ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On the night of May 15, the Bonifas Theater suffered fire damage caused by a lightning strike, leaving the Players de Noc—who rent the space from the Bonifas Arts Center—without a home. Now, Bay College is offering a helping hand to ensure the show can still go on.
The college has agreed to host the rest of the Players’ season on the Besse Theater stage. When word spread about the fire, Campus Events Technician Scott Breault says the Bay community immediately started looking for ways to get involved.
“I heard from multiple people across the college that their first response was, ‘How will we be able to help them?'” he said. “I think this is a great stage for them, as they have done some productions here in the past. We’re very happy to support what Players is doing.”
Players de Noc Board of Directors members say they are thankful to have Bay College’s support during this challenging time.
“For me, I was overwhelmingly just grateful that they were reaching out to us so quickly,” said Board Treasurer Christine Madalinski. “It just touched my heart that they would think of us.”
For Players House Manager Mariah Lee, the collaboration is especially heartwarming.
“I went to college here and I was part of the first production when the theater opened,” she said. “I know there are a lot of members of Players that have come through and done shows here. It’s really special to be able to come back—even just for a season—to be a part of it again, and to welcome more college students too.”
The Players de Noc team has a full schedule planned through the end of the year, including a production of Don’t Mention My Name, a retelling of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Great Christmas Cookie Bakeoff!, and a musical titled The Producers. Each summer, the Bonifas Arts Center sponsors the Missoula Children’s Theatre, which Bay College has also agreed to host.
“It really just reflects the generous hearts of all the people across our community,” Breault said. “Also, it just keeps the ball rolling with what they’re doing, which is very important. Theater is much more than just entertainment; it’s really about community enrichment, which falls right in line with our pillars here at Bay College.”
Although the road to restoring and resettling in the Bonifas Theater will likely be long, the Players de Noc crew is excited to get back on stage and share their art with the community.
“We are extremely grateful for this opportunity,” said Madalinski. “We would like to thank Dr. Nerita Hughes and the leadership team for exemplifying what community means and Scott Breault for getting this ball rolling. It was an amazing thing to do.”
“We love making theater, and we can continue to make theater while we rebuild the Bonifas Theater to be better and work in smoother ways than we’ve ever imagined,” Lee added.
To stay updated on future Players de Noc productions, follow the group’s official Facebook page. For more information on the extent of the fire damage, click here.