Business may be just business, but at the end of the day, providing equal and quality opportunities will better local artists and their future careers.
That’s the goal of a new public collaboration between three Prince George performing arts organizations, all while hoping to end an apparent stigma around relationships within the city’s entertainment community.
This morning (Feb. 27), Theatre NorthWest and Judy Russell Presents, along with the Nove Voce Choral Society, announced joint auditions to be held next month for separate productions, both set to take the stage later in 2020, as a way to give local artists the chance to showcase their talent and save them from going to multiple auditions.
“One artist might think, ‘Oh, I could never audition for that organization, but I am going to audition for this other one,’ but then, we get to see both at the same time, so it gives us wider exposure to local talent,” said Theatre NorthWest Executive Director Marnie Hamagami, adding it’s important to speak publicly about the closeness between all Prince George performing arts companies.
“We are really committed at this point in our development to work with local artists. We want to give local artists the opportunity to work where they live. For us, we’ve been very deliberate over the past couple of seasons, particularly the last two seasons, in looking for and hiring local artists; that can be technical, performance, directorial, it covers all aspects.”
Judy Russell of Judy Russell Presents says now is the appropriate time to ‘hop in the sandbox’ with organizations like Theatre NorthWest as they share the same audience, calling the collaboration a win-win for everyone.
According to Russell, she’s says rumours about the two organizations not liking each other are not true and that they’ve been working together now for several years behind the scenes.
“I still hear people sort of echoing the words of the past, like, ‘Oh, they don’t get along really well.’ Well, that’s just absolute poppycock, it’s not true,” said Russell when asked by PrinceGeorgeMatters about going public today.
“That’s long gone and, you know, there’s lots of turnover in the city at the moment, partially because the situation here is that Marnie is running it a little bit differently than it normally has been in the last 27 years. So there’s a little bit of more room for collaboration and friendship and hand-holding, but, to be truthful, the last 10 years, we have shared stuff, but not to the degree we’re moving forward to.”
She believes Prince George is ready to hear about the friendships, especially with the city in discussions of an arts hub downtown.
Robin Norman, Choir Director for Nove Voce, says everything has been shared for a number of years from equipment and stages to singers and actors.
She too is stymied why the community would think local entertainment groups don’t like each other.
“That’s a really common misconception because when you look back historically, I certainly did work with Theatre NorthWest right at the beginning,” explained Norman.
“It’s been something that’s been going on, so we don’t know where the misconception came from. If Theatre NorthWest wants help with sound, they call EPI and with us vice versa. It goes back and forth and people sort of just don’t realize how much we share.”
With the silence now broken, all three groups are excited to move forward in a positive direction with the upcoming joint auditions.
“We’re all friends, and it’s lonely out there sometimes and you need support, and sometimes you need to look right next to you for that support,” said Russell.
Judy Russell Presents says it’s looking for rock opera and musical theatre artists of all ages and genders to perform later this year, while Theatre NorthWest is seeking out young women for its November-December production.
You can email [email protected] to request a rehearsal time and are asked to include your age within the message.
Auditions, where you must bring a head shot, resume, prepare 16 bars of an appropriate song and be prepared to move and read lines, are set for the following dates, time-periods and locations:
- Friday, March 6 = 6 to 9 p.m. at Enchainement Dance Centre (3540 Opie Cres.)
- Saturday, March 7 = 2 to 6 p.m. at Theatre NorthWest (#36-556 North Nechako Rd.)
- Sunday, March 8 = 1 to 5 p.m. at Prince George Playhouse (2626 Recplace Dr.)
