With help from fictional hit-man Jim McCrackin, Westlock Cultural Arts Theatre Society wrapped its 2014-15 Cultural Arts Theatre Series (CATS) schedule on Friday March 27.
In a night mimicking Edmonton International Fringe Festival, Edmonton-based Accidental Humour Co. presented McCrackin 2: The Whackening, to conclude this year’s performance schedule.
CATS society member, Lorraine Robinson, said the society decided to ditch its annual wine and cheese night, to go with a Fringe Festival theme for their season finale.
“When we picked (McCrackin 2) we thought let’s do a whole Fringe theme for the evening,” Robinson said. “It was a fun way to wrap everything up.”
Robinson said this year’s series was yet another successful one, thanks to the many dedicated season-ticket holders.
“We’re very fortune with our theatre to have very consistent season-ticket holders I think we’ve got a number of them that have had season tickets right from the get go,” she said. “For budgeting purposes, we like to see 200 of the 246 seats sold as a series, and we’ve always been over that.”
Robinson said the season featured a mix of different performers, from musicians to storyteller Nils Ling.
“Travelling Mabels were a great way to start the season, they were kind of a bluegrass-type group,” she said. “Just the humour and rapport with the audience, they were a favourite right from the beginning.”
A Christmas performance by Ling, featuring special guests Cynthia MacLeod and Gordon Belsher, was well-received by audience members, Robinson said.
In January CATS brought in One Piano Four Hands to provide a classical element to the season.
“It was very classical and very professional, it was lovely,” Robinson said.
Host of City TV Edmonton’s Breakfast Television, Bridget Ryan, did a cabaret night in February, and Charlie A’Court performed the blues in March.
“We try to have a variety because we can’t please everyone, so we just hope that people are open-minded enough to try something that they may not drive to the city for,” Robinson said.
The society, Robinson said, tries to offer a line-up of a diverse range of performers and in doing so, has developed a trust with ticket holders.
“People say that we love that this is available locally, (and by having a diverse lineup) it maybe expanded the genres they’re willing to listen to,” she said. “They’ll come because they trust that we’ve tried our best to pick someone that’s quality.”
CATS society already has its line-up set for the 2015-16 season, although performers won’t be announced until late summer.
“We’ve got everything in place, so now we get to sit back and rest,” Robinson said. “I think it will be a great season again.”
