If you’re looking for some last minute gifts for family and friends, Sudbury Performance Group is offering special holiday packages that give the gift of experiencing the performing arts while also supporting local artists and businesses.
Mark Mannisto, president and founder of Sudbury Performance Group (SPG), said buying local has always been important, but it’s especially so now.
He said that while we’ve just gotten out of the worst of the pandemic and this is our first Christmas where we get to celebrate together, for businesses, it’s going to be awhile until they’re back to operating at a normal level.
“We’ve all just gone through the ringer in the past two and a half years, and even though we’re way further ahead then last year, many local businesses, regardless of which community you’re from, are still suffering the hardships from the pandemic,” he said.
Mannisto said, when you’re purchasing something from a local business, where everything they’re doing is homegrown in your own backyard, not only are you supporting that business, but there’s also the ripple effect that takes place that results in helping to support several people.
“I look at when somebody purchases a ticket to a Sudbury Performance Group event, well, sure that helps Sudbury Performance Group, but that also then goes and supports local artists, because the funds that we raise from whatever event we are hosting goes to help support our local musicians and our local performers because we invest in our local performers,” he said.
The money also goes to buying materials for their shows, which is also all purchased locally, so the ripple effect when you’re purchasing local, Mannisto said, is tremendous, and he hopes that people keep that in mind when they’re purchasing tickets for their stocking stuffers and Christmas presents.
“You’re getting something that’s unique and going to be an experience when you purchase something from your local vendors or locals arts organization,” he said.
As well, going to see an SPG show also provides an opportunity to gather and be entertained, while providing inspiration for kids and adults alike.
A good example of this is recently, 800 kindergarten kids got to experience live theatre for the very first time, watching SPG’s latest production, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Mannisto said, they were just in awe seeing Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Linus singing and dancing onstage, and he even received a call from one mother whose child couldn’t stop raving about it.
“She told me, ‘I had no idea my child was interested in the performing arts, but she came and saw your show and now that’s all she talks about, she wants to be just like Charlie Brown and Snoopy on stage,’” he said, adding that she now wants to register her into SPG arts programs next summer.
“If it weren’t for people supporting local and SPG, we wouldn’t be able to offer opportunities for kindergarten kids to come and see the Charlie Browns and the Snoopy’s onstage, but then also have them register into performing arts classes and hopefully springboard their passion into the arts.”
Hoping to expand their child and youth programming, Mannisto said they’ve created two packages, specifically for the holidays.
For the first time ever, SPG is hosting a New Year’s Eve night of Comedy at the Trevi Bar & Grill, featuring the comedic talents of Darren Frost, an all you can eat buffet, and a full night of comedy and dancing the night away. Tickets for this event is $100.00.
The second package features tickets to their musical theatre productions The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in January 2023, and their May 2023 production of Cabaret. The cost of this package is $60.00, and all funds raised from both of these packages will be going directly towards SPG summer youth programming and the creation of more opportunities for kids to experience the performing arts.
SPG has a complete list of upcoming shows until the end of June 2023, on their website. All tickets are available for purchase in advance and would also be perfect gifts. Their special holiday packages can also be purchased directly from their website.
For more information, please call 705-662-8518, visit their Facebook page or e mail [email protected].