The show will go on for the Rossland Light Opera Players despite losing $3,300 in vital fundraised dollars to a thief three weeks ago.
The volunteer theatre company had its cash box stolen during an early November show in Rossland, casting some doubt on whether they would be able to continue with their main stage show, “Pride and Prejudice,” in late February, early March.
Although they made a public plea to the thief Nov. 16 in the Trail Daily Times to return the money “no questions asked,” nothing has turned up, said the company’s president, Dawn Graham.
“We’ve kind of accepted this has happened and people aren’t very happy with it, but if you let it get to you they win,” she said.
Graham said she still needs to make recorded statement to the RCMP, who, despite not having any leads, have not closed the case.
The main stage show costs about $15,000 to produce, and was typically funded through a combination of fundraising and grants.
Right now some of the company’s players are trying to organize a fundraiser for the fundraiser that was pre-empted (or pre-emptied) from its financial rewards by the thief. Graham said no new shows have been confirmed.
The money made from the show in the new year would have gone towards replacing the existing wheezing furnace in the company’s Washington Street home, as well as to help pay for the new windows currently being installed.
In early November, with a sold out house of 124 guests at Miner’s Hall in Rossland, the night was going as planned for the company’s performance of Murder at Crooked House.
But after the show was over the 20-member cast and crew discovered the $3,300 they had taken in for the night was stolen. It was a massive hit for the volunteer-run organization, seeing as they relied upon the money to keep the 60-year-old company afloat.