Thunder Bay – ENTERTAINMENT – Magnus Theatre is excited to announce a return to the stage, with a full season of Mainstage programming running from September 16, 2021 until May 14, 2022.
The theatre will be celebrating its 50th anniversary during the upcoming season, having brought professional theatre to Northwestern Ontario in 1971. Magnus Theatre is the only fully professional theatre between Sudbury and Winnipeg.
The season will kick off on September 16th with the world premiere of HOME: A BLUEGRASS CELEBRATION, a music revue conceived and written by Jo-Ann Waytowich, well known to local audiences for her iconic Ivanka character. Directed by Thom Currie with musical direction by Danny Johnson, this original play features bluegrass music and takes a hilarious and relatable look at a year in isolation from the point of view of three women at different stages of life. The production features an ensemble of Thunder Bay based actors and musicians, including Jo-Ann Waytowich, Danny Johnson, Fae Alexander, Susie Campbell, Gabby Sawchuk, Olivia Korkola, Robert Balabuck, and Dan Zadkovich.
Next up is the romantic adventure comedy LUNENBURG by Canada’s most produced playwright, Norm Foster. It tells the story of Iris, who inherits a house that she didn’t even know existed. She then decides to travel to Nova Scotia with her friend Natalie to take a peek at her new property, leading to a series of surprising and heart-warming transformations. LUNENBURG runs from October 21st to November 6th.
The holiday season will invite familiar spirits to haunt the stage in JACOB’S MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL by Tom Mula, running from December 2nd to 18th. This play retells Charles Dickens’s classic tale from the perspective of Ebenezer Scrooge’s mean, sour, pruney old business partner, Jacob Marley, who must free himself from hellish eternity by redeeming the heart of Scrooge.
The first show of the new year will be Falen Johnson’s modern comedy, SALT BABY. Running from January 27th to February 12th, SALT BABY is the story of a young Indigenous woman whose light skin sets her apart, both in her small community and in the city, and she becomes determined to figure out how she fits into these two very different worlds.
Comedy continues into the new year with the world premiere of SMARTY PANTS by Shelley Hoffman and Stephen Sparks. Linda and her friends break into her ex-husband’s house, a man who has earned millions from a wearable tech invention – smart underwear that can control your home. Running from March 10th to 26th, this hilarious new comedy reminds audiences about the enduring power of relationships…and the power of a good butt clench.
The Broadway musical MAN OF LA MANCHA by Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh, and Joe Darion will top off the Mainstage season. One of the most enduring works of musical theatre, MAN OF LA MANCHA was last staged by Magnus Theatre over 40 years ago. Running from April 21st to May 14th, this play within a play is the story of a man who seeks decency and beauty (The Impossible Dream) in an increasingly cynical world.
Show tickets for HOME: A BLUEGRASS CELEBRATION will be available for purchase on Magnus Theatre’s website at www.magnustheatre.com starting Tuesday, August 31st. Single ticket prices range from $20 to $45 dollars, with discounted rates for students, preview performances, and matinees. Magnus Theatre will also be offering a Pay-What-You-Can performance on the first Sunday of each show’s run.
Magnus Theatre will be observing all public health and safety protocols and patrons will be required to wear masks at all times while indoors. The auditorium has been reconfigured into an alley-way arrangement to keep audiences safely distanced from each other. Tickets are limited as performances will be restricted to 50% capacity in accordance with provincial regulations.
For more information about tickets, show times, and health and safety protocols, please visit www.magnustheatre.com
