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Rainbow Stage
Front entrance of Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park, Winnipeg Manitoba.JPG
Front entrance of Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park
Address 2021 Main St., Winnipeg, MB
Coordinates 49°56′31″N 97°06′02″W / 49.94194°N 97.10056°W / 49.94194; -97.10056
Elevation 232 metres (761 ft)
Public transit 18 North Main / 18 Corydon
Type Outdoor theatre venue
Capacity 2,600
Construction
Broke ground 1951
Built 1951 to 1953
Opened
  • 22 September 1953 (1953-09-22) (first show)
  • 7 July 1954; 69 years ago (1954-07-07) (official opening)
Renovated 1970, 1975
Architect Smith, Carter, Katelnikoff
Company
Name Rainbow Stage Inc.
Type registered charitable organization
Formed April 20, 1993
Headquarters 202-1215 Henderson Hwy, Winnipeg, MB R2G1L8
Executives
  • Adrian Frost, Chair
  • Jeff Peeler, Vice Chair
Revenue $2.8 million CAD (2018)
Employees 9 full-time, 61 part-time (2020)
Website

Rainbow Stage is a not-for-profit musical theatre company and outdoor theatre operator, located in Kildonan Park in north Winnipeg, Manitoba. The covered amphitheatre seats up to 2,600 people and operates from May to September.

History

As urban parks became more popular in the 1910s, various public events began to be held in Winnipeg's Kildonan Park and Assiniboine Parks, leading to the creation of a permanent bandstand in Kildonan Park in 1917.

The Kildonan Park Bandstand was for years a popular venue for live music, dance contests, and large-scale community sing-a-longs hosted by The Winnipeg Tribune newspaper, called "Nights of Community Song", at the height of the Depression era. In 1950, however, the severe Red River flood left the bandstand destroyed, as it did thousands of other Manitoban buildings and homes. Following the flood, there was common consensus that the bandstand ought to be replaced, as bandstands were no longer a much popular attraction, and music tastes had drastically shifted.

Looking to Vancouver's Theatre Under the Stars at Stanley Park as its exemplar, the Winnipeg Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Music League proposed a sound stage to be built, which could serve as both a venue for local talents as well as a new tourist attraction in Winnipeg. The Civic Music League led the fundraising campaign for the construction of the new stage, and involved radio contests, a limerick competition, and canvassing at local businesses. Public fundraising ultimately brought in $15,000, with another $15,000 being offered by the Winnipeg government.

The 3,000-seat theatre was designed by architects Smith, Carter, Katelnikoff. The new theatre received its named after architect Dennis Carter brought a cardboard model of the design with him to a meeting one night, and someone had observed that if lights were strung along the top curvature, "it would look like a rainbow."

Construction began in 1951 and was completed in the spring of 1952, with additional work on the amphitheatre being completed in 1953. Though some construction was still needing to be done, the Rainbow Stage saw its first concert on 22 September 1953, performed by the touring Kitsilano Boys Band from Vancouver. Between 1953 and 1954, pergola walkways were constructed on either side of the amphitheatre.

On 7 July 1954, the Rainbow Stage was officially opened, featuring a benefit concert with Bill Walker as the night's MC. Performing first was the Ukrainian Youth Association, followed by the James Duncan chorus who performed songs from the musical Carousel; other performers included Walker himself with Len Adree, as well as Eric Wild and his CBC Orchestra, and the Jewish Community Choir with Cantor Benjamin Brownstown.

In its opening year, the stage saw 19 performances to a combined audience of more than 19,000. The first full-length musical to be presented was Brigadoon, in the fall of 1955.

Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park, Winnipeg Manitoba 09
Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park

The Winnipeg Summer Theatre Association was founded in 1956 to administer the theatre. A decade later, in 1966, the non-profit organization Rainbow Stage Inc was chartered, with Jack Shapira as executive producer.

In 1970, a triodetic dome, using 63 tons of steel and costing $175,000, was constructed over the theatre by the Dominion Bridge Company. Further renovations were completed in 1975, which resulted in a modernized facility but a reduction of 600 seats. The renovations involved a labour dispute and a temporary move to the Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall. In 1986, a fly gallery, carpentry and paint shops, classrooms and expanded change rooms were added to the facility. The 1986 renovation involved replacing an original timber arch. A commemorative plaque and a replica of the arch were erected in front of the building in 1988.

