Fonds - Enderby and District Community Play Project fonds

The Enderby & District Community Play Project was initiated in December of 1997 by playwright/puppeteer Cathy Stubington, in consultation with artists and community leaders in the City of Enderby. With the sponsorship of the Enderby & District Community Resource Centre Society, she applied for a grant of $50,000 under the Artists and Communities program. The community play project was one of five in British Columbia to be accepted, with over 100 submissions. Cathy proposed a community play in Enderby, using the British Colway Theatre Trust as a model, in which professionals work with community members to create a play for, by, and about the community. Resources included Ann Jellicoe's book Community Plays. A steering committee was formed in January 1998 to oversee the project. The budget of $127,000 was finalized in April 1998. Events and workshops were held to publicize the project, to bring like-minded people together, and to raise funds for the project. During the summer months stories about the community were collected. In the fall Cathy began writing the play in consultation with the director Jimmy Tait. Rosalind Williams from the Spallumcheen Band joined the writing team in November. In January of 1999 a reading of several scenes from the play was held in the Enderby Drill Hall, with over 100 people in attendance. A similar reading was held in the Spallumcheen Band's Timber Creek Hall a week later. Murray MacDonald agreed to write the music, Dorothy Jenkins of Vancouver agreed to work as stage manager, and Ruth Howard of Ontario reaffirmed her commitment to design costumes. Cathy Stubington designed the puppets and masks, and Marion Lee designed the First Nations costumes. Donn Elliott volunteered to act as Technical Director. 12 youth from the Spallumcheen Band and Enderby communities were hired under Youth Services Canada program to act as apprentices. Auditions were held in March and rehearsals for the 163 cast members began immediately. Over 400 volunteers helped with making costumes, puppets, set construction, publicity, front of house, etc. The community play, "Not the Way I Heard It", was performed May 18-22 and May 25-29 to capacity crowds.