by Debbie MacGillivray
Even though the pandemic thwarted plans for productions, the Kemptville Players Executive was still working behind the scenes (pun intended). In consultation with members, they made the bold decision to change the name of the organization to North Grenville Community Theatre (NGCT).
Since our membership and patrons are not limited to Kemptville, they felt that the new name was more inclusive and a better reflection of the group. So, at our Annual General Meeting, held via Zoom at the end of June, KPI became NGCT and our newly elected Executive will move forward under this moniker. It should be noted, however, that for contract and business purposes, the organization will continue to use Kemptville Players Inc (KPI). For the record, this was not the first name change in its 50+ years of history. Before becoming KPI, the group was know as the St. James Players.
Our website has also been updated and although new information during the pandemic was in short supply, we are excited to start populating it when things get back to normal. You can check it out at NGCT.ca.
The big news is that we have tentatively booked the North Grenville Municipal Centre for mid-November for the NGCT production of Ripcord. This is obviously predicated on bookings and gatherings being permitted.
That said, the actors were well into rehearsals for a Spring 2020 presentation when the pandemic hit, and we can assure you that cast and crew are eager to tread the boards again.
With that in mind, we are always looking for volunteers to help out. You may not want to be on stage, but there is much work to be done behind the scenes. If you love the theatre and are interested in what happens before, during, and after a production, we encourage you to get involved. It is a great way for newcomers to the area to meet new people and for students to get their volunteer hours, as well as a fun way to spend a few hours helping actors to change costumes, hand out props, and a plethora of other activities, not to mention the post production get together. Other preproduction tasks include designing posters, tickets and programmes. So, NGCT is always looking for artistic talent. Anyone interested in helping out with any of the aforementioned is asked to please contact: producer@kemptvilleplayers.ca.
A new Executive, a new name, a new website, a new way forward and, hopefully, many new members. If you wish to join, please contact president@kemptvilleplayers.ca.
