Sunday Afternoon, April 6th we took our final bow with our 28th Season.
It was an incredible Season that entertained the masses with Homestyle Cooking, Homegrown Hospitality and Down-Home Humour. Our Benefit Program, which has been helping folks in our Communities for 28 Seasons, was phenomenal.
What a treat it is for us folks at Cow Patti to use the tool of Professional Theatre to enhance the needs and platforms of these very deserving groups and organizations. In our 28th Season we had Benefits every Saturday Afternoon for the following well deserving groups: Kasota East Camp, The Lacombe Performing Arts Center, The Rocky Mountain House Museum. The Optimist Club of Red Deer, The Golden Circle Seniors Resource Center, The Lacombe Legion, and Grama Link Africa. Our Benefit Program in our 28th Season raised over a whopping $36,000.00.Along with our Benefit program, we broke all House Records in our 28 years of producing. Our Theatre is back and stronger than ever! The Cast, Crews, Sponsors, Caterers, Volunteers and all of our invested Patrons was what enabled Cow Patti to have a joyful, Bang on Season. Great pride and love for our Country Canada, (especially in the second half of the Season) was felt by the Herd at Cow Patti and all of our Patrons.
During our Production of Perfect Wedding, our audience joined us in singing of our beloved Canadian National Anthem! Which was an indescribably, beautiful Canadian moment filled with so much love, respect and community. It was a very distinct gesture that connected us all in a very special way, a way only the theatre can create.
So, what can a little Alberta Theatre Company do for Canadians…Eh?
Investing in the performing arts in Alberta has a significant economic impact. For every $1 invested, it generates approximately $1.60 in economic activity. This includes direct spending on arts activities, as well as the ripple effects of that spending throughout the economy, such as job creation and tourism. The arts sector in Alberta contributes over $1.2 billion to the GDP and supports more than 17,000 jobs. It's clear that the arts are not just a cultural asset but also a vital part of the economy. Arts, entertainment, and recreation offer a lot of value to the economy in terms of direct, indirect, and induced value added per million dollars spent. The average Alberta Arts & Culture tourist spends 2 times as much per trip as does a typical tourist. Small businesses play an essential role in the vitality and success of Alberta’s local communities and economy, making up 95.4 percent of businesses in the province and employing a significant portion of our labour force.
Perhaps even more impactful than numbers, our shows are deeply funny and lift people’s spirits which supports the wellbeing and mental health of our community. The presence of arts is linked to increased neighborhood livability, community identity, and social wellbeing. Research ties the benefits of arts participation to the informal education and empowerment of the community, and to a sense of pride and community ownership.
I am already busy planning our Canadian Professional Comedy Dinner Theatre’s 29th Season, which we will, fittingly announce - Canada Day, July 1, 2024. Stay tuned, follow us on Facebook. It's going to be a Fabulously Funny Season filled with Canadian Content, Talent and Alberta Beef!
Until then, again many thanks for your invested love and interest in CPTC and have a wonderful sunny summer.
ELBOWS UP!
AnnaMarie Lea
Artistic Producing Director - Cow Patti Theatre Company