Local Theatre Connects With Main Streets For Stronger Community

Looking to improve community experiences, a local theatre company is getting some big support.

Once delayed by the pandemic, Post Productions has an ambitious plan for the future. Calling it Shadowbox 2.0, the company is in the process of upgrading their venue. Complimenting other enhancements, work includes installing new seating with lumbar support for theatregoers.

Beyond this however, further improvements are being made possible by the federally-funded My Main Street program.

“The most important next step to us since the day we opened the Shadowbox Theatre in February 2018 was the purchase of comfortable chairs,” said Post’s managing director, Michael K. Potter. “People may not think of chairs as expensive and I guess if you’re buying a bunch of crappy chairs they really aren’t. When you’re buying good chairs and 60 of them though, things get pricey. We weren’t going to settle for anything less than solidly built comfortable chairs with lumbar support and no arm rests. We want people of all different body types to have the ability to watch a play without pain or discomfort. This was the main reason we applied for the My Main Street support. We weren’t expecting to get the maximum support amount of $20,000. When they actually offered us $20,000, we realized we could also invest in better audio/visual equipment.”

Fostering vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods, My Main Street was created to support community economic development . With a goal to enhance the overall quality of life for residents, its purpose extends to promoting sustainable and inclusive community growth. Delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute, funding is supported by the Canadian government’s investment through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario.)

Undertaken to recover from Covid-19 restrictions, previous renovations were kickstarted by Barry T. Brodie and Jaz Morneau. Launching a fundraiser in late 2022, the initial goal was to get Shadowbox Theatre (located at 103b – 1501 Howard Avenue) a dedicated set of stage lights. It’s an upgrade that eliminated the need for Post and others using the facility to rent their own rigs.

Purchasing a lighting board as well, focus soon shifted towards the audience experience. With that in mind, the company also changed lighting throughout the theatre to make it warmer, more consistent and easier on the eyes. From there, the electrical system was updated and auditorium floors were replaced with something more aesthetically pleasing. This allowed Post to ensure they were less of a tripping hazard for those with mobility impairments too.

Making these indoor changes, the company then purchased an exterior sign. Enhancing the Shadowbox’s visibility, it now helps people find the venue more easily.

Further renovations were then put on hold. Having more to accomplish, another round of fundraising was needed as production on(Up)Staged also required more time and resources.

Even so, it was work on the TV series that inadvertently led the company where they needed to go.

“Since March of this year Rebecca S. Mickle has been working for Post Productions and (up)Staged to coordinate fundraising, advertising and sponsorship as well as social media and general outreach,” said Potter. “She brought the My Main Street program to our attention and drafted the first version of the application. Since their support is meant to help brick-and-mortar businesses grow and sustain larger customer bases in downtown neighbourhoods while encouraging cooperation and collaboration between businesses, they seemed like a perfect fit for Post Productions. That’s what we do and that’s what we care about.”

Upon receiving approval, other upgrades Post invested in were a cinematic camera with necessary accessories, professional radio/podcasting microphones and a portable recording booth that can be assembled or packed away as needed.

It’s a windfall that already has Potter thinking of creative projects the company can produce.

“We’re excited to enhance our theatre productions with the new audio/visual equipment, spend more time working on podcasts, other recordings, short films and fun promotional videos,” he said. “We really like making fun promotional videos.”

Outside of providing a more comfortable experience for audiences and expanding their own productions, the grant will also benefit areas surrounding the Shadowbox Theatre. Being close to Ottawa Street Village, Via Italia, the Tecumseh Road corridor and downtown core, Post hopes to bring people out to enjoy what each has to offer.

It’s also fuelled an effort to create partnerships that benefit local businesses. Ensuring Windsor thrives, the idea is to push traffic towards restaurants, local arts and independently owned shops.

With technology keeping more people at home, strengthening these bonds is a priority.

“We want to work with others to make our neighbourhoods vibrant places full of living human beings,” said Potter. “We’re up against the forces that are driving more people to stay indoors such as streaming services and gig economy scab services like Uber Eats. I think by working together we can continue to make progress because life is just — well, it’s more like life when you’re surrounded by other living people.”

In addition to supporting Post Productions, My Main Street also assisted Amherstburg with additional funding this year. Allowing the town to invest in enriching placemaking initiatives for Open Air Weekends (May 31 to September 1) and the Amherstburg Uncommon Festival (September 20-22,) this included additional lighting, seating and re-usable signage. The grant also provided educational opportunities to the community through free live performances and workshops.

In a similar way, audio/video equipment purchased with grant funding will allow Post to interact with a potentially bigger audience. Although it was too difficult and cost-prohibitive before, the company will now use it to inform people about local theatre and provide entertaining content. They also hope to extend the value and impact of these new resources by collaborating with other artists.

Given these local investments by the program, Potter thinks it’s a good sign for theatre in the area.

“I’d say this year’s My Main Street recipients demonstrate a vote of confidence in what Windsor-Essex’s arts industry can become,” he said. “They’re signs that people beyond our region see that Windsor and Amherstburg have a lot to offer. Making our theatre a more comfortable and welcoming environment helps draw new people in to our nexus of neighbourhoods and gives them another reason to come back again and again. Drawing more people into our neighbourhoods has the potential to benefit all the brick-and-mortar businesses that surround the Shadowbox. This also means that the other theatre companies and independent performing artists that rent out the Shadowbox Theatre for their productions should have an easier time drawing and sustaining crowds – This effect will grow year after year as people experience what it’s like to enjoy a live performance in a comfortable setting. Nothing competes with that experience.”

More than an infusion of cash, the support also helps in other ways.

“It makes a huge psychological difference for artists to feel like there are national and provincial organizations that respect and are willing to support our labour,” said the managing director. “Consequently, it makes a huge difference to have them acknowledge the value we add to our communities, province and nation at large. The past couple of decades especially have been rough for artists of all disciplines. When a program like My Main Street offers financial support it feels like at least one part of society is offering a hand to help you up.”

Besides receiving support from My Main Street, the company is finishing up their current run of First Night. As the only play to be staged by Post twice, remaining performances will take place on December 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21. All showtimes start at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7:30. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online or at the door via cash, debit and credit card if seats remain. Continuing with tradition, $5 of each ticket sold will also go to Abode Respite Services. Copies of the company’s 2023 Christmas album Wassailing in a Windsor Wonderland will be sold to raise funds for the cause as well.

In other year-end news, support to help cover the company’s production costs for (Up)Staged is being accepted until December 30th. Filmed in the summer, the TV series finished principal photography in August and is now in post production. Committed to paying artists on all levels, those looking to help them do so can donate via secure Zeffy link and receive a charitable tax receipt.

Knowing first-hand how important such backing is, Potter hopes that government programs like My Main Street help others understand as well.

“I hope that socio-politically it makes a difference,” he said. “I’d like to think that if the community at large sees that programs like My Main Street recognize the arts as businesses and are willing to support them, maybe more people will start to understand that art is work. What we do matters .”