Gimli’s A-Spire Players Theatre are back on the boards this season with a brand new executive, website, summer performances from travelling theatre groups and a theatre program starting this fall that includes acting classes.
An A-Spire collage of past post-shows
The amateur performing troupe, which was founded in 1992 and treads the boards at the Gimli Unitarian Church on Second Ave, is also throwing open its arms to anyone who wants to learn the tricks of the acting trade or take on a backstage role in lighting, costuming, sound and so forth to support performances.
Scott Cameron, who previously sat on the A-Spire board until 2017, is back as board chair after a new executive of seven members was formed in March. Some former A-Spire members, such as Kim Malchuk, have also returned.
Cameron said the Manitoba amateur dramatics scene is seeing a resurgence after a slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and public health restrictions that kept people housebound and later cautious about venturing out. But with that all behind us, people are starting to join community groups and volunteering for various things.
“It’s going strong. It’s on the rise again post-COVID. We had lots of [theatrical] groups fail because of COVID,” said Cameron, who in addition to being A-Spire chair serves as treasurer for the Association of Community Theatres of Manitoba. “People were staying home. Getting them back in to volunteering was difficult. But it’s on the rise.”
While the previous A-Spire board focused primarily on theatrical performances, the new board will be broadening its scope. It already has musical performances in the works, and is currently looking at offering other types of performing arts, which can include disciplines such as dance, opera, stand-up comedy, improv, magic and spoken word.
“Our constitution identifies that A-Spire is not just theatre: we’re preforming arts. We used to have musical performances, theatre groups, comedy groups and so forth. Over the past 20 years we had a pile of different things on offer including theatre classes for youth,” said Cameron. “Because we are only one of three community theatre groups in Manitoba that have our own facility, we can open it up for a wider range of performing arts – and we want to expand.”
And, of course, an increase in programming would require backstage support. Volunteering to learn production skills at A-Spire could help land people a job with a production company filming in the city or elsewhere or theatrical gigs.
A-Spire’s 2025 summer theatre program will be a bit smaller than previous years as the new executive only came aboard in March. But Cameron said he’s working on getting things going again and wants locals to get involved. To get people to join you, you have to have “something going on.”
While A-Spire Players won’t be scheduling its own performance this summer, it has partnered with the Winnipeg-based Dramatic Theatre troupe to stage three performances of Anne of Green Gables from July 4-6 at the Unitarian Church. That will be followed by the Actor’s Studio Adult Conservatory’s performance of Almost, Maine on July 11-13.
A-Spire’s program of local theatre activities is set to start in August and September.
In August the troupe is thinking of hosting Thursday night open-house musical performances, inviting anyone who wants to play or sing to get up on stage and give it a go. And in September A-Spire will offer acting workshops and prepare for a possible performance around Christmas or in the new year.
“For our local theatre activities, we’re going to focus on starting this fall. We’re always open to people joining us as actors or as stage hands to learn how to operate the set behind-the-scenes. We’d like to hear from them now for our fall programing,” said Cameron.
A-Spire is also planning to join forces with Gimli’s Nuit Blanche/Culture Days celebration later this fall.
For more information about A-Spire’s programs, visiting performers and tickets, visit the troupe on its social media channels or its new website www.aspireplayers.com or call A-Spire at 1-204-642-8079.
