As this year draws to a close, we would like to thank Wetaskiwin’s resilient and creative performing arts community for continuing to bring joy, hope and entertainment to our lives at the Manluk Theatre for the Performing Arts.
And we would like to especially, hereby, THANK everyone who supported Performing Arts in Wetaskiwin! The Support was humbling and it was done in so many forms, from coming out to performances to donating time and money to the Manluk Theatre in 2021!
Without ALL THIS SUPPORT, we could not continue to bring LIVE Entertainment!
Despite on-going COVID uncertainty and acknowledging the road to recovery is going to be a long one, performing artists continue to bring enjoyment to our lives and challenge us to become a more inclusive and respectful society.
2021 marked the return of live, in-person events and we couldn’t have been more excited about it! After being heavily restricted since the beginning of COVID, we finally saw some reprieve start this summer and we were thrilled to host the Fleetwood Mac Revisited tribute show August 12th to an almost full house.
This was followed by two performances of the amazing New Blood Dance Show September 11th . This show cannot be described with words, it has to be experienced. After the standing ovation, the audience was invited to stay for a Q and A with the actors and the director. People leaving the auditorium had tears in their eyes and were left speechless after seeing this show.
The Rock ‘N Burlesque Red Carpet event was an unparalleled red carpet event with people dressing up in their finest gala outfits as well as wowing us with their steam punk fervor. Punch Drunk Cabaret rocked the roof off the Manluk Theatre for the Performing Arts and the beauties of the House of Hush added a Burlesque level of entertainment.
October saw the return of our own in house Theatre Troupe the Waterworks Players with a fan favorite performance of Steel Magnolias enjoyed by all who returned to the auditorium for a magnificent LIVE Theatre.
It was followed in November by a very special musical event which took place simultaneously all over the world called ALL TOGETHER NOW. It showcased not only well known showtunes, but our incredible local talented singers as well.
“We are the Music Makers and we are the Dreamers of Dreams.”
In December we hosted two very special Christmas shows starting with the iconic music of Patsy Cline performed by Megan Schroder with one sold out show and two almost full houses. It was followed by a family friendly The Best Christmas Pageant in the world which inspired all of us to be more kind to each other and at the end of each performance the 13 local talented youth actors and adults were given a standing ovation.
In 2021 we were also able to release our new and improved website at www//manluktheatre.ca which you are now reading.
We again offered Season Tickets Packages to our patrons. This year’s package was by far the best we have offered to date and it included a variety of packages. From the Basic package, which included all three plays by the Waterworks Players, to the Platinum Plus package which included All Seven Shows for amazing savings. If you missed out on the Season Tickets Savings and would like more information, reach out to us at manluktheatre@telus.com
And Now for a Taste of What’s Coming in 2022…
As we are getting ready for a brand-new year, the year 2022, we are excited to offer a great variety of upcoming shows, starting with a KISS EXPPERIENCE featuring IKONS in January. Followed in early March by an evening of ONE-ACT PLAYS, which will give you three short plays for the price of one. The last weekend of March we will host the ONE-ACT FESTIVAL which is a competition of various local artists who will perform One-Act Plays for not only a professional judging panel, but it will allow you, the audience, an opportunity to give feedback to the actors as well.
In April we are excited to invite you to a family friendly youth production called GREECE IS THE WORD. Which is a parody of the musical Grease except it takes place in ancient Greece. It is an original production by Ken Mastel and is produced and performed by Waterworks Youth Players.
In May we are thrilled to offer you 9 TO 5 – THE MUSICAL. As a direct result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we were unable to show it in 2020 and then again in 2021. We had to change the original dates in 2022 from March to May. But we promise that it will be worth the wait!! No introduction is necessary about this fun and very entertaining Musical Show. It will have music, romance, laughter and so much more. The complete package of great LIVE entertainment.
Later in May, we will again have a family friendly show called TUCK EVERLASTING. Which is performed by the actors of the Phoenix Academy for Theatre Arts. It is a musical based on the best selling book of the same name. And it explores the concept of immortality. If you could live forever, would you?
Then in September we will give you an opportunity to see Dearly Departed, either for the first or the second time. This was the wildly popular show which was playing at the moment that we were faced with the Pandemic. We had already hosted the first three shows when we had to close our doors and everyone who had tickets for the next three shows was unable to go and experience it.
Well, we are bringing it back and we’re certain that most of the people who saw it the first time, will want to see it again. Find out who the local celebrities are who will have cameos in Dearly Departed. Will mayor Gandam be back and again show us his acting skills? Find out in September of 2022.
See You All At The Show!!!
