SUNDRE – The Sundre Arts Centre wasn’t quite packed to capacity for the latest production put on by Peak Theatre Players, but the director was nevertheless pleased to see such engaged audiences come out to enjoy the show.
“The audiences were enthusiastic,” said Bill Lough, adding there was “lots of energy, and I felt that the cast responded accordingly.”
The cast and crew recently wrapped up five performances including one matinée of a Norm Foster play called Opening Night with ticket sales for each show reaching approximately 75 per cent.
“The way I looked at it – as I would tell the cast – those that were there, were there because they wanted to, and they had a great time,” Lough told the Albertan during a follow-up interview a few days after the June 21 finale.
“There was energy in each of the shows,” he said, adding sell-out crowds sometimes don’t match that level of engagement.
“To me, that’s what’s important; that people that were there want to be there, and that they had a good time as a result,” he said.
“I think everyone walked away with a smile; that’s what’s important,” he said.
“The purpose of this was not only to entertain, but also to bring new faces to the stage. And in that way, I think we accomplished what we had hoped to do.”
The eight-member cast had only two Peak veterans – Jason Bird and Veronica Embleton. And although Bruce Beattie has made a few appearances in some plays in recent years while Wynter Schaafsma has experience with the Sundre High School Drama Department as well as B.S. Productions, the remaining actors – Nate Hill, Sam Johntson, Warren Brisbois, Nicole Androsoff as well as Schaafsma – were new to Peak.
“They all performed exceptionally well,” said Lough, expressing gratitude for the trust they all placed in him.
“For me, it was a special play. I really did enjoy working with these people, to see them grow and to become the characters.”
One had even come into the process uncertain as to whether they could even memorize their lines, but they ultimately surprised themselves and discovered they felt perfectly comfortable on the stage.
“The results were excellent,” he said.
A few fans of live theatre even “came twice to see the play because they enjoyed it so much the first time,” he said, adding that was particularly encouraging.
Selling tickets to live theatre can be challenging at the best of times, but especially during the Sundre Pro Rodeo weekend, he said.
“In hindsight, this is something obviously we’re going to review,” he said, adding a preferable showtime might have been in May.
But given the additional time needed to ensure the newer actors were acclimatized to the stage and comfortable with their roles, the decision was made to extend the preparation period, he said.
That extra time proved invaluable as it granted the cast more of an opportunity to relax and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed, along the way forging better relationships, he said.
“I think there’s a bonding and a chemistry, and people grow as a result.”
In this production, there was no prompter to help out in the rare instance when someone needed a reminder.
“If there were issues, they had to help themselves out on stage,” he said.
“I was very impressed with their ability to stay focused and stay in character,” he said.
“The whole production to me was just a nice what I call clean but tight show.”
The show also featured a small nostalgic piece of local history – the seats used on stage for the play-within-a-play weren’t just props.
“Those were the theatre seats from the Sundre theatre,” he said.
“They’re more than 30 years old.”
After the old theatre closed decades ago, the Bearberry Wapitana Society acquired a handful of them, he said.
“And they were kind enough to lend us those ones.”
Asked whether he already had his eyes set on the next project, Lough said Peak would soon be meeting to start considering the next play, likely to be scheduled in the fall.
Whether as a director or an actor, he’s looking forward to whatever production the theatre group takes on next, and said he was encouraged to see all the fresh faces involved in Opening Night, including Hill who came out from Olds as well as Androsoff who lives in the Cremona area.
“For us to continue, we need young people,” he said, also expressing a desire to expand Peak’s reach beyond Sundre in terms of both audience members and actors.
