The Centre Stage Concert Series is a six show series presented from late fall to early spring. A wide variety of respected musicians grace this series' alumni. A subscription package is offered for a limited time before single show tickets go on sale. Last year's subscribers get first crack at the seats.

2017-2018 Centre Stage Concert Series Line-up

Pharis & Jason Romero - Sept. 28
Russell deCarle - Oct. 21
Charlie A'Court - Nov. 4
The Polyjesters - Jan. 27
Maria Dunn - Feb. 24
Lindi Ortega - Mar. 17

2016-2017 Centre Stage Concert Series Line-up

The Tommy Banks Trio - Sept. 24
Boots & The Hoots - Oct. 15
The Kirby Sewell Band - Nov. 19
Oscar Lopez - Dec. 10
Rosie and The Riveters - Jan. 28
Tia Brazda - Mar. 11

melmusic.com/amos_garrett

www.coig.ca

johnnysummers.com

littlemisshiggins.com

leeroystagger.com

triobembe.com

2015-2016 Centre Stage Concert Series

Trio Bembe - Sept. 26
Leeroy Stagger - Oct. 24
Little Miss Higgins - Nov. 21
The Johnny Summers Little Big Band - Dec. 12
Coig - Jan. 30
The Amos Garrett Jazz Trio - Mar. 12

The 2014-2015 Centre Stage Concert Series brought some homegrown Alberta talent to the iconic theatre for the first time, while others returned after too long away.

At soundcheck or in performance above are Tim Williams, Chloe Albert, Steve Coffey and the Lokels, The Foothills Brass, Cowtown Opera Company, and Heather Blush and the Uppercuts.

In December 2014, some local musicians and the Empress Community Choir joined the collaborative Foothills Brass on stage for a delicious one-off rendition of a well known traditional spiritual.
Here's some archival footage to prove it...

Each summer the Empress hosts theatre camps for kids near and far, consisting of introductory classes, singing, dancing, acting and music camps. Our campers have fun learning about the theatre, and our counsellors love to foster an appreciation for the arts in their young charges.

Summer Theatre Camps 2017

Stories with Character

Ages 8-14 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, July 10 to Friday, July 14

Students will spend mornings doing creative activities focusing on acting and storytelling. They will work together with instructors to create, rehearse and perform an original short play. Performance will be Friday at 4:00 p.m. $125

Puppet Adventures

Ages 6-10 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday, July 17 to Friday, July 21

Campers will find, build, make, invent their own puppet – find its voice and character and show it off! Kids will learn many new things in this half-day camp and have fun too. They will be able to take their puppet home and keep it forever.

Performance will be Friday at 1:00 p.m. $65

Creativity in Motion

Ages 8-16 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, July 24 to Friday, July 28

New this year - dance theatre! Participants will explore movement through dance. No previous dance experience necessary.

Performance will be Friday at 4:00 p.m. $125

Musical Theatre Triple Threat – Act, Sing, Dance

Ages 10-17 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, July 31 to Friday, Aug. 4

Triple Threat campers will explore a variety of disciplines and work on scenes that will appear in the performance at the end of the week. If you are interested in being in our community musicals, this one is not to be missed!
Performance will be Friday at 4:00 p.m. $125

Reader Theatre

Ages 6-10 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14 to Friday, Aug. 18

Bring your favourite storybook to camp and together we will put a scene from it on the stage. The acting out of dialogue helps participants improve their vocabulary, comprehension and retention in a safe, fun and collaborative setting.
Performance will be Friday at 1:00 p.m. $50

Vaudevillian Variety

Ages 10-17 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21 to Friday, Aug. 25

Campers will spend their days learning the exciting ins and outs of performing and create short vignettes that will appear in our variety show on Friday, Aug. 25. Campers will explore a variety of styles throughout the week.

Performance will be Friday, TBD. $125

Questions? Call our box office at 403-553-4404.

The 2017 Summer Theatre Camp program could not exist without the ongoing support of community minded individuals, businesses and the following organizations and institutions, including the Town of Fort Macleod, Service Canada’s Summer Jobs program and the MD of Willow Creek.

