This course is hands down the best value in extracurricular theatre and performing arts in East Central Alberta.
I haven’t increased the fees in more years than I can remember. Not all families can afford the higher fees charged by other groups, and I’d hate to think that talented students would have to be turned away for lack of funding.
However, this means I have to devote a lot of time to fundraising. I depend on the support of participants, donors and sponsors. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to establish good relationships with some wonderful sponsors, donors and program participants, and I’m grateful for every one.
Theatre Tours and Program Extras
Each year since 2013 we’ve been to a major theatre in the Edmonton area for a tour. We’ve gone backstage at the Jubilee Auditorium, wandered around in the ceiling of the Winspear and Festival Place, and created a huge hobbit village on the big screen at the Citadel. We were treated to a free show at Festival Place as well as the backstage and tech tour. In the fall of 2017 we caught a show at the Lougheed Centre in Camrose.
When Showcase is over, we all get together on the following Monday for a pizza party, to say goodbye to the friends we’ve made through the season.
These tours and events are covered by the program, with no additional funds required from the students.
So where does the money come from?
Our biggest sponsor of all, of course, is our audience. Without people coming to see our annual end-of-year Showcase, we wouldn’t have an excuse to have this much fun! Thank you, everyone.
Fees bring in enough to cover a few expenses, but certainly not everything. So where do I find the rest?
- Beaver Municipal Solutions has been a strong supporter since the 2015-2016 season, for which the Juniors program received not one but two grants. In 2017, BMS awarded a grant to help country artist Andrea Nixon shoot a video for Song Without a Name at the Paragon. BMS has been tremendous supporters of the Junior Players program and I’m very grateful.
- The Paragon Theatre is owned by Beaver County, but that doesn’t obligate them to provide funding for the program. That’s why I’m proud and grateful to say they’ve helped us out with a grant for a few years now.
- Chris Shin, who owns the Holden Esso with his wife Hannah, takes cast and performance pictures of us every year. Their son Tony was in the Junior Players for a couple of years.
Parents and other volunteers come out of the woodwork to help the whole thing come together as we draw nearer to Showcase time. I’d especially like to thank the Klassen family for their help over the years. Deanna has been wonderful with wardrobe and other stage managerial help, and Denzyl has done lights & tech since Spy Camp Confidential in 2016; Keltie and Savanah both aged out of the program and left the nest. They are sorely missed.
Would you like to be added to this list? Contact us for information on how you can help us share our love of theatre.
