LUNCHBOX MOVING TO THEATRE DISTRICT: NEW LOCATION SECURED AFTER LONG SEARCH

Bob Clark, Calgary Herald
Saturday, February 09, 2008

Lunchbox Theatre has a new home.

The popular noon-hour purveyor of one-act plays, which must vacate its longtime premises in Bow Valley Square by the end of April, has signed a four-year lease on a large ground-floor space in the Tower Centre across the hall from Vertigo Theatre, next to the Auburn Saloon. The company has been searching for a new location for several years.

"We're really excited about it," says Lunchbox interim artistic director Martin Fishman.

Fishman points out that the move will take Lunchbox into the city's theatre district and "open it up to all kinds of cross-promotions and interesting collaborations with theatre companies in that area.

"This may be our permanent home," he says.

"This is what we're hoping for."

A capital campaign to raise the estimated $1 million to $1.5 million necessary to renovate the future Lunchbox site and turn it into a flexible theatre space is already underway.

"We're aiming for an official opening in December," Fishman says.

When construction is completed, the new venue will seat 150, compared with the company's current seating capacity of 170.

To compensate for the lower capacity and to build audiences, the 2008-09 Lunchbox season will consist of six plays, each running for four weeks, instead of the present seven-play season, where each production enjoys three weeks of performances.

The first two shows of the upcoming season will take place in as yet unannounced space rented from other theatres, beginning in September.

© The Calgary Herald 2008