It was certainly an evening to remember at the Cultural Arts Theatre on Saturday night.
Those in attendance could easily be forgiven for thinking they had travelled all through time as they enjoyed the Feb. 22 performance of Rock of Ages, a fundraising endeavour to continue to upgrade the theatre itself.
Now in its second year, Rock of Ages is all Jerry Buchko’s doing. But the show would not have gone on without the hard work of dozens of volunteers both behind the spotlights and in front of them.
And since they were all working towards a common goal, the audience certainly made sure the cast and crew knew it.
“I heard from people in the audience that it was better than last year,” Buchko said. “I heard them say it was awesome, that they were expecting something but did not expect this.”
For members of the cast itself, it was a chance to show off hidden talents, or discover that being in front of a big crowd is not as daunting as it sounds.
One textbook example is Chantal Roberts.
“I always wanted to do it but never had the guts,” she said.
What changed was Buchko convinced her to give it a try; along with other friends pushing her in the direction of the stage, she decided to give it a go.
And how was it?
“It was exciting, but really nerve-racking,” Roberts said. “I’ll definitely do it next year.”
She said she had a bit of the acting bug nestled in her during her high school days, but she said she was shy and never worked up the guts to try it at the time.
On stage Roberts took on several roles, from a pirate wench during The Last Saskatchewan Pirate, to a Pink Lady in Summer Nights from Grease.
Mother and daughter Colleen and Jess Sereda were also on stage, and also needed a bit of needling to give it a go. Fortunately, Colleen hit on a bit of a secret weapon.
“When you put a wig on and a costume, you’re somebody else,” she said.
For Jess, the performance was also a way to bond with her fellow teachers.
“With your fellow staff members, it’s comfortable because you work with them,” she said. “It’s just as good for us as it is for the audience.”
Putting on the show was a whirlwind endeavour, and Colleen said she’s thankful it’s all over now.
“I’m glad it wasn’t in another week, because stuff kept getting added to it,” she said.
Glen van Ramshorst agreed with Jess Sereda about the show being about more than just entertainment.
“It’s a good way to build a team,” he said. “It’s fun and not work. It’s an outlet for your creativity.”
Having been in the show last year, van Ramshorst said this year’s version was better, drawing both on his own recollections and those of people he spoke to once the curtain closed.
“I talked to some people and they said it was better this year,” he said. “It’s a nice way to spend a Saturday evening.”
Beyond being fun, van Ramshorst acknowledged the good the show will do for the community as a whole, thanks to the proceeds going towards replacing the chairs in the theatre.
Buchko said the show came together quickly. There were only two formal, full rehearsals, so there was little time to iron out the inevitable kinks. Still, once the curtain raised the very first time, no one really worried about the behind-the-scenes stuff.
“I saw the cast having a lot of fun; they were scrambling non-stop,” he said. “It was better than the dress rehearsal. It’s amazing for the town to put it on.”
