Gotta love smalltown theatre. It might be a neighbour or co-worker who you get to see onstage, or you might be involved yourself by stitching up a costume, painting a set or pouring wine during intermission. Every role is voluntary, from the folks at the corner store who help sell tickets to the president who is on the lookout for scripts, grants and more volunteers.
The productions are fun community gatherings and they can be full of surprises. That is what’s happening with Innisfail Town Theatre, where things were already spicey as planning for their spring production of Calendar Girls got underway. I watched that old favourite movie for the first time just a few months ago when I was harnessing my courage to pose nude for the college art students, but that’s another story. Calendar Girls is a heartwarming, lighthearted and spirited story that centres on a group of seasoned women who embark on a fundraising project to purchase more comfortable furniture for their local hospital.
Well, it was a lightbulb moment for Innisfail Town Theatre volunteers when they realized their spring production is just the ticket for supporting the Innisfail Health Centre’s volunteer fundraising committee that is working towards an acute care bed campaign. Yup, they are fundraising for more comfortable furniture for their local hospital, and they are well on their way to reaching their lofty goal. Their fundraising campaign will take a major leap forward on May 27 when the town theatre will dedicate the performance, along with proceeds of a catered dinner and cocktails, to the hospital bed initiative.
The result of all these volunteer efforts is endless: improvements at a vital medical facility that serves the whole region; projects that feed many residents’ passion for drama and creativity; and a community theatre group that is considered an important part of local economic development (I personally know someone who just retired from Vancouver to Innisfail and having a vibrant local theatre community sealed the deal.) Bravo!