Imagine going on a journey that costs only $50 and includes trips to four different destinations. With the purchase of a subscription to DalTheatre's 2012-13 season, that’s exactly what you’ll get – and all without leaving the comfort of your theatre seat.
And if you’re a student or senior, that journey’s even more affordable: just $25.
The DalTheatre season’s first play, The Ends of the Earth by Canadian playwright Morris Panych, starts its run on October 17. To celebrate, the Department of Theatre held an inaugural launch in the Sculpture Court of the Dalhousie Arts Centre last Thursday. Department Chair Rob McClure welcomed the crowd of students, faculty and staff, and announced the exciting line up of student productions, all under the theme “Travelling without Moving.”
For those with a fear of flying, rest assured the only airplane involved is the season’s brochure, designed to fold – and, yes, glide – like a paper airplane.
“I believe these shows are the best entertainment value in Halifax,” Prof. McClure says.
Supporting DalTheatre by becoming a Patron
But theatre lovers can go further to support the season’s productions, he adds, by becoming DalTheatre Patrons. With a donation of $100 or more, a Patron receives a tax receipt for all but the subscription price, as well as invitations to the opening night pre-theatre talks and post-theatre receptions.
These talks add value to the Patron subscription, as they often feature an expert speaker. “This year, for The Mill on the Floss, we’re inviting Rohan Maitzen from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to speak about George Eliot, the author of the novel on which the play is based,” says Prof. McClure.
Talks in past years have featured presentations by set designers, just as another example. And at the reception after the show, “Patrons have an opportunity to talk to all the students and get to know this new class.”
Plus, until October 15, there’s extra incentive for Dal employees and alumni to become Patrons: new Patrons can purchase a second subscription for only $25 – half the regular price.
The Patron program is crucial, says Prof. McClure, to the success of these student productions. Donations cover “some of our production costs, from the sets and costumes to bringing in guest speakers or instructors,” such as makeup and hair specialists.
From time to time, they’ll call on the expertise of a choreographer or fight director. “Any staged physical activity has to be choreographed very well,” Prof. McClure explains, “whether it’s a fencing duel or a simple fist fight.”
The department has two such experts as faculty members. One is John Dinning, a world-renowned set designer with credits including Schwartz’s: The Musical, about the famed Montreal smoked-meat-sandwich shop. McClure also says he’s grateful to have John Pennoyer, who has decades of experience in costume design including productions at Ontario’s Stratford Festival.
Though most shows are produced on a relatively low budget, the fourth and final play each year features more elaborate sets, props and costumes.
“The last show is a forum for our Costume Studies and Technical Scenography students to make something extraordinary,” says Prof. McClure, noting Lady Windemere’s Fan and The Country Wife, the final plays for the last two seasons. “It’s the final hurrah for that graduating class, so we try to make it a fabulous way to go out. And we try to make it a big deal for everyone, from scenic painters to actors.”
Making a difference for students
The students appreciate how Patrons’ donations contribute to their education. Toward the end of the launch, Prof. McClure read a letter written by a fourth-year acting student who is “extremely grateful for [her] experiences” in the program: “Here, I've found my passion for the power of theatre, joy and love for acting... I know I will leave this program with not only a sense of the challenges ahead but the tools to meet them."
Another fourth-year student’s parents also sing the department’s praises: “We are proud to support Dal Theatre [as Patrons], and we feel enormously lucky that Dalhousie offers such a fine program – both for the students who are educated in it and for the public to enjoy.”
With less than a week until the official start of the season on October 17, tickets are selling fast. But it’s never too late to become a patron. Visit the DalTheatre website for more information on the season line-up and how to become a Patron.
Tickets for all DalTheatre Productions can be purchased online or by calling the Dalhousie Arts Centre box office at (902) 494-3820 or (toll free) 1-800-874-1669.
Please Note: DalTheatre Productions abides by the Dalhousie University Scent Free Policy. Patrons are asked, therefore, to please refrain from wearing scented personal care products to the theatre. Thank you.
Prof. McClure sets the DalTheatre season flying at the launch event.
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