By Chad Klassen

As Sagebrush Theatre awaits repairs, arts groups forced to find alternative spaces

Feb 21, 2019 | 4:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — UPDATE (Feb. 22): The Kamloops Symphony Orchestra says it has reached an agreement with Oasis Church to hold its upcoming KSO At the Movies concerts at the church.

Oasis Church was formerly known as Calvary Community Church and is located on Rogers Way.

The KSO says “plans are in place” for upcoming perfomances of Virtuosic Piano, Feelin’ Groovy — The Music of Simon and Garfunkel and Carmina Burana.

Ticket sales for all concerts have resumed.

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EARLIER: Productions have come to a halt at the Sagebrush Theatre after structural damage in a truss was discovered during a routine technical setup.

It’s now been a week since the closure of the building, and engineers with School District 73, along with the owner of the sagebrush theatre, are working tirelessly to inspect the structure.

“We’ve done a visual inspection of the other trusses, so best we know right now it appears to be only the one truss,” noted School District 73’s director of facilities and transportation Art McDonald. “But we are going to have a more detailed look at the other trusses.”

The school district, which owns and is responsible for maintaining the building, doesn’t know when the theatre could re-open nor how much the structural repairs will cost. 

The uncertainty leaves its main tenants, Western Canada Theatre and the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, in precarious positions. 

“I haven’t ever had this happen before,” said executive director of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra Kathy Humphreys. “I’ve been with the orchestra for 29 years, so it’s unheard of. On the other hand, we have performed in spaces that were not specifically designated as a hall or a theatre.”

Humphreys has looked at a few churches in the city with no luck, needing adequate stage space for performers. As of today, however, she says the symphony has secured a performance space for next month’s shows. 

“I have a tentative space book,” said Humphreys with excitement. “I’m not able to say yet because we’re still checking a few things with regard to the dates. So it’s looking good. I should by Monday let people know where we’re going.”

Western Canada Theatre was also scrambling for performance space in the aftermath of Sagebrush Theatre shutting down, finally settling at the Coast Kamloops Hotel for its latest production of Buddy Holly. 

“The production’s transferred really well over there,” said WCT’s artistic director James MacDonald. “We’re running right now until Feb. 28. We have a slightly shorter run. We lost the last two days of our run.”

WCT will have their shows at the Coast Kamloops for the foreseeable future. MacDonald says the shutdown at the Sagebrush points to the ever-growing need for a larger performing arts centre. 

“There’s so much demand for a performing arts centre in this city from so many different user groups, and different types of events that can go on in a performing arts centre are everything: the concerts, the tours, the speakers, the conventions, the performances,” noted MacDonald. “There are so many different things that will benefit the entire community.”

But MacDonald also says the Sagebrush would still be heavily used, even with a performing arts centre, making repairs that much more important.