The Souris Valley Theatre has been forced to cancel its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The theatre was scheduled to have Ranchers and Rustlers 2 for a main-stage show from July 6-24. The sequel to last year鈥檚 main stage show, Ranchers and Rustlers, the sequel had been performed in Estevan before, but not in many years.聽
Board president Robert Godfrey said it鈥檚 tough to cancel after the momentum generated from last year鈥檚 theatre season.
鈥淲e had such a fantastic year last year. We had the best numbers we鈥檝e seen since before our shutdown from the flooding (of the Souris River) in 2011,鈥� said Godfrey.
They were ahead of schedule in planning for 2020, and had some cast and a great crew lined up for the show.
But given the uncertainty of COVID-19, they can鈥檛 plan for the upcoming year. Their crowd sizes would exceed the number allowed under restrictions, and the intimate setting would violate social distancing.
They also have to be able to provide advanced notice to the performers about the cancellation.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e professionals and they work tight schedules. Although they鈥檙e schedules have obviously seen a lot of change, we work with people that work in film and TV, that is still seeing some work right now,鈥� said Godfrey.
The theatre was hoping to have a couple short-term shows as well, but nothing had been confirmed. COVID-19 struck when they were looking at short-term bookings.
Godfrey didn鈥檛 rule out the possibility of having a couple of short-run shows later this year if the situation improves.
It鈥檚 also tough to not have their children鈥檚 camps this year, because those have proven popular.
They will use this summer to do some repairs and renovations to Frehlick Hall, which is now nearly 20 years old.
Next week鈥檚 edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.聽
