Rosebud Theatre will be celebrating the past and the future this Friday as its summer production opens at the theatre.
On May 28 Jake and the Kid: Prairie Seasons opens. This event coincides with the centennial celebration of the Mercantile building in Rosebud, and the grand opening of the newly expanded Mercantile - the latest addition to the historic building.The Mercantile was originally built in 1911 as a general store along the railway. Like most prairie towns, Rosebud rode the tide of economic and social forces, and the property passed through a number of owners. In the 1970s, the population of the Hamlet had fallen to less than 30.
A breath of life was given to the community when in 1973 the Rosebud Camp of the Arts, a summer outreach program for Calgary youth began in the community. The building was purchased and from 1973 to 1977 it served as the base for the camps.
Around this time the camp had developed into a residential fine arts school, and the Mercantile was expanded to accommodate the school.
By 1986, the Rosebud School of the Arts, a post-secondary Arts School Guild was established, with the goal of teaching practical theatre experience. As the school’s productions expanded, the Mercantile became a dining room in conjunction with the performances.
For years this arrangement worked, and then in the early 2000s, the vision of the new Rosebud Mercantile expansion began to materialize. About 10 years later it became a reality. The new 10,000 square foot expansion, made in the style of a prairie bank and livery stable, includes the Encana Conference Centre, a restaurant, a new gift shop and expanded dining capacities for its theatre productions.
“The Rosebud Mercantile is a dream come true,” remarks Executive Director Bob Davis. “It was a 10-year journey from visioning to planning, fundraising and then construction. But it was worth every minute. We now have a multi-use facility that can help us grow, expand and create new opportunities for decades to come.”
On Friday May 28, Rosebud School of the Arts will be celebrating the centennial of the original Mercantile and formally opening the new facility.
