Cast, crew, dignitaries, and members of the public gathered at the Midland Cultural Centre for Huronia Players’ season call, and to recognize the receipt of an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant from the Community Building Stream - Operating Stream for $32,800 to support the theatrical company.
President Sue Cook spoke to the assembly about the hardships the volunteer-run organization had faced throughout the past years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As you are aware,” Cook explained, “Huronia Players relies on our audience to pay for our annual expenses as we are 100 per cent volunteer driven; all our costs are only covered by our audience and our ticket revenue. We require 80 per cent of our house to break even when we are producing a show.”
Cook went on to share that the difficulty of working around unpredictable provincial tightening and loosening of pandemic restrictions meant that theatre productions required wholesale restrategizing.
Each Huronia Players season consists of three productions, held in the Midland Cultural Centre that is considered their home. In early 2020, the final show of the year was cancelled. The company switched to smaller cast productions in 2021, and as lockdowns eased a two-person musical was cast to 25 per cent of the house; the second production performed to a 50 per cent house.
“Notice those two are nowhere close to 80 (per cent). What would have been our final show that year was moved to our first show, our opening show of this season,” Cook shared.
“I would like to thank all the various casts and crews, in fact all of our members, who came together at this time and persevered through what were some unique and difficult challenges and circumstances in order to keep theatre alive in our community, and continue to deliver a quality product," said Cook.
“However, COVID restrictions significantly reduced our ability to make our season financially viable. The Trillium grant was integral in our ability to function as an organization and bring live theatre back to Midland," she said.
“On behalf of the Huronia Players, I would like to thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for this funding,” Cook affirmed with gratitude.
Mayor Stewart Strathearn said the local theatre group is in important part of the fabric of the community.
“It’s interesting to me that Huronia Players is a community theatre group that are all volunteers – basically ‘theatre by the community for the community,'" he said.
“That speaks volumes for your commitment not only to the art of theatre, but to the community in bringing various productions to life and engaging the community in those productions and through your art,” he stated.
“As Mayor, and on behalf of council and the residents of Midland, we’re grateful to Trillium Foundation for its help in sustaining an institution that’s become part of the fabric of the community of Midland. And I thank you for that.”
For the members of Huronia Players, Strathearn added, “I wish you godspeed and all the best of success in the three productions.”
Information on the Community Building Fund - Operating stream can be found on the Ontario Trillium Fund website.
To learn more about upcoming productions and how to become a volunteer for the Huronia Players, please visit the official website.
