The Holy Hams of Selkirk United Church present a quirky Canadian comedy
If you enjoy theatre and wouldn’t mind a delicious treat to go with it, the latest play out of Selkirk United Church is worth checking out. On Nov. 27, 28, 29 and 30, the church will turn into a theatre for the four-day-only run of On The Air, a play by Canadian playwright Ephraim Ellis and directed by Pat Bird.
Don’t miss out on this chance to see live theatre in Selkirk
Though the play takes place at the Selkirk United Church, you don’t have to be a church member to attend or enjoy the play, as the fun is open to everyone in the community.
“It’s a wonderful chance to come out for an evening and watch a live community theatre performance, and also get a lovely slice of dessert. We do get some very decadent, lovely desserts,” said Bird.
On the Air is a comedy, which is what the theatre group that puts on these dessert theatre productions has mostly been doing throughout their 22 years hosting these events in Selkirk. This one is about CJLN ‘The Loon’, which is the fourth most popular local radio station in the fictional Canadian location of Northlamburton County. This station only has one problem—no one is listening. Will The Loon make it in the 21st century? You’ll have to attend the play to find out.
On the Air is a comedy about family, ambition, rock and roll, and dreams pursued in the unlikeliest of places. The cast is five members, and they have been supported by crew members who help them make the magic happen.
“(The play is) really about being yourself and also creating an environment where people are free to and feel supported in that as well. There are some quirky characters in this, and it’s quite funny,” said Bird.
This season, the play is going to be a little bit different. The performers normally utilize the theatre at the High School, but because of a scheduling conflict at this busy time of year, they decided to host the play at Selkirk United Church itself.
The church is accessible to those with mobility devices, and, new to this production, will be the use of microphones and a sound system, which should help the actors’s voices reach all corners of the room.
“The performances start on Thursday, November 27, and we have (showings) on the 27, 28 and 29, and then the 30 is a matinee that starts at 2 p.m. All the other performances start at 7 p.m., but the one on Sunday is at 2 in the afternoon. We’ve also kept with our way of having assigned seating so that it’s not rush, which I think people really like. You know when you come in that your seat is going to be there for you, so people don’t feel like they have to line up at the door, especially as we’re getting to a little bit colder weather,” said Bird.
Residents should make sure to plan which show they want to go to in advance, as tickets are reserved seating only and the Thursday night performance is their calorie-light night, meaning no desserts are served, but tickets are $25. On the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday performancestickets are $35 and attendees do get to enjoy a dessert with the performances.
Bird thinks that pretty much anyone would enjoy checking out this show who is old enough to sit still through a play, as it’s a family-friendly performance.
As for the cast, as Bird has taken on the director role as well as acting roles in the past, she can tell attendees that everyone is having a good time.
“It’s really the camaraderie of the people and the fun that we have together. We do come out, and we want to laugh. You want to let your cares of the day go and come out and laugh. And it’s hard work still. Learning lines is hard work. Figuring it out has been a challenge with all the lighting and sound and how we’re going to do it, but there’s a real satisfaction in that, too. For me, personally, I love figuring the play out. I like the development of the characters, and when they say certain words, (finding out) what are they really saying, or how you’d interpret it,” said Bird.
She hopes that residents take the time to call and grab a ticket and have an enjoyable evening or afternoon.
“If you haven’t been to live theatre before, definitely try it. I think once you see it, it just speaks to you in a different way than going to a movie. It’s live. If we make mistakes, it’s there. It’s right in front of you and the audience, oftentimes, they really enjoy that. I would just say, give it a try and come and see. There’s so much good community theatre that goes on in this province. It’s good to support it so that it can thrive,” said Bird.
If you want to call and get your ticket reach out to Debbie at 1-204-515-7472, but don’t delay as seats tend to fill up quickly.