Summer Theatre Camps 2016

Introduction to the Theatre

Monday, July 4 to Friday, July 8
9 am – 1 pm
Ages 6-10

Recommended for youngsters with little to no previous theatrical experience. Children will explore theatre basics and enjoy game playing. This is a half day camp.
Performance will be Friday at 1:00 pm
$65

Kids’ Rock Camp

Monday, July 11 to Friday, July 15
10 am – 4 pm
Ages 8 – 16

For the budding musicians out there, participants will form bands which will each then write, rehearse and perform a song. Professional musical-mentors will take the kids through the ins and outs of producing, marketing and distributing their creations. This camp is sponsored by the Fort Macleod Allied Arts and the South Country Fair. No experience necessary, instruments provided.
Live performances on Friday, TBD
$150

Stories with Character

Monday, July 18 to Friday, July 22
10 am – 4 pm
Ages 8~14

Musical Theatre Triple Threat – Act, Sing, Dance

Monday, July 25 to Friday, July 29
10 am – 4 pm
Ages 10~17

Triple Threat campers will explore a variety of disciplines and work on scenes that will appear in performance at the end of the week. If you are interested in being in our community musicals, this one is not to be missed!
Performance will be Friday at 7:00 pm
$125

Reader Theatre

Monday, August 8 to Friday, August 12
9 am – 1 pm
Ages 6~10

Vaudevillian Variety

Monday, August 15 to Friday, August 19
10 am – 4 pm
Ages 10~17

Campers will spend their days learning the exciting ins and outs of performing and create short vignettes that will appear in our Variety show Friday evening. They will explore a variety of styles throughout the week.
Performance will be Friday at 7:00 pm
$125

The 2016 Summer Theatre Camp program could not exist without the ongoing support of
community minded individuals, businesses, organizations & institutions - including the Town of Fort Macleod, the M.D. of Willow Creek, the provincial and federal governments, Chinook Financial and ATCO Gas.

Digital projection and sound for the twenty-first century, admission prices from the 1900s, the best popcorn in the western world, cheerful concessioneers, festivals, private screenings, cuddle seats and Sunday matinées.
And our screen is probably way bigger than yours.

Come see a flick.

Weddings, One Night Stands, Engagements, Private Screenings, Conventions, Tours, Meetings, Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, Lectures, Debates, Rehearsals, Memorials, Celebrations, Benefit Concerts, Location Shoots, Live Recordings, Spiritual Experiences, Paranormal Investigations, Parties...and more.

Call us.
(403-553-4404)

Have a look at the theatre specifications.

Best kept secret in southern Alberta. We're having a ball in Fort Macleod. Check us out...

General Info - Public Areas

Lobby

235 Main Street entrance
Concession and Ticket Pod

3 Washrooms

Main Floor: 1 unisex - wheelchair accessible
Basement: 1 male/1 female

4 Emergency Exits

Stage Level: USR & DSL. Also accessible from house and basement.
Main Level: Front doors, and stage level exits. Wheelchair accessible.
Basement: Back 'Elvis Entrance' - exit through tunnel. And stage level exits.

House Capacity

Up for debate. More seats than we can use, certainly. Roughly 300 sellable seats - considering modern fire safety regulations and room for volunteers, staff, crew and media. Up to 6 wheelchairs.
Main Level - Wheelchair accessible
Balcony - Not wheelchair accessible

Green Room/Lounge

Basement, between public and backstage area.
Not actually a Green Room, in the traditional sense.
Wet bar licensed for live events.
No wheelchair access.

Volunteer needed for metric conversion of this page. Inquire within.

Backstage Info - Tech Specs

Stage Door

Back of the building.
Secret handshake required.

