As cliche as it sounds, New West Theatre really does have something for everyone this season. After a successful fundraising campaign last year, the long standing local theatre group is on more stable financial footing so they can focus on what they do best — making people happy.

 There are open auditions for the upcoming season.

 Artistic director Kelly Reay is looking forward to the  slightly tweaked season.

“There really is something for everyone. There is definitely a range of emotions for audiences,” Reay said.

In the past, New West has put on music comedy revues in July as well as August.

“ Not since I’ve been here,” Reay said.

“ We decided to focus on quality rather than quantity this season” he said.

 The summer music comedy revue will be “ Wonderstruck,” running Aug. 9-26 in the Yates Theatre.

 This summer, popular children’s program “Hootenanny,” will be under the New West mantle.

“ We thought it needed a more official producing  body,” he said.

“It is a non ticketed event running in the Galt Gardens,” he said.

This year’s Hootenanny is an original play “There’s a Turtle In my Tub”  about curious and creative kid Mabel, who discovers the turtle Seymour in her bathtub and he needs some help crossing the vast ocean to go home.

The show, directed by Nicola Elson,  runs  July 5-29 at 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday through Saturdays.

Local theatre company Hatrix Theatre is revisiting the Foreigner, May 10-13 at McNally Community Centre.

“It’s the tenth anniversary of  our first performance of the Foreigner. It’s a lovely play,” said director Karolyn Harker.

Hatrix staged Larry Shue’s 1983 comedy 10 years ago. 

“ It’s fun and entertaining. But the play also has some important messages about the ability to change for the better and about the makings of friendships between people who didn’t expect to become friends,” Harker continued.

“They work together against a group of people who are greedy and power hungry,” Harker said.

“The Foreigner” is about science fiction magazine editor, Charlie, who’s friend, army demolitions expert Staff Sgt Froggie LaSeur brings to Meeks Lodge in rural Georgia in the early ’80s to escape the stress of an ailing and cheating wife. Froggy convinces everyone Charlie can’s speak English so the occupants, a widow, a pregnant former debutante, a sinister minister and a Klansman will leave him alone.

“ Instead he hears a lot of deeply personal and sometimes alarming conversations he shouldn’t, and comedic mayhem ensues as Charlie helps them protect his new family and help them become better versions of themselves while acquiring a personality of his own,” Harker said.

 The production features a couple cast members from the first production including Richard Amery and Jeff Graham who reprise their roles of Ellard and Owen respectively.

“We have a wonderful cast. We have two people from the original cast and several new actors who have to drive long distances to give us the benefits of their great talent,“ she enthused.

 Maren Coates, playing Catherine and Michael Dyck who plays Staff Sgt. Froggy Laseur come in from Fort Macleod three times a week for rehearsals and Jocelyn Steinborn, who won the best actress award and best director in the Chinook One Act Play Festival this year with Taber Players comes in from Taber.

 The cast also includes newcomer Brent Cutforth playing ‘the foreigner’ Charlie. he was also in the Gazebo last year. Local theatre veteran Vittorio Oliverio plays David.

Jocelyn Steinborn has wanted to be part of the Foreigner since Taber Players put it on, also in 2013.

“I was just a grunt, the assistant director when Taber Players put it on. I loved it, so I jumped at the chance to play Betty,” Steinborn said.

“ I feel Ms. Meeks was once strong and vibrant, but after years of financial problems and after losing her husband, she’s in an existential slump, but the foreigner arrives and gives her joy and purpose,” said Steinborn of her character.

 She  loves the script.

“It’s funny. These are innocent, simple folks. It doesn’t make fun of them,” she said, adding  she also loves Betty’s belief in ‘Charlie.’

 Maren Coates plays ex-debutante Catherine. She  saw the Carriage House Theatre  put on “The Foreigner” and wanted to be involved.

Playgoers of Lethbridge celebrated their one hundredth anniversary with a two day extravaganza of Southern Albertan artists at the Yates Theatre/ Sterndale Bennett Theatre, April 21 and 22.

They featured a little bit of everything running throughout the two days on both stages and workshops in the mezzanine, where there was also a historical display of memories of Playgoers from through the ages.

There was lots of dance from local youth dance companies, Troyanda Ukrainian Dance, local jazz bands, some film , a performance from the Father Van Tighem Performing Arts, Métis Jigging, hoop dancing, Lethbridge community Taiko, the Southern Alberta chorus and even acts for children and families

I only caught a few of the acts.

As expected there were plenty of plays.

All three entrants from the Taber Players reprised their plays from this year‘s  Chinook One Act  Drama Festival. The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance  Society offered a taste of Shakespeare, and Lethbridge Musical Theatre performed Ed Bayly’s Priscilla Pringles’ Predicament.

 I missed most of Friday, but made a point of catching the Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society.

hey  offered up a  menacing version of the witches scene from MacBeth featuring some familiar faces including David Mikuliak and Jeff Carlson.

 They also played a brief scene from Othello.

But the best part was getting a sneak preview of this summer’s  production of Taming of the Shrew.

 Though the summer production will be set in the ’60s, they put on a traditional version of the immortal Kate and Petruccio wooing scene featuring the actors who will be playing Kate and Petruccio this summer.

I got there relatively early  on Saturday to catch part of a children’s show with the Band Formerly  known as Karen, Lewis and Pam featuring Ash Thomson, Gabe Thaine  and Jillian Bracken backed by upright bassist and drummer Brad Brouwer. They played a few Sharon, Lois and Bram songs and  a few of their own children’s songs. Rufus the mime was in the audience silently cheering them on and getting the kids to participate.

 I  took part in  a stage fighting workshop which was a lot of fun and very informative, but cut it short because I didn’t want to miss  the return of “ A Dog’s life, which was my favourite One act.  Darrell Croft reprised his award winning role of Ben, the old hobo dog.

 As a bonus, Teresa Huszar stepped into the role of cute, naïve puppy Ginger. It’s always a pleasure to see her on stage.

Ryland Moranz and Mickey Hayward looked a little worse for the wear during their headlining set with bassist Kurt Ciesla.

 As always Moranz was an affable and captivating frontman, playing his always uplifting songs on banjo and guitar. He added a couple of harp solo.

 His fleet fingers flew over the frets in between telling jokes and stories about  touring Europe and playing songs from his last album  XO 1945.

He added couple new songs he wrote during the pandemic with only his wife as the audience.

— by Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor