Big Laughs, Big Hearts: A Record-Building 29th Season

Oh What a Season It’s Been at Cow Patti!

The Cow Patti Theatre Company is delighted to announce the tremendous success of its 29th season, highlighted by the heartfelt and humorous production of The Sweet Delilah Swim Club. With The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, our efforts raised more than $18,000 in support of The Lacombe Legion, Grama Link Africa, Kasota East Camp and  in memory of Dawn Parent, Give Care Share . The company's achievements were made possible by the generosity of its community and loyal audience as well as HT Catering’s commitment to participate in our Benefit Program. Our community’s generosity continues to inspire us and make a lasting impact both locally and abroad. 

We extend our sincere appreciation to the entire “Herd” at Cow Patti- for their unwavering dedication., talent and love of theatre. The cast: Rennie Wilkinson, Heather MacDonnell, Susan Greenfield, Elana Post and AnnaMarie Lea—whose performances captivated audiences. Special thanks to: Abigaile Gagnon (Stage Management), Debbie Collins (Assistant Director), Tom Lea (Technical Director) and his Set Building Crew, Louise Dean (FOH and Box Office Manager) Donna Samoluk (Box Office)  Chris Yaremchuk (Web and Media Design), Liam Collins (Jingle Master), Shona Sponholz (Costumes) and our many volunteers, who took such good care of our patrons.

It Takes a Herd when Supporting the Stage

A Standing Ovation for Our Valued Community

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our Season Sponsors, HT Catering, Strand 360, Weidner Motors, Sunny 94, Lionels No Frills, The Bentley Mercantile, Lacombe Florists and Gifts, Sunrise RV, Time Advantage Accounting Services and  New Country 95 5,  who’s  generosity helped aid in offering top notch professional entertainment in ” our neck of the woods.” 

To our Billets, Terry Mulrony, Gerd and Helga Reiner, Tracy Duckett, Cathy and Will Steele who opened their homes to the artists while with us in Alberta. Without your support we wouldn’t be able to bring in such talent to our area. 

All these noted “front lines” are the heart and soul of Cow Patti, and we are ecstatic to have worked with each and every one.

To Our Loyal Audience Across Alberta

The Part of Our Herd That Keeps Us Going, Whether Traveling Near or Far

To our loyal audience: (that travels out to Cow Patti from every corner of Alberta!) Your enthusiastic support is the foundation of Cow Patti’s ongoing success. Without you, our work would not be possible, and we are truly grateful and value  all of you for your continued encouragement and applause.

Looking ahead, The  Cow Patti Theatre Company will announce on Canada Day, July 1, 2026, our landmark 30th season. Stay tuned for more information and join us as we celebrate another year of laughter, community, and philanthropy.

What a way to kick off Cow Patti Theatre’s 28th season! Norm Foster’s The Long Weekend brought thunderous applause, standing ovations, and a whole lot of belly laughs to over 5,000 audience members. This “comedy of bad manners” proved to be a smash hit, breaking all Cow Patti House records and setting the stage for another stellar season ahead.

Our cast of professional actors brought their A-game to Alberta! Brian Young, Viviana Zarillo, and Matthew Olver have safely returned to Ontario, but they’ve assured us they can’t wait to return to Big Sky Alberta in the future. Meanwhile, our fourth star, AnnaMarie Lea, is right here in Alberta, gearing up to deliver even more laughs with Perfect Wedding by Robin Hawdon this March.

The Long Weekend was a true community celebration. We were thrilled to welcome Senior Tour groups from all across Alberta, and some from as far as Lloydminster, Saskatchewan! Incredibly, 35% of our audiences were first-time patrons – welcome to the Cow Patti Herd, folks! 

HT Catering added to the fun with their WOW-worthy brunches and buffets, from Beef and Bird to Tacos and Fajitas, leaving everyone with full bellies and happy hearts.

Together, we raised over $17,000 for our Benefit Program, supporting:

• Optimist Club of Blackfalds
• Golden Circle Resource Centre
• Lacombe Performing Arts Centre
• Kasota East Camp
• Rocky Mountain House Museum

To all our patrons, thank you for your generous support, laughter, and heartfelt comments, many of which stated “we’ll be back!”
We look forward to seeing you again soon!

