Community theatre is alive and well, and promises to be better than ever now that the Meaford Theatre Company has secured a lease on a new home a short 12-minute drive from downtown Meaford.
The Meaford Theatre Co. has entered into a two-year lease agreement with the Municipality of Meaford to use Woodford Hall to not only stage its annual productions but also to house its staging materials and sound and lighting equipment, with room galore to build sets.
Director Kim Ransom and members of the theatre company recognized the possibilities the moment they walked into Woodford Hall. When the prospects of leasing the space were discussed, they could not believe their good fortune. “We walked in the front door and immediately fell in love with the space,” he said. “The hall is just the right size for our productions, and for our size of audiences. It has a workable stage, a place to store our set materials, costumes, sound and lighting equipment, and lots of room to build our sets.”
“…instead of Kim’s driveway,” adds company member Brian Fray who, along with a crew of upwards of 10 volunteers have been working every week day from 9 a.m. till noon since August, freshening the hall, building storage spaces for the company’s wardrobe and set materials, adding sound proofing, and extending the hall’s stage by an additional five feet – basically, transforming the hall into a perfect venue for the company’s annual productions.
Now, with two productions looming, the volunteers are back in the evenings to start rehearsals for the November 9 Remembrance Day music and drama production Our Community Remembers and a second community theatre production for the year Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad, on November 21, 22, and 23.
“The Remembrance Day production will be the perfect time for everyone to come out and see our new home,” Kim says. “It’s a short 12-minute drive from downtown Meaford.”
Details of the Our Community Remembers music and drama production on November 9 and the Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad production on November 21-23 to follow.
Photo: Meaford Community Theatre Director Kim Ransom organizes set materials in the newly-built racks in Woodford Hall. The theatre company has a two-year lease with the Municipality of Meaford to use the hall for rehearsals, productions, set building. and storage.
