Fort Edmonton Park is now working on a vision for the expansion of the 1920s Midway and Exhibition.

The main objective of the expansion is to add historical enhancements and a wider range of amusement choices, resulting in longer, more frequent guest visits. At the same time, consideration is being given to wet and cold weather cover, more permanent indoor spaces, and expansion of staff areas, food services and washrooms - essentials that will allow the midway to be accessible more frequently year round.

Development of more rides, games, and amusements is a primary focus of the vision. The foundation has invested in the restoration of an authentic 1918 Mangels chair-o-plane ride which, when completed, will be located near the carousel. Existing games will be expanded, and additional ones added. There is the potential to add a bug house (mirror maze) and a fun house, each based on historic images; also, to improve the carnival atmosphere with additional lighting, bunting, painted canvas, signage and flags.

Traditionally, however, a midway also included a wide range of live shows and exhibits. The side show, home of perceived "freaks" and oddities, super human feats, slights of hand, and the weird and wonderful, is a rapidly dying tradition that deserves a presence on Fort Edmonton Park's midway. A new tent is intended to hold a permanent exhibition highlighting the history of the side show and typical stars of the traveling carnival midways. More than a exhibition of fat and thin, tall and short, high divers and motor dromes, the tent will be a "five in one" - a two-handed tour between five small stages with startling reveals, living exhibits and exposed gaffs. Jugglers please apply!

Another possible addition is a multipurpose event area that will be divided into tent spaces with a cookhouse at one end and a revue theatre at the other. The cookhouse will offer a perfect place to sit and enjoy a wide range of food and entertainment options: perhaps "housie housie" (bingo) and a fairground organ. The Pepper Box Revue will be a multipurpose venue: by day a kids space with a shadow puppet theatre; by night a draw card for a more adult midway, with bar service and vaudeville and burlesque shows. The dual focus of the midway as a child friendly space by day and an adult venue by night is one of the bases of the vision.

Beyond the midway, the plan looks at other major draw cards. An outdoor maze or cold-air balloon could become destinations in themselves. An event field, based on the one that existed at the Edmonton Fair Grounds, may become an outdoor venue for a Wild West Show, with riding, bow and arrow and shooting tricks; or perhaps a WW1 trench show. Whatever options are incorporated into the plan, there is much to look forward to on the expanded horizon of the Fort Edmonton Park 1920s Midway!

About the author - John King is Creative Director at Artisan Design

We were able to catch up with Amanda Bergen, the Capitol Theatre Artistic Director, to ask her thoughts on the exciting upcoming season at the Capitol Theatre...

Fort Ed: What are some of your favorite things about working in a 1920's theatre? What are some of the challenges?

Amanda: My favorite thing is the character, the Capitol has a cozy luxury that is great to rehearse in. We get a lot of feedback from people who have seen a show here that it's such a great place to visit. Some challenges are finding shows that fit such a specific theatre, and if they aren't from the era I have to think about how they compliment the space when we plan the design.

 

Fort Ed: This Valentine's Day, we're showing our first full feature length movie at the Capitol Theatre - Casablanca. Will we be showing old time movies on an on-going basis at the Capitol? What other movies might we be in store for in the future?

Amanda: Yes, absolutely you can expect more movies, old, new and unique. This is quite far ahead, but I'd like to screen Night of the Living Dead for a late night showing after our Spooktacular event in October. It's one of my favorites!

 

Fort Ed: Some people have commented on the fact that Casablanca is a movie that was first debuted in 1942, was this movie ever played in the original Capitol theatre? Were any other movies from the 1920's era considered for this Valentine's day event?

Amanda: The original Capitol opened up in 1918 and operated well past the 20s era that we interpret in the summer months here at the Park. Although I don't know for sure that it played at the Capitol, it is likely that movies with big stars like Humphrey Bogart would have been a big draw to Edmontonians at the time. Most films made in the era were silent, and I certainly intend on showing some silent films in the Capitol. For Valentine's Day I wanted a classic film that more people would know. Since we aren't showing the film during our summer months, I felt we could reach out beyond the era to bring something that most attendees would have never had the chance to see on the big screen.

 

Fort Ed: This year we have a wide range of Capitol Theatre events planned, from classic tales, to comedies, to cabaret. Are you excited about the upcoming season and can you comment on its diversity?