We’re already planting “the crop” for our next production, Perfect Wedding by Robin Hawdon. This hilarious tale of a wedding day gone terribly (and delightfully) wrong will have audiences istitches. Mark your calendars – the fun begins March 13, 2025, and runs through to April 6, 2025.Join us for another season of laughs, love, and community at Cow Patti Theatre. Let the hilarity continue!

 

Yours in Laughter,

AnnaMarie Lea
Head Cow - The Cow Patti Theatre Company

Cow Patti Theatre Company Launches 28th Season with Norm Foster's The Long Weekend

Lacombe County, Alberta – Cow Patti Theatre Company is delighted to announce the opening of its 28th season with Norm Foster's classic comedy, The Long Weekend. Performances are scheduled from November 16 to December 14, 2024, at the Tin Roof Event Centre.

Renowned as Canada's most-produced playwright, Norm Foster's works have been a staple in Cow Patti's repertoire. The Long Weekend, penned in 1994, offers a humorous exploration of relationships and social dynamics.

The production features a distinguished cast of Canadian talent, each boasting over 35 years in the industry:​

• Brian Young: A familiar face at Cow Patti, Brian was last seen in the 2022 production of Foster's Jonas and Barry in the Home.​

• Viviana Zarrillo: Returning after her performance in Halfway There, another Foster creation.​

• AnnaMarie Lea: Artistic Producing Director and "Head Cow" of Cow Patti, AnnaMarie starred in last season's Drinking Alone.​

• Matthew Olver: Joined AnnaMarie in the acclaimed conclusion of the 27th season.​

Making her directorial debut with Cow Patti, Anita la Selva brings over 35 years of experience as an actor, writer, and educator to this production.

Continuing a successful collaboration, HT Catering will provide homestyle cuisine for the third consecutive season. Audiences can look forward to a variety of buffet options, including brunches, beef and bird dinners, and Thursday taco and fajita nights. Notably, ticket prices remain unchanged this season, reflecting Cow Patti's commitment to accessibility.

Cow Patti's Benefit Performance Program continues to support community organizations through Saturday brunch matinees. This season's beneficiaries include:​

• November 16: Optimist Club of Blackfalds​

• November 23: Golden Circle Resource Centre​Cow Patti

• November 30: Rocky Mountain House Museum​Cow Patti

• December 7: Lacombe Performing Arts Centre​

• December 14: Kasota East Camp​

Over the past 27 seasons, Cow Patti has raised nearly $800,000 through over 200 benefit performances, embodying the belief that "giving liberates the soul of the giver." ​

Reflecting on his prolific career, Norm Foster expressed gratitude for audiences' continued interest in his work, stating, "I'm really proud that people want to see my work and want to see my new stuff. That makes me want to keep writing." ​

Tickets for The Long Weekend are now available. For reservations and more information, please visit www.cowpatti.com or contact the box office at +1.403.304.6329.

 

Yours in Laughter,

AnnaMarie Lea
Head Cow - The Cow Patti Theatre Company

Happy Summer Everyone! 

It seems like it was yesterday that we were closing our very successful 27th Season with Drinking Alone by Norm Foster and here I sit prepping this Announcement Release with our 2024/25 Season. Time flies when we are having fun

Over the last few months, I have read many plays with you, my audience, in mind. What is it that you want from Cow Patti in the season to come? The answer to that was very easy, you want to be entertained alongside a happy belly full of delicious homestyle grub! Thinking about the entertainment factor, I needed to find scripts with characters and stories you will be invested in and there’s no better playwright that delivers that than Norm Foster.

THE LONG WEEKEND by NORM FOSTER

Opening November 14 and running till December 15, 2024

So, for our first offering of the season The Long Weekend by master playwright Norm Foster. Norm wrote this play 30 years ago and it  has been produced worldwide since 1994. Cow Patti actually produced The Long Weekend14 years ago! So why this show? It is truly a classic comedy that deals with characters that we all know and love to hate! There is no huge lesson to be learned… and no one is facing grave life altering decisions it is purely…  

A riotously funny play about two married couples and a few weekend getaways that gets hilariously twisted with secrets and desires. We get the fun of looking in the windows of their lives and enjoy the pure mirth in this dysfunctional comedy of bad manners.  As the secrets come spilling out so will the belly aches from nonstop laughter!. The Long Weekend is a hilarious tangled web of truths, deception and surprises that leaves the audience guessing and wondering - is the grass always greener on the other side.

