The Battlefords Community Players, now with a new home, plans to expand its scope this season with more opportunities for performers, crew and patrons.
Donna Challis, executive producer, says the upcoming season will include not only the regular dinner theatre events, which last season were held at the Dekker Centre, but several in-house productions as well.
"We have more space now," says Challis, "and there's so much more we can do."
Challis sees the additional clubhouse productions, which will probably number three, as a way to get more new people involved and to give more opportunities to current members as well.
There will be additional chances for cast and crew to use their talents, and perhaps try out new challenges in a less intimidating process. The plan also includes using new Saskatchewan and Canadian material.
Work on the new season is already underway, says Challis, including auditions coming up for the dinner theatre program.
The first in-house production is planned for the same week as the Handcraft Festival in Battleford. It will probably run three nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The venue will be the players' clubhouse in Battleford, in the former church building at the corner of 1st Avenue and 26th Street.
During the previous season, the Battlefords Community Players hosted the 79th edition of the longest running competitive theatre festival in Canada, presented by Theatre Saskatchewan Inc. Held in April, it was the ninth time the Battlefords Community Players have hosted the provincial theatre festival, and the first time it was held at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts.
At the awards presentation, the local group's entry, Transit of Venus, received the William Hubbard Memorial Plaque for Excellence or Meritorious Enterprise. As well, Jordan Boone, who played Celeste in that production, won the Margaret Corbett Aspirant Award offered to a novice participant who has shown "remarkable progress as a performing, production team member or crew member."
Geordie and Liz Smith were awarded the SaskEnergy Volunteer Award for their tireless contributions behind the scenes.
Battlefords Community Players have been producing live theatre in and around the Battlefords since 1953.
