The North Grenville Community Theatre (NGCT) and In The River (ITR) will be taking “Romance on the Road”, so to speak, as the organizations offer productions as fundraisers for other local groups.
“During the pandemic, as our planned production dates were closed down, we nevertheless wanted to look ahead,” writes Phil Irving of NGCT. “We decided to prepare small-cast, small-venue productions to offer as fundraisers to local groups. All ticket sales will go to the sponsoring group.”
The groups put much thought into which productions to offer for their initiative. They wanted to choose productions that would be relatable to audiences who could answer an emphatic “yes!” to questions such as “Have you had a courtship go wrong?” and “Have you laughed at aspects of your previous self?” Two comedies were chosen which fit the bill – “A Marriage Proposal” by Anton Checkov, and “How He Lied to Her Husband” by George Bernard Shaw.
The financial benefit from the productions will be charitable in nature. “The net proceeds for each show can be donated to local non-profit host groups, charities, or to a mixture of the two, however that is negotiated,” writes Phil. “We are going to try to keep costs down, the major anticipated expenses are any rental costs.” The NGCT and ITR are recommending that sponsorship groups who book the performances sell the tickets themselves, at a suggested price of $15 per ticket, though the organizations can help with ticket sales if needed.
The small-venue productions will be staged from May 20 until June 10, dependent on any changes in local public health restrictions. The productions are an opportunity to raise money while letting the theatre groups take care of much of the work. “A local group could provide minimal on-site help with volunteers for moving chairs, setting up the stage etc. and greeting guests,” writes Phil. “The main task is promotion of the event and sale of tickets. The host venue typically acquires access to community locations, which saves costs and allows more revenue for the host.”
For more information on this initiative, contact NGCT at president@ngct.ca, or ITR at info@itrtheatre.com.
