Arts & Entertainment

Are you a Canadian boomer or senior looking for a quick connection to how to have fun activities and exciting entertainment? Let Changing Gears be your guide.  

A New Year. Community theatres are a wonderful way to volunteer, meet new friends, develop new skills and express your creativity. Whether you support the company as an audience member, working backstage or even starring in a production, participating in community theatre is a rewarding experience. Find your local community theatre and jump in!

How to Participate in Canadian Community Theatre

Acting. Community theatres strive to offer a wide range of roles to both challenge performers and provide opportunities for anyone who wishes to be involved. By performing, you will learn timing and self-confidence, challenge your memory and improvisational skills and maybe discover a talent for accents or comedy. Most community theatres put on productions in the fall, winter and spring so check postings often. Audition often and land the part that’s right for you.

Backstage. There are many important and rewarding roles that happen behind the scenes. Enjoy carpentry? Try set or prop building. Do you have a good eye? Try painting a back drop. Love clothes and to shop? Join the wardrobe department and find, buy or build the costumes. Are you organized and have great people skills? Become a stage manager and keep everyone on time and everything in order. Technically gifted? Offer your services to design or run the sound or lights. Community theatres offer opportunities to learn new skills as well as develop your own talents. Willingness to commit to the project and enjoy the process are the most important attributes for the backstage crew.

Be in the Audience. Community theatres feature a wide range of plays that are not often performed in larger theatres and season tickets are affordable. Becoming a member of the theatre for a small fee usually means special offers of preview performances, unique opportunities such as sitting on play-selecting committees or participating in workshops that enrich your theatre experience.  

Support the Company. Fund-raising and marketing are important aspects to running a community theatre. If you enjoy talking to people and sharing your enthusiasm, this can be a rewarding way to help fill the theatre seats, night after night. Helping to host an elegant fund-raising dinner or auction or helping to design posters and brochures is a fun and creative outlet. Most community theatres will provide free tickets to administrative volunteers.  

Socialize. Community theatres hold workshops, social lunches, lectures and more. Bring some friends or make some new, like-minded individuals as you learn something new or brush up on some old talents.  

How to find your local community theatre. Check out what Theatre Canada has to offer and jump in!