Town seeing economic spin-offs from success of Live Bait Theatre

Live Bait Theatre is thriving in Sackville and that success is boding well for the town's economic prosperity.

"There are lots of spin-offs that are created," Karen Valanne, artistic director of Live Bait Theatre, told town council during their monthly meeting in October.

Valanne was on-hand at the meeting to provide an overview of the theatre company's achievements, focusing specifically on "how we've grown over the past year and the ways in which we contribute to the community."

"We're really becoming a part of this town," she said.

From providing employment to offering visitors another reason to visit Sackville, Live Bait is fast becoming an essential piece of the economic development pie for the municipality.

Valanne said the theatre company creates employment every year; in 2008, Sackville's Cultural Capital Year, Live Bait hired 55 people to produce their shows and to keep the theatre space operating - including actors, designers, stage managers, lighting technicians, facility directors, and more.

In 2009, Live Bait has already employed 30 people with several more shows to go before the end of the year.

"And that money is spent largely in Sackville," said Valanne, who pointed out that much of Live Bait's workforce requires accommodations, gas, meals and more while in town.

She said Live Bait is also attracting people from throughout the Maritimes and beyond who come to check out the one-of-a-kind shows, helping Sackville achieve greater status as a year-round tourism destination.

For example, more than 2,000 people attended Live Bait Theatre's recent Hank Williams tribute show, a feat that even astounds Valanne.

"Never in our 21 years were we able to do what that show has done for us," she said. "We had people coming from all over, from Montreal, from Nashville . . ."

In fact, box office numbers for nearly all of their shows have been on the rise over the past few years, while donations are also steadily increasing as well, said Valanne.

"The growth of the company is just incredible."

That being said, however, Valanne also pointed out that Live Bait operates on a $300,000 annual budget, a number that is only achievable thanks to the support of the community.

Only about one-third of Live Bait's budget is actually generated from the theatre's shows.

The remaining money comes from grants and continuing fundraising efforts.

"We rely on support from the community for the other $200,000," she said.

That includes the annual grant from the town, money the theatre company has come to depend on for continued future success, said Valanne.

"We want to be able to build on the growth we've had in the past few years."