Luanne Schneider, acting treasurer of the Medicine Hat Firehall Theatre Society arranges costumes around inside their rehearsal space. The community theatre company is at risk of folding in the next six months due to the impacts of COVID-19 ( Tiffany Goodwein/ CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Medicine Hat Firehall Theatre at risk of closure

Oct 12, 2020 | 8:00 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- MEDICINE HAT, AB- For several decades the Medicine Hat Firehall Theatre Society has been known for its productions like Shrek, Marry Poppins and Peter Pan, but now the community theatre is facing the possibility of closing the curtain for good.

“We are quite dire. We are to a point of where we have been negotiating payments for our utilities,” said Luanne Schnieder, acting treasurer of the Medicine Hat Firehall theatre society.

The theatre organization was in the midst of auditions for The Little Mermaid when COVID-19 hit , putting their only source of revenue in limbo due to gathering restrictions and the closure of facilities.

“ This year we have no money coming in and we are a not-for-profit society, so we usually have enough money to pay our bills, pay for the next show, and go on to the next one,” Schneider explained.

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The organization is entirely volunteer-based, which omits them from qualifying for government COVID-19 emergency support because they have no one on the payroll.

Schneider says if the organization doesn’t receive any help soon, the group is at risk of folding within the next six months.

“ We’ve been around for some forty-some years and it is really sad to see us fold because we can’t make it,” Schneider added.

According to Schneider, community theatre is in many ways is an outlet for people of all ages. It appeals to a variety of skill levels, not just for those keen to be centre stage.

“Community theatre is very important. For one thing, it involves the community. It makes everyone feel like they are a valued member of the community. It also helps with our younger people, keeps them involved, it helps keep them off the street being involved in drugs, being involved in alcohol. It makes them feel like they have a purpose,” Schneider said.

Over the years, The Firehall Theatre Society along with other community theatre groups have pushed to be a welcoming space.

“They are very inclusive in terms of who they have in their groups as far as their technical people or actors. They include people with disabilities, they include people with altered abilities, maybe people you wouldn’t expect in theatre but they do a fantastic job and Firehall includes them,” said Stu Hickey who does sound work for the theatre society.

Along with their own productions, the theatre society also helps locals school groups through costuming and mentorship.

A GoFundMe page has been launched with the funds going to help the theatre society pay for their insurance and utility bills. A link to the GoFundMe can be found here.