By Katie Ryan
In his final act as the Vic Juba Community Theatre’s (VJCT) general manager, Ron Ror finds himself in the midst of paperwork and budget matters. As the curtain is about to close on his tenure with the theatre at the end of the month, Ror took a moment to reflect on his four years with the organization.
“It’s a 24-hour, seven days a week job,” he laughed, referring to his work as general manager. “Mainly you are dealing with the community because we are a community theatre. I have to remind myself continually that this is just not a business, that we are here to serve the community. And everybody in the community has their opinions and it’s my job to listen to them all, and sort out what direction we want to go.”
The direction the theatre has taken under Ror’s care has seen attendance and use of the theatre increase every year with him at the helm.
“It’s up to about 38,000 a year now and it’s gone up by at least 1,000 every year since 2005,” he said. “It surprises me continually how many people we get here who have never been here before and I mean local people. We’ll eventually get everyone in here.”
In his time at the Vic Juba, not only has attendance increased, but Ror introduced new initiatives including the H.A. McDonald Series, through which the theatre has been able to bring more acts to Lloydminster. Ror also proudly kick started the VJCT Film Society, which will enter its fourth season in January and continue after his departure.
“The theatre is busy upwards of 160 days a year now, which is just about all we can possibly handle so that’s almost double what it was before I came here,” he said. “The main thing is keeping it a community theatre and making sure that it is accessible to the people in the community and not just as an audience, but for them to use as well.”
Ror praised his staff and board of directors for their hard work and talent in making the theatre accessible and community minded.
“They have been wonderful in terms of the growth of the theatre and making sure we are going in the right direction,” he said.
A wide range of performers have graced the Vic Juba stage and for Ror enjoying the classical acts, including both music and dance, has been a memorable highlight.
“I am really happy about is our relationship with Ballet Jorgen. We brought in an untested ballet, ‘Anastasia,’ a few years ago and it was beautiful, just incredibly beautiful. It was something that we had never seen in this town,” said Ror, adding that the ballet will command the stage again in the new year.
“Every show is memorable, every show is different, like the Trailer Park Boys coming in for two shows and I would say about 90 per cent of the audience for that are people who have never been to the Vic Juba Theatre before, so that’s wonderful, a whole new group of people using the theatre.”
Though the VJCT provides thespians, singers and a host of other entertainers with a venue to share their art, Ror said there’s more to culture in a community
than having a theatre.
“Culture isn’t just when you sit down to watch a show, it’s interesting and varied places to eat, it’s good newspapers and good local television, and all those sorts of things that go into making it a community or into going to make up a culture,” said Ror.
“You just can’t depend on the theatre to be the only cultural part of your community. We are happy to play a huge role but we can’t do it alone.”
Ror hasn’t bid adieu to theatre quite yet; the curtain will rise on his new position as a producer in Estevan with Souris Valley Theatre next month.
“I am semi-retiring now, that’s the idea. If you spend a life in the theatre you can’t really afford to completely retire,” said Ror with a laugh.
A “goodbye lunch” will be held for Ror on Nov. 25, everyone is welcome. To RSVP contact the box office by Friday.