FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 16, 2003

SAINT JOHN THEATRE COMPANY CREATING "LEGACY FUND"
Fundraising Campaign to be Launched with February 14th Gala

The Saint John Theatre Company has picked Valentine's Day to launch the biggest, most important fundraising campaign in its 12-year history.
  
The Company is creating the Legacy Fund, an ambitious plan designed to make theatre a permanent and vital part of the city.

"In the past century, there have been many successful theatre companies in Saint John," says Stephen Tobias, the SJTC artistic director. "But in spite of the successes of these companies, they have left very little behind for others to build upon. The Saint John Theatre Company has now grown to the point where it can take steps to address that."

Tobias says the goal is to ensure that Saint John continues to develop as a centre of theatrical excellence. To that end, the SJTC plans to develop the Legacy Fund. The initial goal for the fund will be to raise funds towards the purchase and upgrade of a building suitable to house a theatre company. Tobias and other SJTC board members have already looked at local properties.

"As the Saint John Theatre Company has grown, so have audience expectations, and we need better infrastructure in order to meet those expectations," Tobias says. "We have a wonderful performance space at Imperial Theatre. We now require a facility which would house rehearsal halls, administration, design workshops, meeting rooms, and perhaps even theatrically-related enterprises such as a costume rental shop or an agency to promote local actors."

The second part of the Company's strategy involves theatrical training.

"With such a facility we will also develop long-term training programs to enhance the skills of our Saint John based performers and technicians," Tobias explains. "These programs must develop beyond the workshop stage and take the form of multi-year training in order to be fully effective."

The first fundraising event for the initiative is "Tony Roma's Valentine's Vegas Gala" at Centre Scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain on Friday, February 14th. Music will be provided by the Richard Kidd Swing Band, featuring lounge singers Tony Roma (Stephen Tobias) and Vicky Velvet (Jennifer Power). The menu will include a four-course gourmet dinner of seafood, chicken and a dessert buffet. The event begins at 7 pm with cocktails and a casino.

"Valentine's Day should be special and we've got a wonderful package for people to enjoy," Tobias says. "They get a great meal and a great show. It's also a great cause." Other fund-raising events for the Legacy Fund are planned for later this year. The Company will also be seeking grants from the federal and provincial governments, as well as donations from the public.

"If there are people in Saint John who have one dollar to donate, or who have one minute of time to volunteer in support of theatrical development for the greater Saint John area," Tobias says, "then we must work hard to encourage them to support the Saint John Theatre Company as we endeavour to make our community a better place to live."

Tickets for Tony Roma's Valentine's Vegas Gala are $57.50 per person and can be purchased by at Ricky’s Store at 511 Somerset Street or by calling the SJTC at 642-1877.

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