Cold Lake Entertainment Society rebranding, to do fewer shows

Image credit: Grande Parlour.

The arts in Cold Lake is rebranding.

On Sunday, the Cold Lake Entertainment Society which operates the Grande Parlour theatre announced they were changing their name to the Cold Lake Arts and Entertainment Society and will be partnering with the Cold Lake AG Society to do a show in 2020.

“We are launching a rebranding of the organization across social media and all of our marketing,” said CLAES vice-president Esther Quiambao.

“We will be actively marketing the Grande Parlour theatre for rent by our community for business workshops or conferences or meetings and for weddings, family reunions and birthdays…It’s also going to become our central educational center, if you want to call it that, for all of our workshops, for our youth programs, for any community groups,” she said.

The new production with the AG Society will mix the live performing arts and music with a live sporting event and be the first show of its kind, said society president Craig Konechny.

“I can promise you, it will be the most incredible and unique evening of entertainment you will ever see,” he said.

The society is also paring down the number of shows they’ll perform, saying they’ll only hold one or two theatre productions outside of The Grande Parlour space.

In October, the announcement was made that the Grande Parlour would be closing its doors due to an unsustainable funding model.

Konechy explained that they produced more productions to get ahead of overhead costs while pursuing their goal of an arts school for youth.

“The space became so over-utilized in set creation and production rehearsals that it soon became unavailable for so many other opportunities due to the lack of time,” he said.

Quiambao said the CLAES will be pursuing more partnerships with other societies, businesses and nonprofit organizations.

It’s all in an effort to keep doing some of the work that’s touched many people in the Lakeland.

“This space has become a family and this community is special to me. And so even when things you know, were difficult, and you know, we were talking about closures, and I was looking for opportunities, other places. It broke my heart to think about leaving and so we knew we had to do something, to keep trying at least just to fight for a little bit longer,” said Teresa Pettit.

The Grande Parlour will continue to be operated by the Grande Parlour and be managed by a board of directors and will remain a non-profit society.