THE BATTLEFORDS — The Battlefords Community Players brought their 70th season to a close on June 3, with the last show of the 2022-23 season, 'Clever Dick', a witty, tongue-in-cheek spectacle, oftentimes naughty and frequently hilarious.
"It turned out to be a very good show, lots of very good comments about the people in it, and the quality of the show and set," BCP's president, Donna Challis, said about the show.
The cast of 'Clever Dick' included:
- Patrick Auchstaetter,
- Tom Claxton,
- Miguel Fenrich,
- Fraser Glen,
- Marno Auchstaetter,
- Glen Rubidge,
- Holly Briant,
- Daniel Eckerman
- and Amber Nelson
"[And] It's a monumental happening," Challis added as the 70th season drew to a close.
"There are two clubs in the province that are older than us, Regina and Prince Albert," she said, noting that one of the first productions happened in the mid-1910s in The Battlefords.
And although the season wasn't as good as the club was hoping for, as attendance continues to pick up after COVID, the future is looking brighter as they enter their 2023-23 season.
"We're still quite happy, looking forward to getting back to that 95 to 100 per cent capacity," Challis said, noting that it's a focus for the club in the coming season as well as a new marketing plan to attract younger people and some new projects including their fourth year of summer shows with more information coming soon.
The 2022-23 season is as follows:
On Oct. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27 and 28, the comedy, 'You Can't Get There From Here' by Pat Cook is playing, following a scandal-sheet reporter trying to expose a pothole scam that is bringing customers to a local bed and breakfast when he's drug into a collection of wild experiences.
On Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9, the comedy, 'It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play' by Joe Landry is playing, the beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast.
On Feb. 29, March 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9, 2024, the drama, 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestly is playing, following an inspector who questions a British family after a young girl commits suicide.
And on May 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, and 25, the comedy, 'The Clean House' by Sarah Ruhl is playing, which sees married doctors employing a Brazilian housekeeper, falling in love with a patient, and looks at class, comedy and the nature of love.
"(We want to) add new people to our club and our patronship," Challis said, noting that their prices have increased to $30 for a show only and $60 for a dinner theatre, as well as the inclusion of a new Sunday matinee.
