Each year, thanks to the generous support of the community and its partners, Boogie is able to donate close to 50% of each registration fee to local Kamloops charities. Chosen every two years, Boogie donates funds raised each year to two charities of choice and the Boogie the Bridge Cultural Fund (begun in 2005).

To date, Boogie has been able to donate over 1 million dollars to our local Kamloops community!

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This year, we are proud to announce that Boogie will be supporting the

Youth Education Programs at WCT

Background:

Since 1975, Western Canada Theatre (WCT) has developed into one of the largest producing theatres in BC. Producing excellent professional live theatre based in a diverse variety of genres, ensuring a connection to and accessibility for our community, and providing an artistically fulfilling and inclusive work environment are core values. WCT is honoured to tell our stories on the traditional and unceded territory of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc..

Our vision is to have a local focus with a national impact. We develop and provide opportunities for the audiences and artists of the B.C Interior, while creating works that define and advance the national creative conversation, to be shared with audiences and companies across Canada. Our mandate includes Canadian and Indigenous development and production, the best of contemporary theatre, musicals, and the classical

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Our theatre school has been teaching theatre skills to area youth since 1980, and we maintain a strong relationship with the theatre department at Thompson Rivers University.

WCT Youth Education Program

For over 40 years, WCT ‘s Stage One Theatre School has been the home for theatre education for young people in our community. These classes build confidence, and teach collaboration and communication skills. There is a space for every child in this fun and engaging program geared towards all skill levels from ages 4 -18! Stage One runs year-round, with after-school programs, week-long camps, special workshops and even performance opportunities.

Through this program, students learn:

• Confidence | Taking performing art instruction with same age actors encourages more practice, better performance and increased memory.
• Social self-awareness | Students who perform together gain greater awareness of each other’s place in the play and consequently, in life.
• Team work | Students communicate and bond as a team as they prepare to perform together in live stage performances.
• Respect | Students gain respect for themselves and others when they realize success can be built upon combined effort.
• Full potential | Students learn to overcome fear of failure as they gain recognition with their performances. Potential becomes reality.

Funds raised through Boogie the Bridge will support WCT’s youth education programs, including the development of an Indigenous Youth Theatre program and expansion of opportunities for Indigenous youth within current programming.

Program Fast Facts

This program will encompass the following:

• Bring performing arts training fundamentals and production skills to Indigenous students in their own home communities and classrooms.
• The program will bring youth and elders together and provide time, space and resources to bring cultural experiences and knowledge to life through storytelling and the performing arts.
• The stories will be adapted into a series of short plays performed by the students themselves in a combination of both Indigenous and English languages.
• Students will share cultural knowledge with both Indigenous and mainstream Canadian audiences through School District 73 facilities and those available at Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops.
• Indigenous youth will have the opportunity to tell their stories in their own languages, strengthening confidence and self-worth.
• Audiences will learn to value Indigenous cultural knowledge and stories that centre rich culture and strong community, strengthening understanding, empathy and human connection through shared experience.

Use the links below, for more information about:

• Western Canada Theatre
• Western Canada Theatre’s Education and Outreach Programs
• See what’s showing at WCT