'JUST BEAUTIFUL’: Ayr Community Theatre receives standing ovation for four successful years – more to come!
Organization inspires and entertains residents in North Dumfries with help from WRCF
It’s a chance encounter with the local accountant who offers to lend his photography skills. It’s the town’s mayor helping out as an usher. Or the group of high school students who arrive reluctantly, then stick around with beaming faces and boundless energy.
“We want to bring community to our community,” said Diana Barber, President of Ayr Community Theatre. “This is how we build our community. It’s just beautiful.”
Since its inception in 2021, following the late visionary Vivienne Rayner's call to action in the growing North Dumfries Township village west of Cambridge, Ayr Community Theatre has been playing the real-life role of a grassroots success story.
The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to bring live theatre to Ayr while promoting the arts and incorporating local talent, including youth. The vision, in part, is to inspire and entertain the community and surrounding area with quality theatrical productions and to become a cultural asset in the township and within Waterloo Region. After numerous sold-out performances, they are doing just that.
“The community has embraced us wholeheartedly. It’s been wonderful,” said Diana, a resident of Ayr for three decades and counting.
Ayr Community Theatre celebrated its fourth anniversary in August. In that short time, the organization has produced and performed a range of entertainment, from musicals, comedies and classics, including 2023’s Clue: The Musical.
The group’s six-show run of Clue: The Musical -- based on the popular murder-mystery board game -- was funded through Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF)’s Arts Fund, which supports small or medium-sized arts organizations and collectives.
"Because of their funding, we’ve been able to do so many things. Clue was a prime example,” Diana said, explaining that they were able to add risers for additional audience seating, extend the stage by eight feet, and install a revolve.
A theatre revolve is a circular platform that rotates within the stage floor, allowing for rapid and seamless changes of scenery or the movement of actors. It was ideal for Clue’s dynamic storyline.
"We took that revolve and we made it into three sections -- each section portraying two rooms. At each show, audience members would pick the murder weapon, the murderer and the room. And our cast had to be prepared to change it up every night," Diana said.
"Every night was a different show. We were able to really bring that to life. We were also able to build a gazebo next to the eight-foot extension, where we put our band. So the band was front-and-centre as well, which was a lot of fun,” she added.
A $10,000 grant from an anonymous WRCF Fundholder additionally allowed the organization to purchase audio equipment. That same Fundholder has reached out again to donate an additional $5,000, which will be used to purchase a backstage communication system and a high-quality printer, Diana said.
“Their generosity is just amazing,” she said, adding that WRCF’s support has been a lifeline.
“We would not be as successful as we are today if it weren’t for WRCF and their Fundholders. Hands down, we would not be where we are today,” she said. “It’s due to their generosity and their kindness that we continue to grow and bring this entertainment to our community. We can’t thank them enough.”
When founding member Vivienne Rayner passed away in 2023, the decision was made to create an award in her honour. The Viv Award is a red boot, signifying Vivienne’s sense of style and the boot she used to wear. The award is given to the most supportive cast or crew member of each production as voted on by peers. It was presented for the first time during the intermission of the final performance of Clue: The Musical, surprising Vivienne’s family members in the audience.
“To be able to do that with her son present and her daughter-in-law and granddaughter, it was just really special,” Diana said. “We love Viv. We talk about Viv a lot. That lady just stays in our theatre.”
“This was an absolutely hysterical and well-done play. All the actors were wonderful. Way to go, Ayr Community Theatre.”
To celebrate and give back upon its fourth anniversary, the organization offered a complimentary Intro to Acting Workshop. Led by professional actor Paul Bond, the workshop was open to all interested.
“When we started Ayr Community Theatre, we knew that there was nothing for the arts in this area. We’re a big hockey town. So, to be able to bring a theatre to this area was just a gift,” Diana said.
The theatre will present Making God Laugh in November as part of its Laughing Out Loud season. It's a heartwarming family comedy that begins in 1980 and follows Ruthie and Bill’s three wildly different children --- a priest, an aspiring actress and a former football star who all come home for the holidays. The performance covers a 30-year period.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re really excited for this show,” Diana said.
The theatre group was recently in danger of losing its theatre space as the township mulled the future of the aging Ayr Community Centre, but the building didn’t go up for sale. The community voiced immense support for the theatre and community centre, Diana said.
“It was incredible the support from people that said, ‘do not tear down that building.’ It was so heartwarming to see how many people were fighting for the building to stay alive. The number of groups that mentioned our theatre... was so heartwarming,” she said.
For more information about Ayr Community Theatre and the shows available this season, visit ayrcommunitytheatre.com.
To learn more about WRCF’s Arts Grants, go to wrcf.ca/artsgrants.