The Citadel Theatre
We’re building the next generation of theatre goers.
If you’re looking for a place to see quality theatre, the City of Edmonton has many options, but none is quite like its crown jewel, the Citadel Theatre.
The venue’s beginnings date back to October 1965, in the Old Citadel building — which now houses The Starlite Room. In 1976, the Citadel made its home in the downtown core where it continues to grow and thrive artistically — and somewhat financially.
Executive director Chantell Ghosh oversees the budget, costs and administration duties for the Citadel, which is no small feat considering a play or musical can cost as much as $1 million. “It’s definitely a balancing act,” she says.
The Citadel builds every production from scratch. Once a production is chosen it’s time to hire directors, designers, painters, carpenters, electricians and other positions the public doesn’t even think about.
“By the time you see something on the stage here, hundreds of people have worked on it,” she says. “It costs a lot to produce a season, usually five or six million dollars.”
Luckily, ticket sales cover most of the production expenses, and Ghosh says last year’s season was the theatre’s best.
“We’re getting more people than we’re budgeting for and we’ve noticed the demographic has gotten younger, which is great because we’re building the next generation of theatre goers,” she says.
Currently, Ghosh and her venue are preparing for their annual Dickens Fest and the production of A Christmas Carol.
“We’re creating Dickens Fest around A Christmas Carol this year so people can see the beautiful lights and get that Christmas experience for free,” Ghosh says. “In order to make sure people are choosing us, we have to make sure we’re choosing them and what’s important to them.”