‘Best in community theatre’ festival gets set to begin in Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The very finest community theatre from around the province will converge in the North Peace starting this weekend.

Mainstage, the provincial theatrical festival, begins on Sunday, July 6th and Peace River Zone Festival president Ted Sloan joined Moose FM’s Bernard Conner-Suen to speak about it on Wednesday, July 2nd.

The event is a contest where the best community-led productions from around B.C. compete, with awards and prizes presented at a banquet on July 12th.

The festival will showcase six different plays in as many days at the North Peace Cultural Centre.

“They’re the best in community theatre,” said Sloan. “We have six different shows highlighting six different things. Everything from historical dramas to family dramas to a show about A.I. It’s a really neat time to see live theatre every night.”

Theatrical societies included at the festival will be entrants from Chilliwack, Port Alberni, The Cowichan Valley, Vernon, North Vancouver and Fort St. John’s own Stage North Theatre Society.

Workshops will also be central during the event, highlighting different aspects of productions, including direction, styles, physicality within theatre and auditioning for film and television.

The workshops will be run by Sarah Rodgers and Kathryn Shaw. Rodgers is a theatre practitioner in Vancouver who formerly adjudicated the Peace River Zone Festival. Meanwhile, Shaw has served as Mainstage’s main adjudicator. 

Workshops take place at both the North Peace Cultural Centre and at North Peace Secondary School.

“It’s really good theatre,” said Sloan. “It’s really fun too, because they are semi-professional [theatre]. [The players] are amazing. Then you get to watch a professional sit and chat about it. So not only get to see [a] great show, you also get to learn the craft.”

According to Sloan, “theatre is a community,” adding over 100 people will be venturing to Fort St. John to take part in the festivities.

“We’re excited to have them here,” said Sloan. “We love to welcome people in, and this is a really great way to dip your toes in and go ‘do I want to do this?’ and to see some amazing theatre.”

Shows cost $35 per play, $100 for three plays or $160 for all six.

Workshops start at $40, with the three-day workshop by Shaw costing $160.

Theatre BC’s Mainstage Festival takes place from July 6th to July 11th, with all plays taking place at the North Peace Cultural Centre at 7:30 p.m.

For tickets, visit the North Peace Cultural Centre’s website.