The shows must go on at the Bancroft Village Playhouse – but the theatre needs your help.
The company that works to provide theatrical and music productions to local audiences will have some key fundraisers through the year. That includes the Playhouse Gala on Saturday, April 15.
Playhouse Artistic Director Tim Porter explains that the theatre is a non-profit and needs donations so it can continue to expose North Hastings residents to great culture.
“It’s an incredibly expensive endeavor and ticket prices will never cover the costs of operating the venue and promoting arts and culture in our community,” he says.
“It can cost $10,000 to $20,000 to book a band. And for our musical productions, those actors are all professional. They are trained and have worked at Stratford. We pay them a fee to provide their quality of entertainment.”
Porter adds that fundraising is additionally important this year, as the theatre is in need of several infrastructure upgrades. It also needs support for programs, such as its Young Company, which exposes youth to theatre.
This year’s Gala will work a little differently, so more people can support the theatre.
“We want to shift the way the Gala functions a little bit so it’s more accessible for the whole community,” he says. “What we’ve heard is, in the past, it has been cost prohibitive. It will be a $25 base ticket price, which will cover the concert and our costs to host the Gala. And then we’re asking those attendees to bring their donations to be Friends of the Playhouse. “
More details on how to support the theatre can be found here.
