One of Canada’s oldest running theatre groups is being featured in a short film that premiered in southern Alberta this week.
It all started in 1923, when Ernest Sterndale Bennett entered a church in Lethbridge.
“The history of the club that started in this building right behind us 101 years ago at this point,” said Allen Gibson, the producer behind Lifers: A Century of Addiction to Theatre. “Two people showed up at the first meeting — Sterndale Bennett and one other guy. But, within a few years, they were selling out the 1,000-seat theatre that we had here in Lethbridge, and how many people know that we had a 1,000-seat theatre here in Lethbridge called the Majestic?”
The club, Playgoers of Lethbridge, remains one of the oldest operating amateur theatre groups in Canada. So, to celebrate a century of history, Gibson created a new short film to inspire the next 100 years.
“I would say my secret wish was that it might inspire a few more people to come out and get involved in community theatre. They’re always looking for people. You don’t have to go on stage, there’s lots of things in the background that are equally necessary to putting on a good show,” said Gibson.
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Playgoers’ president, Elaine Jagielski, says it’s great exposure for the volunteer organization.
“We were really excited with the final product. It looks fantastic and allows people to be introduced to some of the history of playgoers,” said Jagielski.
She says theatre helps communities grow.
“It’s entertainment; it may bring forward awareness around certain topics or issues or bring to light something, something that maybe the person has had experience with, or hasn’t had experience with. It might open up a whole new area of something to look into.”
The film highlights the love many have of acting, while also documenting the enduring history.
“It cost a buck to go to the theatre in Lethbridge back in the 1920s, but you could go to the movies for like 50 cents or a quarter. So, that made it more difficult to get an audience. Over time, the theatre moved more and more towards lighter entertainment because people still love to laugh,” said Gibson.
The film was created alongside Telus Storyhive and Gibson has two different videos that premiered this week. The first is the short film. The other is less of a narrative journey and more of a factual telling of the history of Playgoers.
Both videos are available on YouTube.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Read the full article here