Loading Door

Back of the building.
Height: 6' 7"
Width: 4' 10.5"

Loading Ramp

Width: 4' 2"
Length of Platform: 6’0
Length of Ramp: 14’6

Dressing Rooms - 4

Basement. Not Wheelchair Accessible.
Large (1):
Toilet, shower and sink
Two make-up counters with mirrors
Full length mirror
Small (3):
Common toilet, shower and sink
Separate makeup counters with mirrors

Proscenium Arch

Height: 16’0
Width: 25’0

Apron

Height (from House floor): 4’0
Width (at Proscenium): 21’0
Width (at DS edge): 17’0
Depth: 6’7

Stage

Width (US wall to wall): 33’7
Width (DS wall to wall): 32’6
Depth (Proscenium to US wall): 18’5
Depth (DS edge to US wall): 25’0
Height: 18’0

Wing Space & Crossover

Extremely limited backstage space.
No functional crossover or SR wingspace without alternate storage arrangements.

USL Corner Anomaly

The roof of the stairway to the basement.
In the way until you're actually using the stairs.
A great place to leave something behind.
Height: 3’7
Width: 7’0 from USL wall
Depth: 4’0 from US wall

Stairs to Dressing Rooms

USL
Width: 3’7
Depth: 4’6

Stairs to House

DSR and DSL, either side of apron.

Main House - Aisles

2 raked aisles - width: 3’3

Soft Goods

Legs (Black) (3 sets - chain hung track with swivel) Height: 13’5 Width: 4’6
Upstage Traveler (Black): Height: 18’0 Width: 30’0
Main Rag (Red) – Proscenium Line: Height: 18’0 - Hand drawn.

Rigging:

Grid height - 16'
Very limited (no) capacity for flight.
Banners, flags, pixies and other fluffy items only.
All rigging subject to executive director's approval.

Electrics

1 NSI 24/48 Memory Lighting Console
48 2.4K Dimmers (DMX)
Control: Back of House or Balcony Booth

House Focus (General Wash) includes:

4 LED Strip Bars - RBG
6 LED Colour Boss - RBGW
2 Colortran 5/50 30 degree ERS
10 6” Fresnels – 500w
20 4x6 Baby Zoom ERS
Barn doors and gel frames available for incandescent instruments - BYOG
Refocus Onstage– Minimum 8 hour call. Refocus FOH - Minimum 16 hour call.

Other LX

1 Comet Followspot – 500w

Sound

2 - Flown Yorkville U-15 Loudspeakers
2 Custom JBL 1 x 15" Subwoofers.
Powered by QSC amplifiers.
Yamaha MG32/14FX Mixing Console w/24 mono & 4 Stereo inputs.
4 Behringer Eurolive F1220 monitors
Console Position: Back of House or Balcony Booth

Bits and Pieces:

A modest range of professional and utility mics, cables, and stands.
Music stands, two styles.
1 Young-Chang Baby Grand Piano - Stored onstage. Tuning available with advance notice and for a fee.
1 Weber upright piano downstairs.

Rules of the House:

Safety First. No smoking. No fisticuffs. No blocking the fire exits. No whining. No open flames, no candles, no smoke effects, no incense, no pyrotechnics, no strobes, no flashpots, no foggers, no confetti cannons, no rice throwing, no helium balloons, no dry ice fogs, no glitter, no special effects of any kind allowed anywhere, at anytime, under any circumstances without the prior written permission of the executive director.

Assorted Gear/Misc. Gack

Ironing Board / Modern Steam Iron
Rudimentary Sewing Kit
Retail Sewing Machine
Small selection hand tools
Small selection hardware
Laundromat 4 doors east on Main Street - limited hours.

Lectern available.
*No Costume Steamer
*No Resident Risers

Local Crew:

Small, competent mostly student crew, with industry contractor support when required or with advance notice and for a fee.

1912. George V is on the British throne. Calgary has its first Stampede. Alberta is seven years old. Treaty 7 is 35 years old. The Dominion of Canada is 45 years old. The 20th century is just getting underway.
More than half the adult population do not yet have the right to vote.
The Empress Theatre opens in Macleod...

Patrons file in to see the Back Street Boys in 1992

Fort Macleod is a supportive and arts friendly community, and it is our great pleasure to continue a long tradition of showcasing local talent at our little theatre on Main Street. Each spring for the past several years a hard-working team of directors, cast and crew have staged a community musical. Have a look around to see what they've done.