Sharing talents during holidays and seasons
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jan 08/01) - Everywhere around the North, Christmas concerts kicked off the holiday season.
Official holidays offer people the chance to show off their talents and share them with neighbours.
In Inuvik, where the Inuvik Choral and Theatrical Society (ICTS) has a long history of putting on shows, it's a time to get the community out and having fun, especially during the long, cold, dark nights.
"We usually start rehearsing in September," says Rod Hunchak, who leads the choral members.
"Traditionally, the iglu church Christmas concert was a ICTS event, it was basically our concert."
But when then-conductor Hunchak left in '95, it became a broader, community-organized event. This year, Hunchak was back to lead the 20-25 member choir.
In the past, the choir has also put on shows after Christmas.
"To break up the winter," says Hunchak.
The society also plans medieval feasts and murder mystery dinner theatre.
"Sometimes we've done a big production in the spring, a full-blown musical."
But winter isn't the only season that inspires creativity. Every year, beginning in 1994, ICTS has staged a history play about their hometown.
Hunchak wrote the play which now caters mostly to tourists.
"In the first few years, it was basically half-and-half, local and tourists.
"Some locals still come every year but more of the audience is now made up of tourists.
"The tour companies promote it," says Hunchak, who is now working on a new play to offer the locals.
But whatever the season, whatever the holiday, people show up for the shows.
"There's good turnout for any special event. The local community is really supportive."
