After four years and nearly 400 events, the Matchbox Theatre has announced that its final curtain call will take place on May 27.
Stephen Ridge, Matchbox Theatre Foundation vice-president, said while audience attendance has grown, the reality is that without municipal, provincial or federal grants, it is virtually impossible to operate Matchbox’s 4,500-square-foot facility, which costs between $65,000 and $70,000 per year for its utilities and lease.
After being turned down for two provincial grants in the last six months, Ridge said his non-profit organization had to accept the hard reality that keeping the Red Deer theatre open is no longer feasible.
Ridge and his wife Cindy (Matchbox’s current president) started The Matchbox Theatre in 2007 with mostly their own money and quickly established The Matchbox Theatre Foundation as a non-profit.