Amanda: I'm extremely excited for this upcoming season, it's such a great opportunity for me and I can't wait for people to see them. I attend a lot of theatre in Edmonton, and the variety is incredible. I wanted our season to have that same variety because a typical audience member is not only interested in one genre. Also, they may take the opportunity, because they like what we do, to branch out and try something new.

 

Fort Ed: Chapter Two by Neil Simon is the first live theatre performance this year - can you give us an insider's view on what to expect in this performance? Why was it chosen to debut the season?

Amanda: This is a play with a lot of heart, and a lot of laughs. As I read it for the first time I just smiled and felt like I really knew these characters. I chose this play to start off the season because it's really well written. Neil Simon is well known for "The Odd Couple" and I felt our audience would know that name and trust that it's going to be great. It's a dramatic comedy so you'll see some almost farcical performances with real emotion and engaging character.

 

Fort Ed: In May we see there is a cabaret in the works - can you tell us a little more about this performance for Mother's day?

Amanda: Well, for this short run we have some very talented performers. Kate Ryan, who was most recently seen in The Christmas Carol at the Citadel, has put this show together with her sister Bridget Ryan (CityTV's - Breakfast Television), and Beth Portman, a singer songwriter who has toured extensively with vocal group Juba. They gathered stories about women in the area during the war and will be incorporating these into the show. Kate is one of the loveliest people and I'm so happy to bring this show in. It's part of our history and I know our audience is going to love it.

 

Fort Ed: What are some things Edmonton theatre aficionado's should know about the theatre offerings at Fort Edmonton Park this year?

Amanda: Our offerings this year are a great mix of new work (Poof! The Musical), and new faces! Our mandate is to use local talent in every aspect of our productions from stage management, to designers, to actors. You'll see some performers that are the up and coming in Edmonton and you can say "I saw them first on the Capitol Theatre stage!" We also have some fantastic performers that are known in Edmonton for quality work, who will be acting, but also mentoring which is a huge part of the growth that we want in our profession.

 

Fort Ed: If one wanted to help out with the performances, are there still volunteer positions available?

Amanda: Oh yes! We are always looking for volunteers. We use ushers for each performance and they get to see the show for free. This year I would like to open up our volunteer positions to folks that would like some other experiences, painting, building or costuming! Contact me for more details.

Thanks Amanda!

This Valentine's Day, the Capitol Theatre will be showing the timeless romance film 'Casablanca' at 9:30pm - we hope you can make it.

This 1940's classic movie has been named one of the best movies of all time and today we want to share with you some little known facts about this wonderful film.

WARNING, possible spoiler alert!

1. Ingrid Bergman, who plays Ilsa Lund, was paid $25,000 for her role, but she was not the director's first pick, or second. Both Hedy Lamarr and Michele Morgan were passed up for various reasons, and Ingrid was then chosen.

2. Ella Fitzgerald, the "first lady of jazz" auditioned for the role of the pianist, however "Sam" was chosen. The actor who played Sam, Dooley Wilson, couldn't even play the piano.

3. Of the two most iconic lines quoted for this movie - "Here's lookin' at you, kid" and "Play it again, Sam", only one was actually used in the movie. "Play it Sam" has long been misquoted.

4. The production costs of this movie were $1.039 million ($75,000 over budget), above average for the time.

5. In the background of the final scene, fog is used to obscure a waiting Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior airplane that was made out of cardboard. To make the plane look convincing, midgets were hired to portray mechanics.

6. The difference between Bogart's and Bergman's height caused issues, as she was nearly 2 inches taller than him. Bogart is said to have sat on cushions and stood on blocks in scenes with the two of them together.

7. Filming began before the script had been completed.

8. A 1940's publicity release by Warner Bros originally announced Ronald Reagan as apart of the cast, despite the fact that he had recently enlisted.

9. Casablanca was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, and won three, including Best Picture. When the award was presented, the announced producer Hal B. Wallis got up to accept, only to find that Jack Warner had rushed on stage to take the trophy.

10. A sequel was at one timed considered, but never produced, entitled "Brazzaville".

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_(film)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AygxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=igMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6215,2109072&dq=casablanca+reagan&hl=en