Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 01/01) - If Ben Nind's Stuck in a Snowbank Theatre doesn't see some government funding soon, he'll be taking the production of Bush Pilot and flying out of Yellowknife.

Murray Utas, Lindsay Rocher, Karen Johnson and Ben Nind in their production of Bush Pilot. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

After four years the play, written by Eric Watt, has become an annual favourite. The one-hour performance re-tells the stories of the best of Canada's Northern pilots.

"The show has paid its dues," said Nind. "If something doesn't happen -- the city of Yellowknife and the government of the Northwest Territories have to give us a contract or we may have to move in the next six months."

Nind estimates 1,200 saw the play this year.

"Half of them are tourists. They spend the night, go out to eat, take taxis," he said.

Nind described the production as a unique part of the Northern tourism experience.

But the show and the theatre company aren't doing well enough financially to keep them in the city.

"I'm a business that has never made a profit," he said of his proprietorship-company.

"It's tough. Very tough. We pray to make money."

Nind, who is from Yellowknife, founded Stuck in a Snowbank Theatre in 1996. Although the production of Bush Pilot receives $4,500 in private advertising donations from about 35 sponsors, it doesn't receive government money or city subsidization.

At $16 a ticket Nind says the production just broke even this year.

He wants the city of Yellowknife to commit to the show with a contract.

"If they come to me with $25,000 it would pay for three weeks of performance," he said. "Other governments have invested money in theatre festivals."

Nind charges $3,500 per performance to perform at conferences.

He says the show has received interest from the eastern market.

It played in Toronto this year and he has had indications that the airshow circuit is interested.

He said his company can't make it in Yellowknife without some help.

"Can I afford not to make money right now?" he asked and then answered, "No."