THUNDER BAY - Organizers of the Superior Theatre Festival said that based on the success of its first year, they are not only hoping to see it return next year, but become an annual event.
The weekend long festival of theatre, art, and poetry wrapped up on Sunday and artistic director, Donna Marie Baratta said she is thrilled by all the success she has seen over the weekend.
“It’s been two years in my mind, a full year of working on this, so it’s kind of surreal to say we are at this point,” she said. “It feels really good to be able to say we did it.”
The four-day long festival kicked off Thursday evening and included improve, poetry, and puppeteering workshops.
Audiences were also treated to live theatre, which included Montreal playwright Jon Lachlan Stewart’s Big Shot, and local playwright Eleanor Albanese’s Night Wings.
“It’s really incredible when you spend all these months and even years working with paper and pencil or on the computer and everything lives in your brain and to see it come to life and see people give their talent and time and energy to create this magic,” Albanese said. “I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful representation of the story, from the cast to the design to the young company and to the music.”
Night Wings was performed at the Spirit Garden at Prince Arthur’s Landing throughout the weekend and drew strong crowds, with over 100 people attending on Saturday.
On Friday the show was stopped for several minutes due to rain, but Baratta said that is all part of the interesting journey of doing outdoor theatre.
“That’s the beauty of this outdoor work,” she said. “You never know what you are going to get.”
Baratta added that despite the stoppages, the audience stayed and patiently waited for the production to continue.
“We’ve had a good response,” Baratta said. “Everyone who has come has been very warm and generous and loved it. People have told us that they have cried after the show and we’ve had standing ovations.”
Stacey Hare Hodgins was one of over 80 people who attended the Sunday afternoon production of Night Wings. She said that the entire festival has been great and Night Wings in particular was very moving.
“I thought it would be a great way to spend a Sunday with my kids outside,” she said. “The show was amazing. I cried.”
Hare Hodgins added that she is really excited to see this addition to the local arts and culture scene in Thunder Bay.
“Especially having kids who are interested in that, I think it’s important to see that kind of work happening in the community and supported by a wide variety of community members,” she said. “I’m looking forward to next year.”
Baratta is confident that the festival will return next year and even become an annual event.
“I think there has been a trickle effect of people telling other people and hopefully through word of mouth and more publicity we will get more people out,” she said.
Albanese is also looking forward to next year’s festival and she said she cannot wait to see what it has instore and the great talent that will be on display.
“It’s off to a great beginning and now there is more awareness about it in the community and that will draw people in to participate or create partnerships or help in some way or to just become involved,” she said.
For information on how to become involved with the Superior Theatre Festival visit the website.
