Strathmore Theatre Players looking for facility
Amy Gregson – Times Reporter
The production group Strathmore Theatre Players has bounced around from facility to facility for years and made an appeal to Town council April 7 about the need for a permanent facility.
Currently, the group is looking for a facility which they can be guaranteed the use of for a year, and a storage area for their props, costumes, etc.
“They don’t even have to be the same place,” said Angela Reeves, co-chair of the Strathmore Theatre Players. “We would be happy with anything. Right now, we would be happy to renovate any sort of building or a piece of land we could work of off. We are definitely not picky.”
The Strathmore Theatre Players strives to put on three productions each year and in the past has done Shakespeare in Park, musicals and family-friendly productions at Christmas time.
In the summer time, the group holds a one-week drama camp and has also done workshops with the Hope Bridges Society.
However, the non-profit group doesn’t have the funds to purchase a facility on their own and wanted council to know they are out there.
“We wanted to make sure that the town is aware of it and if there was anything they could do to help and so they know where we stand with things,” said Reeves.
The group rented spaces such as Crowther Memorial Jr. High, Strathmore High School, Holy Cross Collegiate and the Lammles Livestock Pavilion on the Strathmore Ag. Society grounds.
Reeve said many of the schools are just too busy with their own activities and other commitments to accommodate them.
She said the Ag. Society has been very accommodating with letting the group use the pavilion, but with no washrooms and a dirt floor, it is not an ideal situation for the group.
“I don’t think it always draws audiences because they just aren’t sure what they are going to get,” said Reeves. “The Ag. Society has been wonderful and welcoming to us, but its just not the optimum space.”
Town Council recognized the need for some sort of cultural facility in the Town of Strathmore and acknowledged that it was listed as a priority on the Quality of Life Master Plan that was recently completed for the town.
However, they said that a cultural facility is not a high enough priority and there is just not the money to build one.
The Strathmore Theatre Players would also like to see an arts council step up for those in town in the arts area to gather and make strides together.
Council agreed that an arts council is a good idea, but stated that it should be done private, not through the town.
“There’s just so many groups in town that are in the same position that we’re in with not having a permanent venue, that we figure the strength of having an arts council would give us a little bit more power when dealing with things,” said Reeves.
Reeves said a permanent facility for a number of groups would allow it to be utilized to it’s maximum potential and make it easier for them to apply for grants.
Right now, the majority of grants cannot be applied for by the group, because they don’t have a permanent facility.
Even, if they had a temporary facility, Reeves said they would be in a better position to apply for some of the grants.
The Strathmore Theatre Players will continue on with their current play, Arsenic and Old Lace, which will be held at Holy Cross the last weekend of May and first weekend of June.