Castor Little Theatre is gearing up for its 2023 performance.
The cast and crew have been practising since October, though with weather, people’s schedules, and general life challenges there have been bumps along the way says director Doreen Blumhagen.
Still, Blumhagen says practice has been overall going good.
“Everyone is pretty excited,” said Blumhagen.
And the cast and crew has reason to be; Castor Little Theatre was able to get their 2020 show in just before the pandemic started and then lost the two subsequent seasons due to restrictions.
According to Blumhagen, who is making her directorial debut, the cast and crew in the 2023 edition of Castor Little Theatre are a good mix of new and veteran thespians.
Splitting director duties with Blumhagen is veteran Castor Little Theatre performer and director Rob Nichols.
The play chosen for 2023 is Things My Mother Taught Me, a comedy written Katherine DeSavino.
Set in contemporary Chicago, Ill., the story finds two young people moving into their first apartment together after moving half-way across the country. Along the way, the couple is joined by both sets of parents, and the building superintendent, who offer various types of “help” and wisdom as they settle into their new home.
“It’s a very relatable experience,” said Blumhagen.
The cast and crew will be performing eight shows in total, plus a full dress-rehearsal.
According to Blumhagen, the dress rehearsal will take place in the evening of Feb. 18 and as usual the residents of Castor’s Paintearth Lodge and Extendicare will have an invite to the show.
Things start for real on Feb. 19, with a brunch performance taking place at 12:30 p.m.
The next several days will remain busy for the amateur thespians; on Feb. 22 there will be a teen night, which won’t include a meal. Starting two days later,a pair of back-to-back dinner theatre shows will be held on Feb. 24 and 25. The two dinner theatre performances will take place at 6:30 p.m..
These shows will be followed by another Sunday brunch on Feb. 26.
After having a couple days to rest, the performers will be back it for the final three shows.
The general performance, which won’t include a meal, will take place on Mar. 1, and will be followed by a pair of dinner theatre shows on Mar. 3 and 4.
According to Blumhagen, Castor Little Theatre is looking into bringing some new ideas to the theatre experience.
Ideas being looked include the possibility of having pina coladas, daiquiris, other cocktails and mock-tails available at the bar.
Also for 2023, a first for Castor Little Theatre, tickets can be purchased via e-transfer.
Set construction was completed on Jan. 7 and tickets went on sale on Jan. 10.
As usual, Don Sisson is handling the ticket sales, and he can be reached at 403-323-0359.
Tickets for the brunch and dinner shows are $50 per person while tickets for the general performance are $20 per person and and tickets for teen night are $15.