Jack Shapira was maintained as executive producer of Rainbow Stage Inc. until he was forced to resign in 1988 as a result of financial improprieties. Jerrett Enns became general manager in 1991.

The first original production at Rainbow Stage came in 1990 with the musical review Say It With Music. The performance featured songs from various musicals.

In 2011, the building's exterior was painted in an extensive mural by local artists Mandy Van Leeuwen and Michel Saint Hilaire. Painting began June 1 and the finished murals were unveiled in August. The mural covers 8,000 square feet (740 m2) of concrete and required 400 colours of latex paint.

In 2012, the theatre appointed Ray Hogg as artistic director and promoted Julie Eccles to executive director. After a successful and critically acclaimed 2013 season, 2014 saw the summer playbill feature three shows for the first time in over 30 years.

In Fall of 2017 Hogg resigned as Artist Director of Rainbow Stage. After an extensive search process Rainbow Stage then appointed local Manitoba artist Carson Nattrass as artistic director in November 2017.

Productions

Rainbow Stage has presented the following shows in its history:

1950s

  • 1955 - Brigadoon
  • 1956 - The Wizard of Oz, Annie Get Your Gun, Our Town, Kiss Me, Kate
  • 1957 - Can-Can, Pitfalls of Pauline, Do You Remember, I Remember Mama, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Chu Chin Chow, Pot O'Gold Variety Show
  • 1958 - The King and I, Hell's A' Poppin', Brigadoon
  • 1959 - Guys and Dolls, Show Boat, The Wizard of Oz

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

External wall mural at Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park, Winnipeg Manitoba 07
External wall mural

2010s

2020s

Full-length musicals

The first full-length musical to be presented at Rainbow Stage was Brigadoon, in the fall of 1955. Since then most of the productions have been of Broadway musicals including: Annie Get Your Gun (1956, 1965, 1973), Kiss Me, Kate (1956, 1983), The King and I (1958, 1963, 1969, 1979, 2004), Guys and Dolls (1959, 1965, 1980, 1992, 2019), Damn Yankees (1960, 1994), The Music Man (1962, 1968, 1982, 1998), My Fair Lady (1966, 1975, 1987), The Sound of Music (1964, 1967, 1974, 1986, 1996, 2007), Carousel (1960, 1989), Cinderella (1972, 1990, 2019) and Anything Goes (1964, 1990). In 1990, Rainbow Stage presented its first original production, the musical review Say It With Music, "put together by Manitobans for Manitobans" featuring songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, Kismet, Gypsy, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, and other musicals.

Company

The company, officially Rainbow Stage Inc., is a registered charitable organization. Formed on April 30, 1993, it is governed by a board of directors and managed by 7 full-time staff.

Rainbow Stage features Canadian actors, musicians and production team members, many of whom are hired locally. Stars for some productions include the directors John Hirsch and Peggy Jarman Green; the conductors Filmer Hubble and Eric Wild; the singing actors Evelyne Anderson, Len Cariou, Ed Evanko, Cliff Gardiner, Morley Meredith, and Bill Walker; the chorus director James Duncan; and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet artistic director Arnold Spohr. Other Canadian performers at Rainbow Stage have included Jan Rubeš, Roma Hearn, Catherine McKinnon, and Wally Koster. The 2011 production of Hairspray featured American actor George Wendt in the role of Edna Turnblad.

In 2018, Rainbow Stage made a revenue of CA$2.8 million—2% coming from sponsorships, 3% from government (municipal, provincial, and federal), 8% from donations and fundraising, and the rest from earned income (i.e., ticket sales, concessions, souvenirs).

As of June 2021, sponsors of Rainbow Stage include:

  • Prolific Group
  • Assiniboine Credit Union
  • Gerry & Barb Price
  • Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
  • KISS 102.3
  • Richardson Foundation
  • Canada Life
  • The Winnipeg Foundation
  • Empire Iron Works
  • Winnipeg Arts Council
  • Independent Jewellers Ltd. (IJL)
  • CJNU 93.7
  • Garden City
  • Payworks
  • The Asper Foundation
  • Microsoft
  • Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
  • Government of Canada
  • Bell Let's Talk
  • Gail Asper Family Foundation
  • Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage
  • Wawanesa Insurance
  • CAA Manitoba
  • Christie Lites
  • Casinos of Winnipeg
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