Community Venture Members Revive Annual Play

This summer, members of The Salvation Army’s Community Venture (CV) put on a play for an audience of over 100. The 45-minute production was fully cast by members of the service, and they also had a hand in decorating posters and sets. The play was a return to an annual tradition and received a standing ovation from the packed house.

“This an annual event that CV South always looks forward to,” explains Day Coordinator Rowena Austria. “CV South takes pride in putting on a huge production. Since our last play was almost four years ago, we wanted to ensure that we make an amazing comeback.” In preparation for the revival of the spring play, CV members and staff brainstormed themes and ideas. They had previously put on a production of The Lion King, and lots of movie-related themes came up. The group eventually decided on Alice in Wonderland.

“I have always loved Alice in Wonderland, says Connor Ashdown, who played the Cheshire Cat. “It is basically a fun little story about a bright young girl with an incredible imagination. Where she dreams of a life of her own, where she doesn’t have to follow rules, where she has fun nonstop. But then ultimately realizes that too much of a good thing can ultimately lead to a bad thing.”

Preparing for the performance was a six-week process that started at the beginning of May with script writing, learning lines and songs, choreography and rehearsal. Some of the members had never performed before, while others, like Kristen Claydon, who played the Queen of Hearts, are self-described “theatre buffs”.

“As soon as we started rehearsing, that was when the fun started for me,” says Kristen. “My first costume fitting was very exciting, and being able to practice in costumes. And then of course, the rehearsals. The rehearsals are what kick it off for me. It is just so much fun when you get to start rehearsing, memorizing the lines and getting into character. This production was the first production that I have been in since high school, and it woke that part of me right back up again. I remember feeling, especially a couple days before the play when we were getting mic’ed up, so excited. So to be able to get back into and have that feeling again of just being so excited and so proud to be doing something that I had forgotten how much I love,” she says.

The performance was extremely well-received, with professional sound and lighting and a beautifully painted backdrop provided through a partnership with the Manitoba Theatre Centre. Following the play, the audience was invited to stay for a short reception and refreshments. The play was recorded, and the following day, the cast gathered to watch their hard work.

“We watched the play on our projector screen as a group,” says Rowena. “At the end, everyone was overjoyed as they realized how much hard work they had put into this play and how beautifully this all came together”.

“This was definitely a collaborative team effort,” says Rowena. “Everyone put all their time and hard work into this play, from the script writing to the daily rehearsals and everything else included. It was gratifying to see that all of our hard work and perseverance have definitely paid off!”

Community Venture supports adults living with an intellectual disability to live good and satisfying lives in their communities. To learn more about day, residential, transportation, outreach and respite services available, visit their website: https://communityventure.mb.ca/.