>>PREVIEW
2005 CAT AWARDS
Saturday, August 20
Vertigo Playhouse (Tower Centre)
"I see reviews and adjudications all the time that compare community theatre to professional theatre," says the Calgary Alliance of Community Theatres’ president and founder, Sean Anderson. "Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse, but it always does stand apart."
Apart but certainly not hidden, Calgary’s community theatre organizations will celebrate their best with the 2005 CAT Awards, recognizing 27 nominated productions in 26 categories with a gala at the Vertigo Theatre Playhouse featuring performances by several of Calgary’s local companies. After last year’s inaugural, sold-out event at the Community Arts Centre in the Currie Barracks, Anderson sees the fledgling award ceremony’s second year as a resounding endorsement of community theatre’s growth in Calgary and proof of the quality it can produce.
"Calgary ACTs has been around for five years, but only this last year did we formalize," he explains. "Now we have triple the number of members as all these groups in and around Calgary started popping up out of nowhere, being recognized as part of this larger community.
"We think (the awards are) trying to raise the bar of quality of community theatre. It’s a chance for the public to see that we’re much more than amateurs."
Carving out a separate space, whether it means finding an affordable venue or recognizing exceptional productions, is important for Calgary’s community theatre. More than just providing inexpensive shows–a ticket often costs half the price of a professional production – non-professional theatre offers its casts and crews the chance to express themselves onstage without sacrificing their day jobs.
"We’re finding that community theatre is an alternative to professional theatre," says Anderson. "A lot of people love acting but they know they can’t necessarily do that as a full-time job. The salary they get from business pays their way, community theatre gives them that outlet to come out and do what they love to do."
Running along with the CAT Awards, Calgary ACTs will be presenting an expo for Calgary’s local community theatre companies during the afternoon, offering a peek at upcoming seasons and the opportunity to get involved. From groups like the University of Calgary-based Hidden Insanity to Anderson’s own Morpheus Theatre, there are plenty of non-professional opportunities for would-be actors, actresses and technicians in town. With an estimated 70 to 100 non-professional productions this year alone, Calgary’s community theatre is thriving and Anderson hopes the showcase will be a welcome surprise, demonstrating its variety and quality.
"Twenty or 30 companies doesn’t sound like a lot until you see them in a room together, and as you talk to them, you find out about the wide variety of shows that are happening," he says. "It’s a very welcoming community, not something people outside have to fear." |
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