With opening night less than two weeks away, The Motley Troupe is putting finishing touches on its latest community dinner theatre production, Cinderella in Space.
Read more: Motley Troupe prepping Cinderella in Space
The sci-fi twist on the classic fairytale will help raise funds for the Lori Craven Memorial Tournament.
Long-time performer and organizer Mel Coote said preparations are running smoothly.
“We are very excited. Preparation is going great and it’s like a well-oiled machine with the girls from the Lori Craven running the meal; they’re totally on top of that,” said Coote. “As far as the play, it’s going great.”
Photo courtesy – The Motley Troupe
While the production was originally scheduled for three performances, the troupe cancelled its Thursday show due to lower-than-expected ticket sales.
“We’re not performing on the Thursday night as there weren’t enough tickets sold,” said Coote. “We made the executive decision to concentrate on Friday and Saturday night and we’re hoping for two sold-out shows. There are still tickets available for Friday and Saturday’s performances.”
Coote didn’t reveal many plot details but teased a playful take on a familiar story.
“This year we’re doing Cinderella in Space. She’s got odd friends and she’s in a space station,” she said. “People are just going to have to attend the show to find out what it’s all about.”
Several new cast and crew members are joining the troupe this year.
“We just recruited a young fella to run our sound and songs,” said Coote. “We also have a couple of new cast members and one returning who hasn’t been involved for a couple of years. Other than that, it’s the same old suspects.”
Patrons will also be treated to live music before the show and during intermission at the Kitscoty Community Hall. Ryan Lessner will perform Friday night, followed by The Church Keys on Saturday. Members of One Cent Melon are set to close out both evenings with an acoustic set.
Coote said the dinner theatre has become a tight-knit annual gathering.
“We’ve been doing this since 2001 and it’s really a dinner theatre family,” she said. “I don’t see some of these people all year, but when we get together on the first Wednesday of September to start, it’s always an amazing reunion.”
The Lori Craven team will once again serve a full traditional Christmas meal.
“They’re doing the most amazing traditional Christmas spread, which they did last year and we had such rave reviews,” said Coote. “There will be ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and salads, the whole delicious meal.”
Coote said supporting the Lori Craven Memorial Tournament remains an important part of the event’s purpose.
“It means a lot. I’ve lived in Lloyd for 42 years running my business and I love this city,” she said. “When you can sister up with an organization that does such great work for our community, it’s amazing. I know people that have been recipients and it means even more that the money they raise is kept local.”
The Motley Troupe is also accepting silent auction items for both performance nights.
Tickets are available through The Motley Troupe’s Facebook page, from cast and crew members, or by emailing themotleytroupe@gmail . com (remove spaces).
Read more: The Motley Troupe rocks Kitscoty
