Dear Cow Patti Customers,
Over the last 30 years I have sat down many times, with pen and paper to write my press release for the upcoming season of the Cow Patti Theatre Company. I find myself this season doing it with a slight hesitancy as we trudge our way through this 4th wave but at the same time, I am writing this with determination and hope for what I know could be our most triumphant season in 25 years.
Our cancelled 2020 2021 season was supposed to have been our 25th Season. We decided, last June, to celebrate this coming season as our 25th Season. We have put everything in place to make it our biggest and most boisterous season yet! Four amazing entertaining shows, two locations, new scrumptious buffet menus including The Cow Patti Cheesecake in a jar, “it looks like shit and tastes like Heaven!
The Canadian talent we have gathered for this season is simply stellar, including Mr. Norm Foster himself – Canada’s most produced playwright and recipient of the Order of Canada! Along with Norm, myself, and many other artists from all across Canada we will rouse massive amounts of laughter with incredible characters and amusing, engaging stories. Our wild and wacky theatre family is about to spin many a yarns!
We planned for The Cow Patti Theatre Company to open It’s 25th Season – November 11th and ticket sales for all four shows were on fire since they went on sale July 1. Patrons were booking in their credits from the two previous lockdowns, our senior groups started booking by the busloads from every corner of Alberta, local business were planning their Christmas Parties with us -life was grand at the Box Office. But in recent weeks the phone has almost stopped ringing. I believe the reason is that people are discouraged to plan for their future because the landscape seems so unsettled with rising Covid Numbers, deaths, and hospitalizations. I became nervous, not for just what’s could happen to our season, but what could happen with all the contractual engagements for our casts, crews, caterers, playwrights, and the many local business we work with. It is also very unsettling that we may not be able to be of service to 13 of our Non-Profit groups that are depending on us for financial gain and awareness through our Benefit Program, something they have not been able to facilitate for over 18 months and they were counting on us for.
As a business I want to remain neutral in my opinions of what I feel we should be doing to bring this hardship to an end. The theatre is a place where we gather – to enjoy, to share, to learn, to open our hearts, to tell stories to escape the madness and laugh out loud. Show Business is one of the most rewarding businesses one can be in not because of the $ amount in the business account but the genuine joy and happiness we bring our audiences.
I don’t want to influence, segregate, or put our audience, our wonderful diverse audience, at risk or to have them feel they aren’t valued or welcomed because our theatre is for all people. Over the years I’ve enjoyed watching my diverse audiences take a seat in my theatre – all kinds of vastly different personalities: farmers, doctors, lawyers, rig hands, trades people, students, politicians, families, small business owners and in-laws. An amazing medley of audience members – and as they share a meal and then settle in and say howdy to their neighbor, the show starts, and the audience unifies in laughter and pure delight – no matter their background or beliefs. They become the 5th character in our wonderful world of imagination and fun.
I’m here to say that everyone is welcome at our theatre, and we invite you to book in for our 25th Season. We do encourage everyone to make the right choice for themselves, their family’s, friends, and their fellow audience members.
As of today, our policy is as follows:
In consideration of the new legislation brought forth September 15th, 2021, Cow Patti will be implementing the Restrictions Exemption Program which will require proof of vaccination or negative test results. Since Cow Patti is classified as a dinner theatre in order to move forward with our season, we will adopt the Restrictions Exemption Program which will allow us to continue operating as an indoor dinner theatre venue.
We have a lot to accomplish over the next 8 months: raising money for our Non-Profit Benefits, creating jobs for Canadian Artists and to help grow our local economy by supporting local business. Most importantly though, we need to bring the lights back up on the Cow Patti stage to ensure its future. Our mandate this season is to augment the well being of our patrons and to offer up a unified space where joy and laughter is ensured.
Better Grab your Tickets now and Come on Down and Help us Raise the Barn cause our Wild and Wacky Theatre Family is Gonna Spin a Yarn!
AnnaMarie Lea Head Cow theatre@cowpatti.com
403 304 6329