Shows will help pay for replacement seats in Mahon Auditorium
A Prince Albert comedy group hopes to generate enough laughs to help the John M Cuelenaere Public Library improve Mahon Auditorium.
Off the Cuff Improv will perform a family friendly show one Saturday a month in the auditorium. Half of the proceeds will help pay for seat replacements in the facility, which is located in the library’s basement.
“It’s a cute space that’s downtown, and we want to see it get utilized more, plus it’s a win for the library,” Adreanna Boucher of Off the Cuff said. “They can make improvements so other groups can use it too. It’s a real positive.”
The first show on April 2 will see half of the proceeds go to the library and the other half going to the Canada Ukraine Foundation to support humanitarian efforts in the Ukraine. Taras Kachkowski who is part of Off the Cuff is an advocate for Ukraine fundraising in Prince Albert and Boucher discussed which organization to donate to with him.
“Instead of being paid for the show, we are donating all of our profits,” Boucher said, adding that Saturday’s show will be family-friendly, and a perfect way for kids and grown-ups to laugh together.
Off the Cuff has been around since 2013 but was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, Boucher produced a play called the Sting and performed it in the Mahon Auditorium last October.
While doing that, she began chatting with library staff, including library director Alex Jurio, about possible upgrades they hoped to make.
That conversation sparked an idea to partner with the library, since Off the Cuff needed a performance space, and the library needed seats.
“They have had a box on the door (of the theatre) forever for donations to replace their seats,” Boucher said. “They are always really affordable and really easy to work with, so I chatted with Alex and he said he loved the idea. It turns out he has a whole list of things that he would like to do to make the theatre more viable for all sorts of performing arts groups.”
Beginning in September, Off the Cuff Improv will add regular sketch and improv comedy performances to the repertoire. These shows will be for ages 15+. Dates will be announced at a later time.
This is all part of a long-term plan beginning with the Family Shows and expanding to other workshops and productions.
“Starting in the fall we are going to start doing sketch comedy, which is more for adults, so we will be doing it there (in the auditorium) too,” Boucher explained. “I also am hoping to start putting on workshops again this summer and possibly some as part of their programming—if we are able to get funding—so that we can offer free workshops for kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity.
“I am hoping it will be a long-term relationship that is multi-faceted.”
Half of the proceeds from each show will go towards upgrades to the auditorium, increasing its viability for use for a wider array of performing arts.
The Family Show dates and times are April 2 at 7 p.m., May 14 at 2 p.m, June 4 at 2 p.m, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m., Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.
There are no shows in July, August or September for a summer break.
Tickets are $10 for kids, $15 for adults both plus GST and fees. Tickets are available in advance at www.otcimprov.ca, or cash-only at the door.
