For the past 37 years, the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley have been entertained by hundreds of quality live theatre productions by the Canyon Theatre Guild. With 10 full-scale productions each year, the artist endeavors and planning efforts of the Canyon Theatre Guild’s board are always in high gear. To continue their expansion, a new building will be constructed in which they can build sets and rehearse, allowing them to shorten any dark time between shows.
“We have more than $100,000 saved from fundraising efforts over the past two years to use for capital improvements,” says TimBen Boydston, Canyon Theatre Guild Executive and Artistic Director.
Boydston has seen the immense growth of the theatre over the past 20 years since he first performed as a teen-ager in their first summer theatre program.
“I remember it was at Hart High School auditorium. I think we had more people in the cast than we had seated in the audience,” remembers Boydston with a laugh.
Attendance has steadily grown and flourished since those days and further plans will allow expansion of the theatre’s youth programs and free up their white building to be used as an additional black box performance space.
Until all planned capital improvement projects are complete, the theatre is in need of an off-site facility for set pieces that take more time and care to construct, such as backdrops and complex flats as well as a storage area for a large number of costumes recently donated to the Guild by a television show.
The theatre’s nightclub style variety show and fundraiser with 100 percent of the net proceeds going toward improvements will be held on March 3. There will be high-roller games, showgirls and pit boss waiters on hand, as well as a live band and petite buffet. What better way to spend a night, then one where the talent is choice and the benefits to the ever-growing theatre are ripe.
For further information, call the theatre at 661-799-2702 or visit the CTG website at www.canyontheatre.org.