The new Pembina North Community School will have a huge head start on a fine arts program, if area resident Nicholas McCann has anything to do with it.
And fortunately for aspiring young artists in the area, he does. The local pianist is in part responsible for bringing a dinner theatre production to the Fawcett community hall this weekend, with the proceeds going to the new school.
“We all know that fine arts is the first thing to get cut in a tight budget,” he said. “This is a fundraiser for a fine arts program — all the money’s going to the fundraising association that’s going to be combined from the three schools going into the new one.”
Audiences on April 11-12 will see the second run of the show C’est La Vie, which was first put together by Athabasca residents Ida Edwards and Elaine Crocker as a fundraiser for a senior’s lodge in that community.
The show ran from Feb. 7-9, with audiences responding well to the cheeky two-woman musical comedy set in a run-down cabaret in 1950s Paris.
“Everybody loved it,” McCann said. “We were being compared to Mayfield and Jubilations (dinner theatres).”
After volunteering his time for their fundraising efforts, he convinced the small cast to give some of their time to support a cause near and dear to his own heart — fine arts in the northern part of Westlock County.
Unfortunately Crocker will be unable to take part, but that has proven to be not such a bad thing as it has given Jarvie’s Leslie Foster the chance to step up onto the Fawcett stage instead.
Having a little more local talent in the mix is one step closer to one of McCann’s ultimate goals, which is to foster the growth of a performing arts culture in the Pembina North Community School and the communities it serves.
“I know when I moved back here, it’s tough to do anything and promote shows like that up here,” he said. “If we get the kids involved, and the parents backing the kids, that’s important.”
Considering the strong support from the community in putting on this show, he’s not the only one who’d like to see a renewed emphasis on the performing arts in the area.
“Community members have been really supportive in helping get this set up,” McCann said. “Some are planning the meal for the show, some are on a decorating committee, and some are helping with ticket sales.”
Area businesses have helped out to the point that all of the overhead costs — set design, the meal, and everything else — are covered so that all the money from ticket sales, the bar and a raffle will go right into fine arts at the new school.
“They can use it to buy new band instruments, or anything fine-arts related to supplement government funding,” McCann said.
Tickets for the show are available at the Flower Shoppe in Westlock, the Dapp Corner Store, the Jarvie General Store, the Fawcett Country Market and the Flatbush General Store. The show is for adults only.
McCann said depending on when tickets are purchased they might not be able to provide dinner, but tickets for the show only would also be available.
