September kicks off another year of the Cultural Arts Theatre Series (CATS) in Westlock.
With six performances scheduled throughout the 2016-17 season, volunteer Tina Wold said that locals can expect the usual cross-genre selection that they know and love from the theatre series.
“A lot of work goes into the variety and making it an equitable selection,” Wold said.
This year’s series will feature everything from jazz to world music, beginning Sept. 23 with a performance of Six Guitars from guitarist Chase Padgett.
Padgett’s show earned him accolades at the Edmonton Fringe Festival earlier this month. Throughout the performance, he wears the hat of six different guitarists, taking on their playing style to wow audiences.
“Our phone has been ringing off the wall because everyone knows he is coming to Westlock and every other venue is sold out,” Wold said.
The series will also feature country music star Lisa Brokop Nov. 4. Brokop is currently putting together a new musical venture, the Patsy Cline Project, though her discography stands on its own, Wold added.
“The name says it all,” Wold said.
From September through April, residents can also pick up tickets for performances from Juno-nominated world music group the Sultans of Swing, jazz-pop group the Mapl Quintet, roots balladeer Scott Cook, and the family fiddlers Everything Fitz.
As always, the performances will help to raise money for the CATS theatre series and equipment for the organization’s theatre at R.F. Staples School.
This year, the group hopes to raise money for a new bank of LED lights.
“The money is all put back towards the theatre and then for programs for next year,” Wold said.
Music-lovers wanting tickets need to move fast, she added. With the popularity of the first two acts, tickets are already close to sold out.
“We’ve already had phone calls, so if anyone is interested, they need to phone as soon as possible,” she said.
Tickets to CATS shows are available at the Flower Shoppe and cost $30 each. Season passes are also available at a reduced price of $25 per show for a total of $150.
