It’s not that a university lecture hall is a bad place.
It’s just that when you’re staging a full-on theatrical performance, a professional theatre is a better venue.
Plus, the UNBC Musical Productions Club has simply outgrown its former facility – the Canfor Lecture Theatre at the university. So a new partnership with Theatre Northwest for the 2019 season fits the bill and means the club’s production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will run at Theatre Northwest.
“All of us are extremely grateful for the folks at Theatre NorthWest and their willingness to go above and beyond to help make this partnership happen,” said Veronica Church, President of the UNBC Musical Productions Club. “Jack Grinhaus offering to help us further develop our productions is really going to make a difference in the quality of show we can offer theatre fans in Prince George.”
The new partnership allows the UNBC Club to expand its productions and offer higher quality productions to local fans of musical theatre.
“It is so important for arts and cultural organizations in P.G. to work together to help enhance what is offered in the community,” said Marnie Hamagami, Theatre Northwest general manager. “Last season I attended one of the club’s shows at the Canfor Theatre and realized the opportunity to help this club grow by developing a partnership that will help both sides enhance theatre in our community.”
Theatre Northwest has about 100 more seats and the actual theatre atmosphere makes all the difference.
“After the last show we were approached by the theatre to partner to grow the influence of the club and grow the quality of what we can do, and get the arts people in town working together more,” said Bradley Charles of the UNBC club. “It’s good for the theatre, it’s really good for the club. We’re getting to learn a little more about how a real professional show is run.”
This season the UNBC Club is showcasing their production of the Broadway hit; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: the Musical.
The curtain opens March 8, with subsequent shows on March 9-10. The run is split into two with a blackout period on the middle, resuming on March 15 before the final curtain call on March 17. Tickets for the event are on sale now at Theatre NorthWest and online at tickets.theatrenorthwest.com.
“This group certainly has the passion and experience to put on a great community theatre production,” said Hamagami. “We are helping provide them with a facility, greater technical capabilities, as well as some guidance. I would strongly encourage you to come out and to see what this university club has to offer.”
The UNBC Musical Productions Club is a university club comprised of both students and local community actors who have come together to perform in an annual spring production. A core group of dedicated students rehearse in their free time at the university until moving into the theatre. With the time crunch of a student’s schedule and the demands of a large scale production these eager, young theatre enthusiasts are thrilled to be back on a real stage.
Theatre NorthWest is a regional theatre dedicated to bringing our audiences a wide range of plays drawn from the contemporary Canadian and International repertoire. Professional theatre artists are contracted for each production from across Canada to work with our resident staff in order to bring together a four-play season which runs from September to May.
Dirty Rotten Scounddrels: The Musical follows Lawrence Jameson as he makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. Freddy Benson more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother’s failing health.
After meeting in Beaumont sur Mer, they attempt to work together, only to find that this small French town isn’t big enough for the two of them. They agree on a settlement: the first one to extract $50,000 from a young female target, heiress, Christine Colgate, wins, and the other must leave town. A hilarious battle of cons ensues that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end!
“We are always looking for opportunities to grow our club and expand what we can offer. This season is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and soon we will be planning for our 2020 season. We welcome new partnerships, club members, sponsors, and fans! If you haven’t had the chance to catch one our productions in the past, it’s never too late to try us for the first time – this is not one you’ll want to miss,” said Church.
UNBC MUSICAL THEATRE CLUB PRESENTS:
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS THE MUSICAL
March 8th-10th & March 15th-17th 2019 @ Theatre Northwest
Tickets available at Theatre Northwest,
Charge by Phone 250-614-0039, or on-line at www.tickets.theatrenorthwest.com
TICKETS (Incl. Tax)
Community Pricing $15.00/ea
Student Pricing $10.00/ea
(Plus service charges)
**Festival Style/General Admission Seating**