The Watsonairs, the Prince Albert Community Players, and volunteer Bruce Rusheleau are the newest inductees heading to the Prince Albert Arts Hall of Fame.
The Prince Albert Arts Board made the announcement official on Wednesday. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Satuday, Sept. 28 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.
The Watsonairs Choral Group launched in 1956, making them the longest continuously operating choral group in Saskatchewan. During that time they’ve welcomed women from all walks of life, giving them an opportunity to sing, perform and give back to the community.
In addition to performing, the Watsonairs have also assisted local facilities like Sherman Towers, Pineview Terrace, Pine Grove Correctional Centre and the Prince Albert Arts Centre in purchasing musical instruments. Other donations over the years include new beds for the YWCA, and furnishings for rooms at the Victoria Hospital and Group Home Society.
The Prince Albert Community Players have staged roughly 140 shows since forming in 1959. During their 60-year history they’ve hosted drama workshops, supported high school drama programs and provided a supportive and positive environment for local actors, set designers, directors and stage crews.
Bruce Rusheleau has contributed more than 10,000 volunteer hours to Prince Albert theatre companies over the past 20 years. As a construction volunteer, he’s worked with Odyssey Productions, Spark Theatre and was one of the original Broadway North Theatre Company construction volunteers.
He originally started building theatre sets in his own garage and driveway before the City of Prince Albert acquired the Scouts Hall as a permanent facility. Rusheleau was also one of the original technicians trained to operate the flytower system’s special rigging for the performance of Peter Pan Jr.
The Watsonairs Choral Group, The Prince Albert Community Players, and volunteer Bruce Rusheleau are the newest inductees heading to the Prince Albert Arts Hall of Fame.
The Prince Albert Arts Board made the announcement official on Wednesday. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.
Arts board chairperson Shona Stapleton said this year’s group was a great example of positive community spirit.
“The Watsonairs and Prince Albert Community Players, they’ve been around forever,” Stapleton said. “It’s just the commitment to providing those kinds of events and venues to the people of Prince Albert.”
The Watsonairs launched in 1956, making them the longest continuously operating choral group in Saskatchewan. During that time they’ve welcomed women from all walks of life, giving them an opportunity to sing, perform and give back to the community.
In addition to performing, the Watsonairs have also assisted local facilities like Sherman Towers, Pineview Terrace, Pine Grove Correctional Centre and the Prince Albert Arts Centre in purchasing musical instruments. Other donations over the years include new beds for the YWCA, and furnishings for rooms at the Victoria Hospital and Group Home Society.
The Prince Albert Community Players have staged roughly 140 shows since forming in 1959. During their 60-year history they’ve hosted drama workshops, supported high school drama programs and provided a supportive and positive environment for local actors, set designers, directors and stage crews.
Longtime set constructor gets called to the hall
Bruce Rusheleau is 2019’s lone individual inducted. Over the past 20 years, Rusheleau has contributed more than 10,000 volunteer hours to Prince Albert theatre companies. He’s worked with Odyssey Productions, Spark Theatre and was one of the original Broadway North Theatre Company construction volunteers.
Rusheleau originally started building theatre sets in his own garage and driveway before the City of Prince Albert acquired the Scouts Hall as a permanent facility. He was also one of the original technicians trained to operate the flytower system’s special rigging for the performance of Peter Pan Jr.
Stapleton said volunteers like Rusheleau are what keep the arts community going in Prince Albert.
“As we all know, artists sometimes don’t make the most money, so I think having volunteers is so important,” she said. “I think that’s the base of Prince Albert. We’ve had so many great volunteers come out of Prince Albert.”
Tickets for the induction gala will go on sale Tuesday, May 28 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre Box office. Individual tickets are $55.25 a piece. Tables of eight are $400. The Prince Albert Daily Herald will have full profiles of the Hall of Fame inductees in September.
