There will be lots going on for Canada Day this weekend and this year the occasion is being marked in a very special way in Fort Macleod.
Our nation’s birthday is shared by the Empress Theatre, a southern Alberta attraction with rich history.
100 years ago the Empress Theatre opened its doors on Fort Macleod’s main street where it remains the province’s oldest continuing running theatre.
Summer program director Andy Jenkins tells GlobalNews, the building was renovated back in 1938 and strives to maintain the authentic theater experience.
“You walk inside these doors and you feel like it’s an amazing energy that you’re coming into. We like to think of the building itself as the next character in the plays that we do. There’s nothing like it, we do the old style popcorn and people come in and have a great time,” he says.
The structure remains much of the same with original dressing rooms, chairs and door arches.
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However, the Empress has transformed over the years to include movies and concerts along with the many theatrical acts on stage.
To commemorate its centennial the theatre’s hosting a weekend of performances and activities including the premier of The Stage That Made Us.
The play explores the theatres rich history and characters including some who drop by unexpectedly.
“The Empress is apparently haunted. There are many ghost stories that have apparently accumulated over the years in the building. The ghost has never harmed anyone but he certainly likes to play tricks on our staff and patrons,” he adds.
Don lives in Fort Macleod and says it’s these sorts of stories that keep the theatre a treasure among the southern Alberta community.
“It’s that atmosphere of the old type theatre. It brings back lots of memories and lots of nostalgia of years past,” Don says.
The Empress theatre is also releasing a book to commemorate its anniversary.
The Reign of the Empress by Peter J. Scott tells the history of the theatre and also the coming of arts to the prairies.
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