We’ve finally done it! The new theatre is open, but that does not mean the hardwork is done. As you can tell from the recent posts here on this blog we’ve been doing a lot of press lately; however no one has had much time to write a new blog entry to update you on how things are going with the move into the theatre.

When the theatre opened there were a few things not completed that are now getting finished. Our new door hardware has been installed, the actual exterior doors have arrived (did you know you could have “temporary doors”?), and the exterior signage has been installed.

Probably most importantly, our Box Office has moved down to the theatre from our administrative offices on the fourth floor of Tower Centre. It’s nice to have Stephanie down there to greet all the people, but her move certainly hasn’t been without its difficulty! Apparently running a network cable - so the box office computer could have its all important access to the ticket sales database - was not possible. As a result we had to create a VPN connection and to do that we had to have a dedicated internet connection in the theatre. Telus couldn’t hook it up for over two weeks and that just wouldn’t do. Two weeks with no Box Office! Fortunately Shaw said they could do it the next day. Of course once the internet and VPN connections were in place we found that it took FOREVER for Stephanie’s computer to process a credit card. Apparently our internet connection in the upstairs office was just too slow. So now we are in the process of switching from Telus to Shaw upstairs too. Which sadly means our Online Box Office will be offline for a couple of days.

This is just one example of the trials faced when opening a new theatre. Lately, it has not been uncommon to hear the phrase “why can’t things just be easy” bellowed around the office!

The theatre itself is beautiful though. I think the theatre is “very Lunchbox”. It could have been painted all black and been a “black box theatre”, but I think the burgundy walls keep the same charm the old Bow Valley Square theatre did. Except that burgundy is better than the old purple! While A Life in the Theatre is getting a pretty good audience reaction I think the main thing audiences are noticing when attending the first show is the TONS of legroom, and the stage setup for the production - the theatre is in an alley configuration right now.

It looks like our audiences are really liking the new theatre. I just can’t wait to get everything else finished so we can enjoy it just as much too!

Finally, the doors have opened to  the Transcanada Stage in our new home at the base of the Calgary Tower. The journey to opening has been just like theatre itself: part comedy, part drama and even part farce!  But as the opening night of A Life In the Theatre began, the real reason why we went through all of this was once again clear. We produce theatre!  As obvious as that sounds, it was hard at times to remember that what all of this was for was for us  to be able to offer what Lunchbox does best to our audience in a comfortable space with flexibility and warmth.

There are far to many people to thank, but I would like to offer my appreciation to the Lunchbox staff who went through this process with dignity, humour anfd grace. Now we can roll up our sleeves and get back to doing our core business.

If you haven’t scene our little jewel of a theatre, please stop by and say hello. I am certain you will be impressed!

From all of us at Lunchbox, thanks to everyone who made this possible and worthwhile.

See you at the theatre.

Martie

CBC Radio’s Sharon Pollock reviewed A Life in the Theatre on The Homestretch this past Wednesday. She also talks about the new theatre and it’s new seating flexiblity.

CBC’s Pollock on Plays ‘A Life in the Theatre’ Review (Real Audio)

Lunchbox loving new stage, location

Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, October 25, 2008

We’ve all heard the sad story about the theatre that became (choose one): a furniture store, chain drugstore or an IKEA.

Would you believe a happy one about a shuttered Mercedes dealership (in the heart of downtown) that becomes the new home of the Lunchbox Theatre?

Believe it. That’s the back story behind Lunchbox Theatre’s newest location, a gleaming, versatile 140-seat space located directly underneath the Calgary Tower, across the hall from Vertigo Theatre. A former Mercedes dealership, the space had always been earmarked by those in the know as an arts space. But it wasn’t until the Lunchbox board toured it in 2007 while on the hunt for a new space after the lease on their longtime home in Bow Valley Square expired, that the deal was finally sealed, according to Lunchbox’s artistic director Martin Fishman.

Lunchbox Theatre artistic director Martin Fishman on his new stage.

Ted Jacob, Calgary Herald

How did Lunchbox manage the good fortune of having the space remain empty for a half dozen years until they showed up?

