Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Matt Moskal
Theatre Cambrian has announced its production lineup for its 25th anniversary season.
"I'm very excited for this season," said Mark Mannisto, executive director of Theatre Cambrian, speaking at a press conference April 22.
"We try to make every season a special season for us, however with this season being our 25th anniversary, it's going to be a landmark season."
For its 2009-2010 season, Theatre Cambrian will feature Disney's Aladdin Jr. from December 10 to 19 as part of its Kids' Curtains program, which features the newest generation of young actresses and actors to join Theatre Cambrian.
Theatre Cambrian's dinner theatre lineup will feature four comedic productions.
From September 11 to 12 and 17 to 19, Jamie J. Bourget directs British farce Run for Your Wife.
Then, from November 27 to 28 and December 3 to 5, Dale Pepin directs Norm Foster's Looking followed by See How They Run from April 16 to 17 and 22 to 24.
"The biggest challenge this year is that I'm doing two dinner theatres back-to-back," said Pepin.
Closing off the 2009-2010 Theatre Cambrian dinner theatre season is The Mating Game, directed by Mark Mannisto, running from July 16 to 17 and 22 to 24.
Theatre Cambrian's 25th anniversary main stage productions are the Broadway classic West Side Story, running from March 11 to 27 and All Shook Up, featuring music originally performed by Elvis Presley, running from May 13 to 29.
As a special treat, on October 24, 2009, the Second City are bringing their latest show, Economy of Errors, to Theatre Cambrian for one night only.
The Second City are the comedy troupe responsible for jumpstarting the careers of huge comedy names like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Mike Myers, Chris Farley and Tina Fey.
"The actors that are on stage with the Second City, they're pros, they've been doing this for quite some time," said Mannisto. "Every show is different because a lot of it is audience interactive. So you never know from one show to another"
In addition to announcing their new lineup, Theatre Cambrian took the opportunity to look for community support for their new theatre location at the old St. Eugene Church.
"There's a lot of work that needs to get done. We need to raise approximately $2 million to get the space converted," said Mannisto.
"The good thing is that the building is already there, it's just a matter of renovating the inside to change it from church to theatre."
Pepin said that Theatre Cambrian is hopeful that the new space will be available in early 2010.
"I'm really excited, especially if we can actually get into our new for the second part of the season. We're hoping to be in our new home to do West Side Story. Which means that maybe, just maybe, we'll be ready to be in our new home for the Spring dinner theatre."
