Bonnie Doon mall to host drive-in movie, music nights
Partnership with Mercury Opera to feature classic films, live performances
Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre is offering Edmontonians a chance to get out of their homes and into their vehicles for a night at the opera while supporting local artists.
Starting on Friday, the centre is hosting two evening performances in partnership with Mercury Opera which will feature a classic movie as well as live entertainment. In order to follow public health guidelines, guests will have to stay in their vehicles during the outdoor event. Space has been provided to ensure physical distancing.
Proceeds raised at the event will go towards supporting the local performers.
Nivedita Kunjur, marketing director at the shopping centre, said there’s enough space for 107 vehicles.
“Right now, everyone could use a little bit of entertainment and laughter in their life,” she said. “We wanted to support our local artists and also give back something to the community. With all of the restrictions because of COVID -19, we wanted to plan an event that can be enjoyed while keeping people’s health and safety in mind.”
Kunjur said the event will be similar to last year’s Halloween drive-in movie night.
Friday’s feature film will be the Marx Brothers’ classic A Night at the Opera with a pre-screening live show by tenor Boris Derow along with Spencer Kryzanowski, who will be providing the music for the movie.
Saturday’s show will be the original Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney. The jazz ensemble the Dungeon Quartet will perform ahead of the movie.
Kunjur said a concession stand will be available as well as public washrooms.
Darcia Parada, artistic director at Mercury Opera, said she came up with the idea to hold a movie night in response to the number of struggling artists who have been without work since the start of the pandemic in March.
“My first thought was trying to help artists stay afloat even in some small way,” she said. “You can’t get rusty if you are a musician. You have to be actively playing, you have to be actively practising, you have to be actively performing.”
Parada said live performances provide audiences with a unique experience because there’s a connection that can’t be felt through cinema. She said she believes many people are feeling that void because of the pandemic cancelling many live performances.
“I think there really is a hunger for live music,” she said. “Live music, live art, live anything. People have been shuttered for so long that there is definitively a hunger for experiencing cultural activities.”
Tickets are $35 per vehicle and can be purchased online at the Mercury Opera’s website or on the Eventbrite page. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. followed by live performances at 8:30 p.m. and the movie at 9 p.m.