When the curtain drops one last time and the actors take their final bows, an annual Westlock tradition of the past 26 years will come to an end, at least for the time being.
The Westlock Rotary Dinner Theatre’s upcoming production of Hilda’s Yard will be the last of its kind as the driving forces behind the annual event for the last two decades are leaving the community.
“It may not exactly be the last one,” said Dick Arth, who, along with wife Bunnie have produced and coordinated numerous theatrical productions as a way to raise funds for causes close to their hearts. “It would be a shame if something didn’t continue because we have 3,000 people come and see this show every year and 75 per cent of them come from outside the Westlock area. Tour buses schedule their tours around it.”
Dick and Bunnie have been helping provide Westlock-area residents with high quality dinner theatre productions since 1992, the proceeds of which, more than a $1 million to date, have been shared with different causes and organizations throughout the community and around the world.
“It is bittersweet,” said Dick of leaving the project they have each worked countless hours on behind. “We’re really proud of everything that’s happened and how it has all evolved,”
“It’s sad,” said Bunnie. “But life goes on.”
The long-time Westlock residents recall sitting in their living room in 1991, brainstorming ways to raise funds to help build a new community hall for the town.
“We thought, let’s try a dinner theatre and sure enough it was a success and we went from there. We just built on it every year,” said Dick.
Casting and costuming are already completed, sets are being built and rehearsals to prepare for the mid-October opening have been underway for some time, said Bunnie, who is directing the production as she has all the Rotary Dinner Theatre events.
Canadian playwright Norm Foster’s Hilda’s Yard is a humourous look into the lives of Sam and Hilda, a middle-aged married couple with grown children in 1956, who are considering a major purchase of the time — a television. The play explores family dynamics and the complex relationships between family members.
It’s really very relatable to everyone, said Bunnie.
“I read the script and I liked it. It deals with families and family situations that go on year after year after year,” she said.
“It will make you laugh. How many families have raised their kids and had them move out, changed the bedroom into an office, and suddenly the kids all come home. Sam and Hilda handle the situation so well.”
The show will run over three weekends in October. Opening night is Oct. 12, with subsequent dinner performances on Oct. 13,19, 20, 25, 26 and 27. Sunday matinee performances will also take place Oct. 14 and 21, but don’t include a dinner.
Regular tickets cost $55-$60 depending where you are seated and matinee tickets cost $25.
Tickets will be available by phone only on Sept. 17 by calling 780-283-0386 for tables of eight and for matinee seating. The ticket office will be then be open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from Sept. 18 onward at Arth’s Fashion Centre.
“People won’t be sorry when they go to see the show. They’ll come out smiling,” said Bunnie.
