Lunchbox Theatre: Theatre Seeks Stage
Location, location, location! The realtor's motto is particularly well-suited to Lunchbox Theatre in terms of attracting audiences. With its prime location in downtown Calgary, the Theatre presents one-act plays that entertain downtown audiences during the lunch hour.
But the real estate boom in Canada's hottest city had affected the company: “After more than 3 decades, the company had to vacate its premises. The landlord has other firm plans for the use of this piece of prime commercial real estate.” says Artistic Director Martin Fishman.
With the help of the Canada Council, Lunchbox turned to consultants to guide its relocation strategy. The challenge was not only to determine a new location, but to develop a realistic transitional plan as well.
3 key phases ensured the success of the undertaking. First, a review of all company operations (human resources, infrastructure, technical support, customer services and marketing) to confirm the theatre's ability to take this major turn in its history. Next, finding a new location (determining technical specifications, cost estimates, timetable and logistics of the move). And finally, developing a funding campaign.
The staff and board were involved in the process of creating a the transition plan to ensure “a successful transition into a new space and a new phase of its existence.”
Today, Martin Fishman, the artistic director, is thrilled to announce that the Canada Council's help has paid off. “We have an offer to lease on a downtown space in the Calgary Tower. Located across the hall from Vertigo Theatre, our new theatre is in the heart of Calgary's theatre district. The theatre will be completely flexible which will allow other companies to make use of the space in the evening."
“Lunchbox Theatre is the longest running professional one-act theatre company in the world. We are working diligently towards taking the next step in becoming the international resource for one-act plays.”