In local drama circles they are simply called The Zones, but Prince George has been out of theirs for quite some time.
Despite being the largest municipality by far in the region, this city has gotten out of the habit of hosting the Theatre B.C. Central Interior Zone (CIZ) Drama Festival.
This week, that streak gets broken.
"For the first time in the better part of a decade, I can't even remember when, we are doing it. We are hosting the zones," said Pocket Theatre director and longtime volunteer Dominic Maguire.
The production he directed last year, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, won best production at the CIZs and went on to score well at the provincial play tournament, an event nicknamed Mainstage.
"We have to give a lot of credit, in this zone, to Williams Lake. They have always waited to see if anyone else wants to bring Zones to their town, and if no one steps forward, they just renew. It's been held in Williams Lake for years, but that's a lot to ask of one community year after year," said Maguire.
"They have the advantage of having a home."
What the Cariboo's southern city has in a dedicated performance space, Williams Lake Studio Theatre, is logistical certainty.
When the Prince George Playhouse was home to an operating theatre group, hosting zones was routine.
Since the group known as Prince George Theatre Workshop got ousted from the building many years ago by onerous terms imposed by the municipal administration of the day, amateur theatre became scattered.
Pocket Theatre is one of the groups that filled some of those gaps, but without a building to call home, there is only so much they can do.
Undeterred in 2017, local theatre supporters booked the Prince George Playhouse and set to work getting the pieces in place to once again raise the curtain on the region's best live drama and comedy.
The caveat this year was a province-wide theme.
As a commemoration to Canada's 150th anniversary of confederation, all plays in provincial competition must have been penned by a Canadian playwright.
The schedule for this year's competition is:
Wednesday - Marion Bridge written by Daniel MacIvor, Pocket Theatre, Prince George.
Thursday - Utter Intertwinglement written by Roy Teed, Kersley Players.
Saturday - Problem Child written by George F. Walker, Williams Lake Studio Theatre.
Saturday - Mary's Wedding written by Stephen Massicotte, Williams Lake Studio Theatre.
The plays and their players will be adjudicated by Lauren Brotman of Bound To Create Theatre Company, and an actor-in-residence for Theatre NorthWest.
The winning entry will move on to compete at Theatre B.C. Mainstage held this year in Vernon at the Performing Arts Centre from June 30 to July 8 adjudicated by Katrina Dunn.
