Magnus Theatre’s Season Closer
Story by Steph Skavinski, Photo by Scott Hobbs
Magnus Theatre’s season is going out with a bang. Robin Hawdon’s wild and entertaining Perfect Wedding is The Importance of Being Earnest meets The Hangover meets Three’s Company. A bridegroom wakes up on his wedding day next to a woman he doesn’t recognize, with no recollection of what has happened. A series of hilarious misunderstandings ensue; in the style of a classic farce, one small misunderstanding snowballs out of control as he tries to solve the problem (but of course only ends up creating more). This show is stacked with an amazing cast, including Thunder Bay’s own Jo-Ann Waytowich (of Ivanka fame).
Reflecting on his first year as Magnus Theatre’s artistic director, Thom Currie is extremely pleased with how this season has gone. By bringing in a range of different productions, he has been able to bring something new to audiences. Season highlights include shows like The River, a production that gives rise to more questions than answers, Bed & Breakfast, which tackles LGBTQ issues within a comedic framework, and We Will Rock You, a North American regional premiere. Of the shows he’s bringing in, Currie says, “I want to be challenged, and I want to challenge the audience. I’m really interested in finding shows that intrigue people. Every show we’ve done this season has been markedly different from one to the next.”
In addition to ensuring Magnus has a diverse program, Currie has also brought in some other changes. He started the pay-what-you-can initiative (the second Sunday of every run), which he believes is important: “I want everyone to be able to come and have the theatre experience. It’s not like seeing a movie, or watching a TV show. It’s a unique experience unto itself.” He’s also looking into expanding their educational programming by creating more workshops not just for children, but for adults and seniors as well.
One other change that Currie has made is to extend the show runs in order to ensure that everyone who wants to share the experience of theatre is able to. Magnus shows now run three weeks instead of just two, giving people in Thunder Bay more opportunity to come and enjoy the shows. This means you’ve got a three-week window to make sure you don’t miss out on Perfect Wedding, running May 3 to 19.
For more information visit magnustheatre.com.