“We don’t know,” Fishman says. “We’re glad! This was the last place we looked at, too. (We were) going through all the Plus-15s, trying to find something downtown — and then this was it.”

The new space offers five solid advantages over its old location. No. 1 is its versatility. The new theatre offers three different configurations, an alley stage, an arena, and a proscenium, or raised stage.

No. 2 is its location, right in the heart of the theatre district across the hall from Vertigo, up the street from the Grand, and a block from Epcor Centre’s five theatre spaces.

The result is that rather than taking a hit in ticket sales, as was the fear when news spread that Lunchbox was looking for a new home, sales have actually risen by 33 per cent, which Fishman says is virtually unprecedented when a theatre moves.

“I’m excited to see subscriptions being up,” he says. “Traditionally when you move venues, they go down 25 per cent, so to be up 33 per cent means people really want to be here, and we’re attracting a whole new audience in this area.

“The old Lunchbox, you had to go to Bow Valley (Square), and ride the escalator up there. Why else would you go — except the theatre was part of that (shopping) scene? We’re more connected (to the larger theatre community) now.”

Third: more legroom.

Fourth, the organization managed to fund its new space during an era of federal cutbacks in arts funding by doing something unprecedented: bypassing the feds altogether. They tapped the provincial government for $500,000 and the city for $250,000. They also secured $660,000 in corporate donations and more than $100,000 in individual donations.

“The province really stepped up, big-time, and then the city came in last week as well,” Fishman says. “I think this will be the only theatre in history to be built without federal funding, which is really interesting. We didn’t get anything from the feds, but the corporate support really sort of filled that gap. Petro-Canada, EnCana and TransCanada came in really big.”

And the fifth advantage? Now when you order tickets, you can also order one of six lunches prepared by the nearby Auburn Saloon, which means patrons no longer have to brave the lineups at the Bow Valley food court. And if you don’t want to do that, there’s a deli in the mall Fishman gives two thumbs up to.

“They make tuna,” he says. “My favourite.”

shunt@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2008

Actors give Lunchbox strong debut

Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, October 25, 2008
A Life in the Theatre by David Mamet runs until Nov. 15 at Lunchbox Theatre

Rating 3 out of five

- - -

This is the actor’s peculiar tragedy: if an actor doesn’t have an audience to perform for, they feel as if they don’t exist.

That’s the crux of the matter in David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre, the opening play of Lunchbox Theatre’s new space at the base of the Calgary Tower.

The 45-minute play, which Lunchbox’s artistic director Martin Fishman describes as a valentine to the theatre, is a succession of blackout scenes between two actors, Robert, a veteran played by Martin Evans and John, an up-and-comer played by Braden Griffiths.

The core of the story is the subtle shift of status that takes place over the course of the story between Robert and John, as the younger man rises above the older one, and the ways in which that affects their opinion of themselves and each other.

The performances here are both strong, particularly Evans, (who should get the title role if they ever stage the Michael Ignatieff story). Evans manages to convincingly capture the contradiction of playing a character who is as brittle, sad and neurotic as he is handsome and charming. Griffiths, as young John, is appealing and likeable, although he doesn’t quite manage quite so clearly to chart John’s ascent from a young, insecure startup actor to hot commodity.

There’s much comedy to be mined from a behind-the-scenes glimpse into theatre life, and Fishman ensures the cast locates the funny in almost every scene. The other part of it is the sadness, such as when Robert quizzes John about the reviews, and John gives some sort of flippant reply.

“Ahh, youth, youth, youth!” Robert says, with the condescension — and empathy — of an old pro who’s been there and done that. The sad part about it is that in the performing arts, been there and done that tend to fall a distant second to youth, which is what has always given A Life in the Theatre its wallop — although as it ages, that wallop has shrunk somewhat to a short, sharp, comic jab.

shunt@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2008

A Life in the Theatre brings attention back to playwright’s original medium

theatre
Joel Cummings
Gauntlet Entertainment

October 23, 2008

He looks very happy to see you. Credit: Daniel Pagan / the Gauntlet

theatre

Bob Clark, Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Calgary theatre community is mourning Henryk Rajner, who passed away last week at the age of 59. For nearly 40 years, Rajner was instrumental — in his capacity as hairstylist and wig master — in making actors look their best in looking the part for countless productions at virtually every theatre company from Theatre Calgary, Lunchbox and Alberta Theatre Projects to Workshop and Storybook Theatres.

