SEEKING TECHNICAL THEATRE SUPPORT FOR SUMMER 2020

West Village Theatre is hiring a Venue Technician. 

The main duties of this job will be aiding with fixing the theatre space and assisting with the renovations of the theatre’s floor, venue maintenance (including cleaning and stocking), and helping optimize the theatre’s organization and technical elements. The ideal candidate is:

• self-motivated and reliable to take on organizing, cleaning and making WVT even better!

• familiar with technical equipment (light instruments, speakers, soundboards, etc.)

• capable of physical labour (will be replacing flooring in theatre, and doing venue maintenance tasks such as light fixture cleaning)

Ghost River Theatre is hiring a Production Manager. 

The core duties of this position will be to help the company plan the technical aspects of next season while aiding with organizing inventory and storage. The ideal candidate is:

• capable of working independently and with a small team

• organized and self-reliant

• familiar with technical equipment (lights, speakers, costumes, props, etc.)

• experienced in technical direction, production management, and/or stage management

Employment for both positions will begin the week of May 11th, 2020 and run up to 16 weeks (ending August 28, 2020). Selected applicants will work 35 hours per week at $17/hour. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there is a possibility of employment extending until February 28, 2021. Please note, the positions are dependent on funding from Canada Summer Jobs. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply:

• be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment; and

• have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada. 

Information about West Village Theatre can be found online at www.westvillagetheatre.com. Both companies are committed to the health and safety of their employees and will take all necessary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To apply, please email your relevant resume and a cover letter expressing your interest and why you are a good candidate to Andrew G. Cooper, Administrator at info@westvillagetheatre.com. We will be accepting applications until May 4, 2020 or until the positions are filled.

Update on ONE by Jason Carnew

Spring is here in Calgary now and things are looking more different than ever at Ghost River Theatre. Because of the global pandemic, Eric, Kate and Andrew are working from home for the foreseeable future, which means we're seeing a lot more of our families and a lot less of our theatre. Last week the West Village Theatre announced it would be closing until further notice. Theatres are meant to be active, but our theatre is empty, just like countless others across the country. 

So what does that mean for us? Right now, we are making plans to bring some theatre to you. We are fortunate to receive operating funding from the government, so we're not currently in a financial crisis. However, we know that in times like this arts are more important than ever. In a time of self-isolating and social distancing, human connection is more important than ever. Our Executive Director Kate Stadel says, "We want to continue to provide a home for arts and culture in our community because we know that is what people will turn to when they're feeling alone or isolated. We'll be here through these uncertain times." 

We have just made the very difficult decision to cancel our upcoming production of ONE by Jason Carnew, which was set to run at the West Village Theatre in Calgary from May 20th to 31st, 2020. You can read more about that below. Ghost River Theatre has always been nimble and adaptive by nature. We’re exploring how to embrace our new reality. We're making plans now on ways for you to journey through these times with us and we'll be announcing some new projects soon, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, we'll take a note from Mayor Nenshi and pass along these wise words to live by now: "Clean hands, clear heads, open hearts."

Kind regards, 

Eric, Kate, and Andrew

The Ghost River Theatre Team

Our tour of ONE by Jason Carnew to Factor Theatre in Toronto was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 13th, 2020. We were deeply saddened by this news and we are standing together with all the other companies and artists across Canada that are now in similar circumstances due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

After closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic over the last two weeks, Ghost River Theatre has made the decision to cancel the production of ONE in Calgary, which was set to run at the West Village Theatre from May 20th to 31st, 2020. Ghost River Theatre’s top priority is the health and safety of our artists, staff, volunteers, and patrons. Our hearts are with the artists of this show and their families as we say goodbye to this production. We will continue to follow the most up-to-date guidelines from Alberta Health Services, World Health Organization (WHO), and the provincial and federal governments as we look to the future for the company. 

If you are a ticket holder for ONE, you will be contacted shortly with information regarding your tickets for this production. Please be patient with us as we work through this troubling time. We also ask you to consider donating the cost of your tickets to Ghost River Theatre. As a non-profit society, we rely on donations from our patrons in order for us to create new works of theatre. This is important now more than ever. 

To stay up to date on further developments with Ghost River Theatre, please visit www.ghostrivertheatre.com/news. Thank you for your understanding and support at this time.

COVID-19 Update from West Village Theatre

Dear Patrons of the West Village Theatre,

West Village Theatre, which includes resident companies Calgary Young People’s Theatre and Ghost River Theatre, is monitoring the situation about coronavirus (COVID-19) very closely and as of today (March 16, 2020) will be closing to the public and cancelling all public events. West Village Theatre and its resident companies are committed to flattening the curve and not putting any of our guests or staff in danger.

At this time, we have not chosen a re-opening date as we are taking our cues from the provincial, local, and federal health officials. 

Our decisions may change as the situation evolves. Our decisions are guided by the health and safety of our audience, volunteers, staff, and community.

For updates and current information on Coronavirus COVID-19 please visit www.albertahealthservices.ca. For updates on the West Village Theatre please visit our social media, our website http://westvillagetheatre.com and also our resident companies sites at http://cypt.ca and https://www.ghostrivertheatre.com.

Thank you,

Kate Stadel

Board President West Village Theatre

COVID-19 Statement from West Village Theatre and Ghost River Theatre

Dear Patrons of the West Village Theatre,

We at the West Village Theatre, which includes resident companies Calgary Young People’s Theatre and Ghost River Theatre, are monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) very closely and are taking extra precautions at this time. Special attention is being given to our regular cleaning regime and common surfaces are being sanitized at a more frequent rate. In addition to this, we will be spacing out our seating to help with close contact with other patrons and will be suspending snacks and alcohol sales at concession; however non-alcoholic beverages will be available. 

We are kindly requesting that any guests of the West Village Theatre stay at home if they have recently travelled outside of Alberta, are in the category of vulnerable individuals (including older adults and those with serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease), or show signs of any sickness. 

Currently, the risk in Alberta is still assessed as low. We are taking this day by day as the information and recommendations have been evolving on an ongoing basis. The current event scheduled at the West Village Theatre by Calgary Young People’s Theatre will host gatherings of under 100 patrons. This meets the current recommended standards of low-risk public gatherings.

Our decisions may change as the situation evolves. Our decisions are guided by the health and safety of our audience, volunteers, staff, and community.

For updates and current information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) please visit www.albertahealthservices.ca. For updates on the West Village Theatre please visit our social media, our website www.westvillagetheatre.com, and also our resident companies sites at www.cypt.ca and www.ghostrivertheatre.com. 

Thank you,

Kate Stadel

Board President West Village Theatre