PERFECT WEDDING By Robin Hawdon 

MARCH 13 AND RUNNING TILL APRIL 6, 2025 

Over our 28-year history we have produced many farces, Boeing Boeing, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Who’s Under Where?, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii and as with our first show of the upcoming season we also produced Perfect Wedding by Robin Hawdon 13 years ago. There is a style of theatre we call farce, and the dictionary describes farce in the following:

farce/färs/ noun

1. a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay, typically including entertaining characterization in ludicrously improbable situations. A slapstick broad comedy with masterful  choreographed confusion. 

The Big Day Gone Hilariously Wrong  when the groom awakes to find a strange girl in bed beside him - what's more he has no idea who she is. Its hysterical chaos when the monster bride arrives which leaves the strange girl trapped in the bathroom, the best man agreeing to be her boyfriend, the Brides mother ridiculously naïve and the chambermaid pretending to be everyone’s girlfriend.  Disaster for them- fun for us!

So why am I bringing back two shows that we have previously done? Because they proved to be crowd favorites and two shows that really built up our following in Cow Patti’s early years. Looking back since 2011 our audiences have quadrupled in capacity, so we are very excited to introduce these comedies to all our friends that haven’t seen these shows and a chance for our early day patrons to revisit these hilarious theatre offerings.

I mentioned early that the other factor in our success is making sure our patrons have a happy belly with yummy homestyle cooking, well that part of the equation was easy, a meeting with HT Catering, where we discussed the buffet menus for the 28th Season. Expect to find all your mouth watering favorites, with a few new entrées to tempt your taste buds.

In regard to programming, we are sticking with our tried and true. Pricing this season will remain the same, we realize we are all conscientious about our pocketbooks and we are continuing to offer up solid professional theatre and amazing buffets with very competitive pricing. 

Scheduling of shows will remain the same as last season. Discounted Senior Buffet Matinees on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday. Benefit Brunch Buffet Matinees on all Saturdays. Regular Sunday Buffets. Beef and Bird Dinner Theatre Buffets on Friday and Saturday Nights, and Your Choice Thursdays will continue with Afternoon Senior Buffets and Evening Taco and Fajita Buffets. With all Thursday shows during the season you can choose the full meal deal or just take in the performance.

Very near and dear to my heart is our Benefit Program which will bring countless individuals - a voice, means and a way to bring joy to their lives. Every Saturday Brunch matinee will be a benefit performance to ensure this joy. Our Benefit Performances this season will be for Kasota East Camp, The Lacombe Legion, Grandma Link Africa, The Golden Circle Resource Centre, The Optimist Club of Blackfalds and the Rocky Mountain House Museum. In total we have nine benefit shows. Last season we raised over $50,000 and our goal is to bring that total to an even higher number.

Christmas Parties are already booking in during The Long Weekend, a great way to gather the “Herd” and let us take care of the entertaining! As well, Gift Certificates are available for all those special occasions...cause there is no better sight than their look of delight as they unwrap a turd and become a part of the Herd!  

It’s going to be a Bumper Crop Season of Laughs during our 75 plus shows in our 28th Season of Comedy Grub Theatre Season that I guarantee will deliver wild fun, fiasco, and laughter! 

Tickets go on sale July 1, 2024 - visit www.cowpatti.com or call our Box Office at 403 304 6329 or 403 396 3515 or contact us by email.

Yours in Laughter,

AnnaMarie Lea
Head Cow - CPTC

NOW THAT’S A LOT OF “BULL #@%!”

Sunday Afternoon, March 24th we took our final bow with our 27th Season. It was a grand season with so many delightful things that took place, but I am going to focus on our Benefit Program, that has been helping folks in our Communities for the past 27 years. Together, we  performed with open hearts and willing souls for: Kasota East Camp, The Lending Cupboard, The Lacombe Performing Arts Center, The Rocky Mountain House Museum. The Golden Circle Seniors Resource Center, The Lacombe Legion, Lacombe KIDSPORT,  and Grama Link Africa. 

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. 

We would like to thank each and every audience member for joining us during our 27th Season. It was a huge success and proof again, with the record-breaking crowds, with the laughter, the applause, and the comments we received back that Live Theatre is Alive and Well in Our Neck of the Woods!

