Ladysmith Little Theatre

Celebrating 20 Years

BY KERITH WADDINGTON

If the value of an endeavour were to be judged by the joy it creates, then Ladysmith Little Theatre (LLT) would be priceless.

Celebrating its 20th season and upwards of 100 productions this year, “the little theatre that could” continues to lift spirits, bring people together, inspire, challenge, create social dialogue and hold up a mirror to that most fascinating and perplexing of species: ourselves.

Ladysmith resident, longtime thespian and LLT Board member Bruce Mason started the theatre decades ago alongside like-minded residents Terry and Judy Whittaker. He acknowledges that while keeping the doors to their beautifully renovated old schoolhouse theatre hasn’t always been easy, “the importance of community theatre was always too great to lose.”

“I have seen lives completely changed by involvement in the theatre,” says Mason. “It’s especially important for kids. Those who perhaps haven’t fit in so easily often ‘fi nd’ themselves here. Whether they’re onstage, working the lights or painting a set, being involved with a production elevates their status and their confidence. Community theatre is very important.”

Mason was a member of the Yellow Point Drama Group for years before helping launch LLT. He says that at that time, Ladysmith was a bit of a wasteland in terms of its engagement with the arts. He has since seen that change dramatically, and he considers LLT “a great example of an arts organization that isn’t dependent of government money.” Absolutely everyone involved with LLT is a volunteer: monies from ticket sales go back into building upgrades and paying the mortgage to the school district.

So, what has kept Mason involved after all these years?

“I discovered really early that when you’re in production, the people you work with become a family, and they remain that way always,” he says. “I can run into someone I did a play with 40 years ago, and we’ll smile and say, ‘Do you remember when?’ And every play is a different family.” He muses quietly for a moment before laughing. “I know a lot of people!”

Ladysmith Little Theatre has regaled audiences with comedies, murder-mysteries, improvs, dramas, radio plays, Christmas shows and musicals over the years.

There are typically four productions a season, which runs from September to May.

This anniversary year kicks off with Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun by proli fic Canadian playwright Norm Foster.

Described as “a perfect blend of drama and comedy,” the production is a universal story about relationships born of hard- ship. It is expected that audiences will connect with characters who are surprised to fi nd they have the inner strength and nerve to persevere despite real obstacles.

Mason laughs when he says it’s “not an accident that there are tissue boxes on each table.”

Taking audiences into the holiday season this year is the musical Dorothy Gets Scrooged, a hilarious mash-up of holiday favourites The Wizard of Oz and A Christmas Carol.

The new year brings a visit to the golden era of radio with Radio Plays in February and the moving drama/comedy Visiting Mr. Green in April.

While renovations to date have transformed the solid old schoolhouse into an impressive community theatre, Mason says there’s plenty more to be done.

“A big project we’re working on is getting rid of the tables and putting in really comfortable theatre seating,” he says. “We’d also like to expand the foyer so there’s more room for people to gather before shows and during intermission.”

In the meantime, Mason invites the community, family and friends to come have some laughs with their terrific little theatre. And enjoy the personal reflection that can come from looking into the mirror of the human experience that live theatre holds up.

After all, although it was Shakespeare who wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” it was Irish playwright Sean O’Casey who added, “And most of us are desperately unrehearsed.”

Show, theatre and ticket information can be found on the website ladysmiththeatre.com.