Kelsey and Zandra are leading GPLT’s Rising Star Summer Drama Camps this summer. They just started presenting to schools in our region. Early registrations are very strong. Call the theatre to get a brochure emailed to you. Or email box.office@gplt.ab.ca to request a brochure. Find out the 7 weekly themes. Each week ends with the campers putting on a free play for parents and anyone who wants to attend.
May 11, 2015, Vice President Debbie Haiworonsky, perhaps the most colourfully dress VP ever, reveals the details of our 53rd season. This is what she had to say.
“Helping me organize and focus the volumes of tremendous ideas for next season was my hard working committee of Tom Hawkesworth, Wade Fleming, Fay McConville, Terry McConville, and Wayne Ayling. Thank you to these committee members. Please give a big round of applause to the 53rd season committee.
The result of the committee stirring the pot of many many wonderful creative ideas from so many many people is a refreshing, aromatic, stimulating stew of plays, concerts, festivals and special events.
We start our season in September with two very special events: two weddings. The Pearce Nychka wedding is our first event. then, our very own Jessica Stubbert and John Moutray will be another GPLT romance tying the knot on this very stage.
Our Play season begins with a psyco thriller, Mindgame by Anthony Horowitz, directed by Cyril Cook. An “in your face” thriller with adult content and plot twists that will keep you glued to your seat until the very end. Not for the faint of heart! Cyril promises to lighten the suspense with insane moments of comedy. (wicked evil laugh) How did I do Cyril?Mindgame will raise the hair on the back of your neck from September 17 to October 3.
Play number two is a comedy by Canada’s most loved and produced playwright, Norm Foster. Looking is directed by Wayne Ayling. Val is an Operating room nurse, Andy is in the storage business, Nina is a police officer and Matt is the host of a morning radio show. They’re middle-aged, single and looking. Looking for love in some strange places from October 22 to November 7.
Our Christmas Season offering is a special creation of those who brought us last year’s very popular Showtune Spectacular. Rick Hryciuk, James Galbraith, Kelly Hryciuk, Candace Boechler, and Jody Peebles have created a wonderful evening of the most popular songs from the forties, fifties and sixties. They call it Hit Tunes Spectacular. Hit Tunes entertains for 10 performances from November 26 to December 12. Mouth watering meals by Jeffrey’s are available before every performance. We are testing the mid week waters with a performance on Wednesday December 9.
January 21 to February 6 sees the return of Wade Fleming to the director’s chair. His selection, as he describes it, is, “A Play” – The Dining Room by A. R. Gurney. A series of vignettes revealing the secrets and foibles of upper middle class families.
Our second musical production is a hilarious spoof of the ‘Murder and Mayhem’ genre. Campy, original and funny, this production will keep you in stitches! Directed by Lorriane Cook, Something’s Afoot is set to tickle your funny bone from February 25 to March 12. Book, Music and Lyrics by James McDonald, David Vos and Robert Gerlach, additional music by Ed Linderman.
Our final play for adults is a Canadian Comedy “Harris Cashes Out”, directed by Tom Hawkesworth. The playwright, Londos D’Arrigo, is a successful writer for some of north america’s top stand up comics For over thirty years he wrote hard-hitting laughs for comedy icons such as Phyllis Diller, Lily Tomlin and Joan Rivers. His side splitting one liners pepper this saucy comedy. Harris, a failed musical playwright, is down on his luck until he meets a young flaky girl with a coniving boyfriend. With more plot twists than an alien crop circle, Harris Cashes Out is the perfect ending to our 53rd play season.
We have a very unique production for families this year. The first class of our brand new Rising Star Theatre School will perform their final class project for 4 performances from May 28 to June 5. The classes are under the direction of Adrian Tanasichuk with many special guest instructors. The Summer Rising Star Drama Camps will return next summer.
The GPLT Concert Series produced by Franz Kratchet returns for a 19th season. Negotiations are under way, but not qute finalized for 6 concerts.
The Alberta Drama Festival Association North West Regional One Act Play Festival returns for a fifth year on February 13. The Festival Committee Chair is Adrian Tanasichuk.
The 10th Reel Shorts Film Festival created by Festival Producer Terry Scerbak celebrates its ten year anniversary with over 100 world class short films, workshops and much more from May 10 to 16. We are waiting to see what Terry and her creative will do to top the 3700 submissions and 108 exceptional films from this month’s festival.
This ladies and gentlemen is our 53rd season. It is exciting, varied, challenging and, above all, it is the best live community theatre in Alberta!”
President Sandra Pippus was thrilled with the successes of our 52nd season! Here is what she had to say,
“Our 52nd season was a gas! 7 plays that rocked: Showtune Spectacular, the Good Game, Funny Money, the House at Pooh Corner, Les Miserables, Dry Streak, Cards on the Table. 2 festivals that expanded and twisted the mind: the 9th Reel Shorts Film Festival and the fourth Peace Country Adult One Act Drama Festival. 9 toe tapping concerts: Vishten, Martin Simpson, Jon Brooks, White and Lavin, Sherwood and Condon, Russel DeCarle Trio, the Bergmann Classical Piano Duo, Norman Foote, and James Keelaghan. 2 thought provoking special movie presentations in Pride and the Oscar nominated Force Majeure. Selling tickets for the new Bear Creek Folk Music Festival, Bud Country, and 10 other events. Renting our wonderful theatre for 19 community events. Plus providing equipment, costumes, weapons, Backstage communication system and whatever else was asked of us to the Showcase Centre and schools in GP, at no cost. We continued to advocate for a Regional Performing Arts and Multimedia Centre. And we hosted one surprise wedding proposal – Abby said Yes. Congratulations Abby and Clint. Another Love Match between two GPLT actors.
Thank you to everyone on the 52nd season committee, to the entire GPLT Board, our creative teams, our nearly 300 volunteers, and our hugely supportive sponsors. Thanks to Wayne, Bryan, Jackie, Monica and the rest of our staff. Thank you for 52!”