Many thanks as well to Norm Foster, our in-house playwright for the 2023/24 Season, the Directors, Casts, Crews, HT Catering and all our wonderful Volunteers and Billets. There are may “Front Lines” in bringing this level of success to our stage and without all of you - it just wouldn’t happen.

I am already busy planning our Canadian Professional Comedy Dinner Theatre’s 28th Season, which we will, fittingly announce - Canada Day, July 1, 2024. Stay tuned, www.cowpatti.com because its going to be a Fabulously Funny Season.

If you have an interest in joining our Benefit Program please Email AnnaMarie Lea or Louise Dean at lacombecowpatti@gmail.com. Slots are already filling up!

Until then, again many thanks for your support and have a wonderful sunny summer.

 

Yours in Laughter,

AnnaMarie Lea
Head Cow - The Cow Patti Theatre Company

Our Benefit Program has been helping folks in our communities for the past 27 years, and we've done it again. During the production of "Danny and Delilah" by Norm Foster in November-December 2023, the benefit recipients were Kasota East Camp, The Lending Cupboard, The Lacombe Performing Arts Center, and The Rocky Mountain House Museum. It's a treat for us at Cow Patti to use professional theatre as a tool to enhance the needs and platforms of these deserving groups and organizations.

Together we raised $18,350.00 — now, that's a lot of Bull S%$#! And we're not done yet! During our upcoming production of the classic comedy by Norm Foster, "Drinking Alone," we will perform with open hearts and wallets for the following groups and organizations: The Rocky Mountain House Museum on March 2, 2024; The Lacombe Legion on March 3, 2024; Lacombe KIDSPORT on March 9, 2024; Grama Link Africa on March 16, 2024; The Golden Circle Seniors Resource Center on March 19, 2024, and Kasota East Camp on March 23, 2024.

We encourage all the folks who love coming out to Cow Patti to entertain the idea of joining us at one of these benefits. If you're looking for a heartfelt Valentine's gift, consider sharing the gift of laughter that will help bring joy to others. VIEW OUR BENEFIT PERFORMANCES

Drinking Alone by Norm Foster – The Synopsis: Lonely dry-cleaning store operator, Joe, has hired “Dominique St. Germain” from “Dates Ahoy” to pose as his fiancée so he can impress his Dad in this romantic family adventure. Set in the midst of a dysfunctional family reunion, the laughs, secrets, and conflicts soon erupt in this classic, side-splitting, and heartwarming Foster comedy about an unforgettable Canadian family.

Cow Patti has gathered up a stellar cast to entertain the folks at Cow Patti — AnnaMarie (your very own Head Cow) will be playing Dominique St. Germain; Matthew Olver, last seen at Cow Patti in Who’s Under Where, will be teaming up with AnnaMarie, playing Joe, the lonely dry-cleaning store operator. Back by popular demand, Linda Goranson, well known to our Cow Patti audiences in The Cemetery Club, The Butler Did It, The Great Kooshog Lake Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby, to name a few. Linda will be taking on the role of the loved yet dreaded Stepmom. Alison Mackay, one of Canada’s finest and loveliest humans, last seen in The Great Kooshog Lake Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby for Cow Patti, is back playing the spoiled brat daughter, Carrie. Rounding out the cast, his second time this season at our theatre, the first being Danny and Delilah, Billy Vickers, who will be playing dear old Dad. It is my absolute pleasure to have my mentor and dear friend coming out to direct the show, Mr. Donnie Bowes. Donnie is the Artistic Director of Upper Canada Playhouse in ON, one of Canada’s most successful Summer Theatre! And to have him back in Alberta is a joy for all! And, of course, as with our entire 27th Season, Drinking Alone is penned by Cow Patti’s favorite playwright, Mr. Norm Foster. A Master Genius at giving audiences a compelling story that’s loaded with laughs and characters you can’t help but cheer for!

We extend a warm welcome to everyone to join us for a unique afternoon or evening at Cow Patti, a great way to chase away the winter blues, make some new friends, and be entertained by some of Canada’s most celebrated talent. We are 66% sold out already, so don’t delay. It’s a money-back guarantee that you will be glad you decided to join the “HERD” at the Cow Patti Theatre Company during our production of Drinking Alone by Norm Foster.