Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre turns 25 this year, and you’re invited to celebrate. First, there is an open house, followed by a fundraising dinner in the evening.
Both take place at the Best Western North Bay, on Lakeshore, on June 22nd. Throughout the day you are welcome to stop by and share some memories of Dreamcoat with other theatre fans. It’s a Dreamcoat homecoming, and all are encouraged to stop by. Admission is free, and the event runs from 9 a.m. to around 5 p.m.
Not only is the homecoming free, but organizers have dug into the vaults, and are bringing a few trunkfuls of Dreamcoat memorabilia. Posters, programs, photos, props, and much more will be on display. If you performed with Dreamcoat, odds are your program will be there to conjure some sweet memories. Maybe even your old costume.
“I think that Dreamcoat has a really special place in North Bay,” said Shannon Clause, one of the event’s coordinators, “because we’re the only program offering a theatre experience for children of this age group.” Indeed, if you ask actors now performing in the local high school musicals, many will say they started with Dreamcoat. It’s a foundational education for so many local actors and crew.
“They learn so much more than just acting and singing and dancing,” Clause elaborated, “they become leaders, more confident. Sometimes kids won’t event talk to you, and now they’re standing on a stage singing a song. It’s unbelievable.”
See: Dreamcoat's Finding Nemo Jr. on stage Friday
Michelina Beam, Dreamcoat’s Executive Director, noted that thousands of local youths have performed in Dreamcoat productions over the past 25 years. Some of those kids have kids of their own now, and they too are performing.
There’s a lot of people to bring home, and Beam and Clause hope to see a lot of theatre alum and their families come out for the event.
There will be karaoke, a “song-a-thon” fundraiser. A silent auction will also be held, and a photo booth will be set up to capture some new memories.
Once 6 p.m. rolls around the gala dinner begins. Tickets are $100 per person or $900 for a table of 10. Tickets include the meal, entertainment, and a charitable receipt. To buy tickets and to register for karaoke, follow this link. Ticket deadline is June 8th.
Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre is a registered charity, dedicated to providing theatre experiences for North Bay’s children. With a primary focus on “Theatre for Children by Children”, Dreamcoat produces up to five shows a year featuring casts of children aged 5 to 14 along with one multi-generational family production.
“Dreamcoat has been a cornerstone of our community, bringing joy, nurturing creativity, and developing confidence and leadership skills in children for 25 wonderful years,” Beam emphasized.
“Although this celebration is a fond look back at our past,” she added, “these memories remind us that the experiences we provide for children will shape the future for so many and we want to be able to continue to do this for our next generation of kids.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.