mirka returns with Phoenix—her eighth studio album and a powerful statement of rebirth and renewal, brilliantly produced by Dennis Patton. Marking a bold new chapter in her musical journey, Phoenix showcases Mirka’s commanding vocals and her heartfelt songwriting, inspiring hope and transformation. True to its title, Phoenix rises from the ashes, delivering a sound that is both uplifting and authentic.

In bringing Phoenix to life, Mirka teamed up with an exceptional roster of musicians, including Janey Clewer, Bruce Gaitsch, Michael Thompson, Jerry McPherson, Mark Hill, Dan Needham and Tommy Denander, to name a few.

The album features ten tracks with deep, emotional lyrics—That’s Love, Open My Eyes, Never Felt Like This Before, and Dim the Lights—that tell a story of love and the beauty of vulnerability. Songs like Brighter Days, Love Overcame, My South Africa, Time for the Living, Sail On, and Pray for Love deliver a strong message of hope and encouragement during these tumultuous times.

Mirka’s journey began in South Africa, where she signed with Gresham Records and released her self-titled debut album, earning the title of 1998 Most Promising Artist by Keur Magazine. Building on that early success, she later signed with EMI Records for the release of her second album, Eden, which received critical acclaim and was awarded Best Bilingual Country-Rock Album of the Year by Keur Magazine.

Over the next five years, Mirka released three more albums. Following the release of her sixth album, Still Standing, she was offered a songwriting contract in Nashville, Tennessee. Embracing the opportunity, she relocated to Nashville to further her music career and released her seventh album, Where I Belong, produced by Kent Wells. Immersing herself in the city’s vibrant music scene, Mirka appeared on TV, performed at festivals and live shows, and gained invaluable insight from the local creative community.

“It was such a different world than I was used to, and I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Four years after my move to the USA, I realized I was finding my identity in what I was doing, rather than in who I truly am. Although it was a very difficult decision, I chose to step away from the music industry and focus on life outside of music—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

It was during these years away from the spotlight that Mirka matured—gaining a deeper perspective on life, relationships, and the transformative power of suffering, healing, and overcoming.

Jessica Ridley

Jessica was born in Calgary, Alberta and grew up in the bedroom community of Airdrie, Alberta. She plays the piano, guitar and mandolin.

Although Jessica had performed in school plays as a youngster, she didn’t believe that a future in professional music was an option until a music producer happened to catch her singing in church one week. A series of follow up meetings led to the decision to create a 5-song demo to see where things would head. From that first trip to Nashville, Jessica was hooked on trying to make this work. Working with the duo of Don Somerville and Billy Simon, the first set of songs came together over three trips to the Music City. That included the first single to Canadian airwaves “Hit and Run” which was released to Canadian radio in the spring of 2009. That first song made its way onto the Country Music News Top 100 CanCountry chart where it topped out at 91.

The full album was scheduled to be released on EMG Universal in the fall of 2010 but issues with Fused Management delayed it again. Because of the delay, though, another song was able to be recorded and added to the album. “Flaming Red” was written by Bob Carlisle and Dennis Patton and was destined for a female country voice and it found a home with Jessica. In the spring of 2011 it became the first song released to American radio where it reached the 62nd spot on the Billboard Top 100 Country Chart and in Canada it was a top 50 song on the Canadian Country Chart.

When the album did make its appearance in stores and digitally it received great reviews from around North America including Nashville’s Music Row Magazine, Canada’s Country Music News, Showbiz Junkies and the Airdrie Echo.

She has also released a holiday season tune named “The Spirit of Christmas” which was a duet with CMT’s “Can You Duet” finalist Chris Cline. That reached the mid-80s on the holiday charts in both Canada and the United States.

Reserved Tickets:

Floor, first 6 rows (A-F)…...................$35

Floor, last 6 rows, (G-M)................….$30

Standard Balcony……...................……$25

Box Seats (includes concessions)….$100

*Box ticket holders pick up wristband at ticket booth upon arrival.