SHIRLEY VALENTINE, Theatre-Feb 29-Mar 3 at Pioneer

Pioneer Memorial United Church is thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration with Dot The T Productions, a professional theatre company in Lake of Bays, under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Jan Jacklin and Minister, Rev. Meg Jordan.

Together, we will strive to bring entertaining, thought-provoking theatre to the local community with our first production, an award-winning one-woman show, “SHIRLEY VALENTINE” on February 29 and March 1 at 7 pm and two matinees on March 2 and 3 at 2 pm. Cash at the door OR reserve a spot with an e-transfer of $40 to dotthet@yahoo.com

Our 132-year-old heritage church, Pioneer Memorial, is located at 2370 Highway 60, Hillside in Lake of Bays. Our hall will serve as a vibrant cultural hub as we host our inaugural show and pave the way for future theatre productions.

SHIRLEY VALENTINE, written by Willy Russell, is a heartwarming comedy about a middle-aged woman stuck in a boring marriage who wonders what ever happened to all her dreams from her youth.

Jan Jacklin expresses her enthusiasm, stating, “We are delighted to collaborate with Pioneer, a welcoming venue steeped in history and community support. This partnership allows us to bring engaging theatre productions to Lake of Bays and provide a unique experience for both residents and visitors.”

Jan first attended Pioneer one recent Sunday and recognized the potential for pop-up theatre in the spacious hall. When she learned that funds were needed to replace the church furnaces, Jacklin met with Rev. Jordan and church leaders and received an enthusiastic and positive response to her proposal.

Each performance will seat 50 people and 25-50% of each ticket sold (dependent on ticket prices) will be donated for the installation of new furnaces for our church.

This initiative aligns with Pioneer’s commitment to open our doors to the community, preserve the heritage of the church, and ensure its warmth and vitality for generations to come.

We invite you to celebrate this union of heritage and the arts. Be part of the excitement as our charming, historic church takes center stage, becoming a haven for cultural expression in the community.