In 1983, Rajner began his long volunteer association with Stage West, becoming known as Calgary’s “Stylist to the Stars.”

“He was very funny, kind — and very old school, so he reminded you of maybe the way theatre might have been in the 1930s and ’40s,” says Martin Fishman, artistic director of Lunchbox Theatre and a frequent director of shows at Stage West.

“Henryk loved all the stars that came to Stage West. He had pictures of pretty well every one of them up on his wall, including Gale Gordon (of Our Miss Brooks fame).”

“When you were with Henryk, you felt you were on Broadway in the ’40s. He just had that sort of way about him — he was just an all-round great guy to be with, and talk to.

“It’s almost like the end of an era. He’ll be missed by everyone who met him.”

Martin was recetly featured on CBC Television’s Living Calgary as a “Cool Calgarian” where he talked about his favourite spot in Calgary: The Weaselhead.

Check it out here on CBC’s website and search for “Martie Fishman” on the right hand side.

October 19, 2008

By LOUIS B. HOBSON
Calgary Sun

For the past 10 months, Martin Fishman has had a great deal on his plate.

As artistic director of Lunchbox Theatre, Fishman had to oversee the company’s move from its longtime home in Bow Valley Square to its new $1.6-million theatre at the base of the Calgary Tower.

“I don’t know whether I’m more exhausted than excited or vice versa, but I know this has been a wonderful, stressful 10 months, but we’ve come in on budget and in on time,” says Fishman, who will officially open the new theatre Monday at noon with a production of David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre.

“This play about an old actor on his way down and a young actor on his way up is Mamet’s valentine to the theatre.

“It explains why theatre people do what they do and why audiences come to the theatre to share their joy and pain.

“I couldn’t think of a better play to help us make the transition from Lunchbox’s home of 33 years to its new one because A Life in the Theatre deals with the magic of theatre and this is a magical moment for Lunchbox.”

Ironically, as Lunchbox embarks on its 34th anniversary so does Fishman who “gave up hockey in Sault Ste. Marie 34 years ago to become an actor and director.”

For Fishman, one of the most exciting things about the relocation is “we haven’t lost our core audience. If anything we’ve found new supporters along the way.

“Traditionally when a theatre moves, subscriptions drop while people adjust to the change but, in our case, our subscriptions have gone up 33%.”

A Life in the Theatre, which stars Martin Evans and Braden Griffiths, runs in the new theatre until Nov. 15.

A rare opportunity in the acting world became reality yesterday for many as the Lunchbox Theatre launched their new home away from home.

After four months of construction and relocation, the Lunchbox Theatre will now be entertaining guests from the base of the Calgary Tower, and to open a new theatre is feat to remember, according to actor Braden Griffiths.

“It’s not very often you to get to open a play at a new theatre. It’s something I can tell young actors when I’m 60 that I got to do,” Griffiths said. “It’s a rare opportunity.”

A rare opportunity indeed, artistic director Martin Fishman said.

“It’s really special and it’s something the community came together for. I’m just so thankful to all who made this possible,” Fishman added. “We couldn’t be happier.”

The $1.6 million theatre boasts 150 seats, with interchangeable set-ups, Fishman said, something the Bow Valley Square location lacked.

“It allows us to create a much more intimate audience feeling, with much more comfortable seats.”

A Life in the Theatre set the stage for the new scenery last night and will run until Nov. 15.

ROBIN KUNISKI for Metro Calgary

Artistic Director Martin Fishman shows off the new home of the LunchBox Theater. The LunchBox opened a new show in the theatre yesterday — A Life in the Theatre, by David Mamet.