Long standing  professional theatre company New West Theatre has fallen on tough times like a lot of  local community groups and arts organizations, so they are reaching out the the community  to “Save Our Stage.”

They have been providing family friendly entertainment and have given local performers a break on the big stage for the past 30 years, but lately veered off in to a slightly more experimental, more serious, issues heavy direction, which hasn’t been as successful as they hoped.

 The September production of rock and roll musical  “Next to Normal” and “Barvinok” weren’t as successful as they anticipated, so they are returning to what works, more mainstream shows like their family friendly music comedy revues.

 With  that “ course correction” in mind, they have set a goal of raising $150,000 in the next two months.

“Every little bit helps,” said New West board Chair Dawn Leite, after telling a story about her nephew Declan asking her why she was writing letters asking for help, and offering to donate  five dollars.

“We expanded our offerings this year. We underestimated the community’s appetite for different programming,” Leite told a Nov. 18 press conference, noting they will be going back to programming that is a sure bet.

“ Audiences have not returned to pre-covid levels. So we’re returning to fun, family oriented theatrical selections,” she said.

“We need a little bit of additional funding to make that course correction,” she continued, adding they haven’t launched such a large fundraising campaign before, though they have done smaller campaigns.

 New West Theatre’s next big show is their annual “Blockbuster” holiday show running Dec.14-31 to be directed by New West veteran Grahame Renyk.

 Leite said  there are some special live fundraising events on the horizon to help raise the extra money, which will be announced later.

She said the extra funds are essential.

“ It‘s critical. There is an urgent need,” she said acknowledging times are hard for a lot of people who have lost jobs and are just getting used to going out again after Covid.

“We have a number of reserves we can dip into,” she said, noting it is also national philanthropy week.

The always ebullient and erudite  Cape Breton born, Toronto based comedian Ron James is excited to return to Lethbridge for two shows at the Yates Theatre, Nov. 22 and 23.

“ I’m doing Jim Dandy, I spent October in Nova Scotia ,”  enthused James from Toronto, where the first snow of winter is falling.

He is excited to be “Back Where I Belong”— on the road making people laugh all across Canada “from Cornerbrook to Courtney -Comox.”

 He always enjoys performing in Lethbridge.

“ I love Southern Alberta. I’ve been to Waterton and  the hoodoos, Writing on Stone Provincial Park. Audiences always come to laugh,” he said.

“ The last time I was here was 2018, I think and I heard the Yates theatre had just been renovated. And a lot has happened since then,” James observed.

He kept  busy during the pandemic doing a few online shows, working on a couple of television shows and completing his book.“All Over the Map.”

“I had to keep the muscle I’ve spent the last 25 years building and strengthening from travelling from Cornerbrook to Courtney-Comox, from atrophying,” he said.

The  paperback edition of Ron James’ best selling new book  “All Over the Map” was just released  on Nov. 1. The hardcover version was released last October and has done well.

“It was in the Top 50 between Steve Martin and Jerry Seinfeld,” he said.

The always ebullient and erudite  Cape Breton born, Toronto based comedian Ron James is excited to return to Lethbridge for two shows at the Yates Theatre, Nov. 22 and 23.

“ I’m doing Jim Dandy, I spent October in Nova Scotia ,”  enthused James from Toronto, where the first snow of winter is falling.

He is excited to be “Back Where I Belong”— on the road making people laugh all across Canada “from Cornerbrook to Courtney -Comox.”

 He always enjoys performing in Lethbridge.

“ I love Southern Alberta. I’ve been to Waterton and  the hoodoos, Writing on Stone Provincial Park. Audiences always come to laugh,” he said.

“ The last time I was here was 2018, I think and I heard the Yates theatre had just been renovated. And a lot has happened since then,” James observed.

He kept  busy during the pandemic doing a few online shows, working on a couple of television shows and completing his book.“All Over the Map.”

“I had to keep the muscle I’ve spent the last 25 years building  and strengthening from travelling from Cornerbrook to Courtney-Comox, from atrophying,” he said.

The  paperback edition of Ron James’ best selling new book  “All Over the Map” was just released  on Nov. 1. The hardcover version was released last October and has done well.

“It was in the Top 50 between Steve Martin and Jerry Seinfeld,” he said.

“ It’s a love letter to all the people I’ve met and places I’ve seen. It’s not all satire, though there is some of that. My publisher (Doubleday and Penguin, Random House Canada) said not to make it funny on every page, but I think it’s funny on every page,” James said, adding he also recorded an audio book version of it.