Walterdale Theatre acknowledges that our theatre is located on Treaty 6, a traditional territory of the Cree and has been an important trading place of the Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, Dene, Saulteau, and Métis peoples of western Canada for many thousands of years. We also recognize and honour that we are Treaty people and therefore seek to uphold the spirit and intent of this Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Walterdale Mission Statement

We are an Edmonton-based community theatre committed to the production of engaging and vibrant works and providing our member volunteers opportunities to participate in all aspects of theatre production.

Want to get involved with Walterdale?

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at stage management, acting, directing, or even media relations in theatre?

Walterdale Theatre has been successfully run by its volunteers for over 60 years now, and we invite you to join our team. Whether you can donate a few hours or a few seasons, we are always looking for new volunteers to help grow our theatre.

The best way to get involved at Walterdale is to become a member today! You will receive news about shows, special events, opportunities to volunteer or audition, and discounts on tickets.

For more information about joining Walterdale, go to our website at www.walterdaletheatre.com, e-mail us at walterph@telus.net, or call us at 780-439-3058. We will get back to you!

Walterdale’s COVID Protocols During the Performance

1. Masks are encouraged but not mandatory
2. Follow all instructions from our Front-Of-House volunteers
3. Enjoy the show!

For more information regarding Walterdale’s COVID-19 response, please click here.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

PRODUCTION TEAM

Festival Coordinator	Dale Wilson
Lighting Designer	Winona Meech
Sound Designer	John Anderson
Lighting Designer Mentor	Rebecca Cave
Co-Production Manager	Louise Mallory
Co-Production Manager	John Anderson
Stage Manager	Justine Woodfall
Painters	Brooke Emberly & Joan Heys Hawkins
Assistant Stage Manager	Adorra Sergios
Lighting Operator	Laura Eschak
Sound Operator	Andrew Selwood
Poster Design	Gabi Sakita
Technical Advisor	Richard Hatfield

Words from the Festival Coordinator

Hello and welcome to the Walterdale Theatre 2023 edition of From Cradle to Stage. We at Walterdale have made a mission of presenting the works and voices of new and aspiring playwrights.  Through many years we have attempted numerous iterations of our tiny festival and 2023 is no exception. 

While our focus has always been the encouragement of local writers, we have this year been sought out by playwrights from farther afield. For the first time we are presenting a diverse collection of thirteen scripts in a staged reading format. 

Our sincere wish for now is the enjoyment of our audience and the ultimate success of both fledgling and burgeoning playwrights. 

Live long, live loud, live.

dale Wilson, Festival Coordinator

Advertisements

2021 – 2022 DONORS AND SPONSORS

Walterdale Theatre extends thanks to the generous support of local business, government grants, partners, and our patrons and members for their donations of time and funding. Without your support we could not continue.

Public Funders and Partners

Artistic Sponsor
Gorilla Property Services Edmonton

Community Partners
College Copy Shop
Valtone Cleaners

---

Donors

Benefactors ($1,000 plus)
The Cinders Fund at the Edmonton Community Foundation

Champions ($500-$999)
AbleIT Inc.
Anne Marie Szucs
Harmony Fund at Edmonton Community League

Supporters ($100-$499)
Anonymous
Carole Barton
Michael Buhr
Joan and Alex Hawkins
Kristen M. Finlay
Richard Hatfield
Paul Jankowski
Philip and M.J. Kreisel
Jennifer Kwan
Patricia Luxford
Shell Canada Limited
Sol Sigurdson
Julie Sinclair
Mike Harding & Don Zeman

Friends ($50-$99)
Sally Hunt
Jean Guertin

Donors ($49 and under)
Vivian Binnema

Player’s Endowment Fund ($200 plus)
A Fitting Confusion – The Cast and Production Team

If you would like to be a part of the Walterdale Theatre family of sponsors, contact our Administrator by e-mail or phone the theatre at 780-439-3058.

WALTERDALE THEATRE ASSOCIATES Is a Canadian Registered Charity, and will provide you with an income tax receipt for any donation over $20.00 you wish to make. Thank you to everyone who supports our theatre!

A Brief History of Walterdale Theatre and Building

Walterdale is one of the longest running community theatres in Canada.

Walterdale Theatre Associates traces its beginnings to Theatre Associates, who produced their first plays (Lady Audley’s Secret and Out of the Frying Pan) in August 1958, playing in the Jubilee Auditorium social room. Before finding its home in the current Fire Hall, there have been two other Walterdale Theatres. The first was an old school on the Walterdale flats (Kinsmen Fieldhouse area), hence our name. The second was a former service men’s club house, which was later demolished for Kingsway Garden Mall.

Our current building was built in 1910 and was Strathcona Fire Hall #1. In 1912 it was re-numbered Edmonton #6 when the City of Strathcona amalgamated with the City of Edmonton. The bell tower houses the Strathcona “Town Bell”. It is topped by an octagonal belfry, covered by an octagonal roof. The tower was used to dry hoses (by hanging them up) after use. The stable (now set-building workshop) was designed to house nine horses.

The building ceased to be a working Fire Hall in 1954 and was used to store furniture. In 1974 Walterdale Theatre Associates took over the building and lovingly restored it, and converted the inside to a 145-seat theatre. The first play produced in this theatre was What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton, which opened November 12, 1974.

Major renovations were again carried out in 1993 (raising the roof and tying the building together with new beams) and in 2011 (new main floor washrooms, renewing the bricks and other major outside work).

Walterdale continues to keep our building updated and efficient, and have replaced the lighting instruments with LED lights, and the aging second floor furnaces with new high-efficiency units.

Walterdale Theatre Board of Directors 2022 – 2023

Executive

Artistic Director – Lauren Tamke
President – Sally Hunt
Vice-President – Anne Marie Szucs
Treasurer – Wylee Johnston
Secretary – Jenn Robinson
Past-President – Kristen M. Finlay

Directors

Building Co-Directors – Matthew Lindberg & Ed Medeiros
Front-of-House Co-Directors – Alexandria Fortier & Matthew Baker
Membership Director – Laura Eschak
Production Co-Directors – John Anderson & Louise Mallory
Public Relations Co-Directors – Jennifer Robinson & Tracy Wyman
Technical Co-Directors – Richard Hatfield & Kahlan Oosterveld
Directors at Large – Jay Sanni & Christine Gold

Front of House Volunteers

Front of House Directors
Alexandria Fortier & Matthew Baker

Front of House Committee Members

Volunteer Coordinator
Cinnamon Stacey
Box Office Manager
Anne Marie Szucs
Bar & Concession Manager
John Dolphin

A special and heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful volunteers for Front of House positions during the run of The Mousetrap!

Andrew Kwan, Andrew Selwood, Bob Klakowich, Brenda Bell, Carmen Boyd, Dan Fessenden, David Bodnar, Doug Verdin, Gloria Carr, Heidi Ryll, Jackie Lotery, John Anderson, Julia Stanski, Kelly Santarossa, Lauren Gagnon, Lauren Tamke, Lee Boyd, Leslie Caffaro, Louise Mallory, Mary Anne Trann, Mary-Ellen Perley, Matthew Baker, Minhaal Akbar, Nicole English, Nicolle Lemay, Rebecca Firlotte, Shauna Rebus, Susanne Hube Ritchie, Veronica Keuchel, Vivian Binnema