I was disappointed to hear that after 50 years Lethbridge Musical Theatre will not be offering up a standard musical this year. Instead a revue-style production is in the works. Increasing royalty costs and decreasing attendance has put the organization in a financial bind. From what I hear it’s a situation that is being played out in other markets with not only the amateur companies but professional ones as well. LMT has a very proud history and it was at the old Capitol Theatre watching Finnian’s Rainbow starring my hero Bill Matheson when I first got hooked on live shows. There was a period of time when professional actors would be brought in for the run of the show: Doug Crosley was in Oklahoma and Guys & Dolls, Maura K. Wedge came from Broadway to perform the role of Aldonza in Man Of La Mancha when her boobs famously popped out on a number of occasions during some rather violent choreography. Oh, the trials and tribulations of live theatre. In 1967 in Lethbridge there weren’t a lot of African Americans in southern Alberta so in order to fill the crucial roles in Showboat black actors were brought in. One of them was renowned opera singer Robert McFerrin whose son Bobby had a huge hit with “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” (Robert was the first African American man to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.) Why he agreed to do a show in Lethbridge I’m not sure but I guess a gig is a gig.
I couldn’t wait to see the annual production and I was never disappointed. (O.K. Zorba The Greek was a little weird for my taste but it never deterred me from wanting to go again.) The names of Jean & Jack Warburton, Sheila Pisko, Ellen & Dick Mells, Ed Bayly, Wes Stefan, Frank Featherstone, Ray Mercer, Fran Rude and Dick Mells bring back a flood of memories for me and I’m sure for many long-time theatre goers.
I auditioned for my first LMT show in 1977. It was Annie Get Your Gun. I didn’t care what role I got I just wanted to be a part of what they did in the fall every year at the Yates. To my shock, I got the part of Sitting Bull. Keep in mind I was 21 at the time and I was playing someone who was in their 60s. I don’t know what director Dick Mells saw in me but it was one of the greatest experiences in my life and I continued to do another 12 shows. LMT gave me training, confidence and a lot of pizza. I also have many lifetime friends. The process of going to auditions, getting a part, (and by the way, they pretty much give everyone a part) going to rehearsals, going to that first rehearsal with the orchestra, the opening night jitters, the closing night melancholy are all memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. I can’t go into great detail without consulting legal but the green room parties were fairly monumental.
To see that the organization is struggling breaks my heart. I know what I was able to experience in my formative years and if there are aspiring actors, singers and dancers in Lethbridge who will not have a similar opportunity I think that’s a tragedy.
LMT was once the only game in town. Today there is a lot of competition. Is it a marketing problem? Is it a choice of show issue? Is it a problem with a talent pool? I know in today’s busy world there are a lot of people who just can’t commit to the amount of time that it takes to put on a successful show. But that’s a discussion for another day.
I don’t know what will be the future of Lethbridge Musical Theatre but I do hope the organization can have some kind of “revival” and it gets back to packed houses and financial stability. Oh, and pizza for the actors.
Mark Boogieman 