A new miracle will appear on the Artspace stage this winter.
For the Prince George Community Foundation, it will be a bright spotlight unlike any the local charity has ever had before. The foundation was named this year's charity of choice by Miracle Theatre, the local professional theatre organization that does an annual production with proceeds directed to a worthy local cause.
The performance this year will be a comedy called Halfway There penned by seminal Canadian playwright Norm Foster.
"It's the first time it'll be seen outside of Ontario," said Anne Laughlin, Miracle Theatre's producer. The plot centres on a small diner in a small town in Nova Scotia on a global spot that happens to be exactly halfway between the North Pole and the equator. It's also caught in between its rural realities and the big urban influences that sometimes pass through. It's always a source of chatter between the diner's two staff, who lock up at 4 p.m. and sometimes that's when the fun really begins, depending on who else happens to be in the room at the time.
A nationwide casting call is now underway, but two actors have already been confirmed for this production.
Dolores Drake has been to Prince George in the past for performances with Theatre NorthWest, including the onerous Shirley Valentine that kicked off TNW's inaugural season. She was also seen in past productions of Leading Ladies, Ivor Johnson's Neighbours, Lend Me A Tenor and The Invisibility Of Eileen.
Linda Carson, meanwhile, isn't just familiar to local audiences because of past performances at TNW and other venues. She was born and raised in Prince George before going on to a professional career as a writer, actor and other vocations in the performing arts.
The combination of play, actors and Miracle Theatre production is already selling tickets. When the community foundation was established as this year's recipient, and that well-connected charity made that disclosure internally among its supporters, the sponsorship commitments came rolling in. Some were anonymous, but for example, ScotiaBank has already pledged to buy out one night during the run of performances.
"The project has reached 12 per cent of its goal before it has even gone public," said Price on Tuesday when the grand announcement was made. A corporate sponsorship system has been created in order for commercial supporters to make contributions in exchange for tickets and other benefits. Corporate recognition can be discussed at 250-562-7772 and family/personal patronage can be discussed at 250-563-6937.
The foundation's president, Alain LeFebvre, said a new account was being created that would get its first infusion of cash from this play. It is called the Children of Prince George and will be dedicated to the case by case needs of local kids, be that a lunch program or bikes or disability aids or whatever might come up as a worthy cause centred on the city's youngest in need of help.
"We had identified some areas of need within our community, and addressing children was one of those areas of need," said LeFebvre. "We told Ted and Anne about those areas of need and it was their choice to put their focus on children with this very unique fundraising effort."
"We are raising money in a way that's a little different than selling raffle tickets or straight sponsorships," said Price. "We are asking people to go out and have a good time, treat themselves, take in a performance, and that is their donation."
"This really helps all our fundraising efforts, to be really honest, we have 137 different envelopes," said LeFebvre. "Our strategic plan did identify that the Prince George Community Foundation needed to raise its profile in the community. This play really does that for us. We didn't go searching for this, Ted and Anne approached us, but it is so helpful."
Halfway There will be performed each evening from Feb. 28 to March 20 at Artspace (the upstairs performance area at Books & Company). There will be no performances on Monday nights, but there will be Sunday matinees.
Tickets are $33 each, available in advance at the Books & Company front counter or call 250-563-6637 to charge by phone.
