The actors and volunteers of the Boundary and Musical Theatre Society (BM&TS) were left reeling after a series of recent thefts at the acting group’s storage locker have left them looking to replace a large costume library just six weeks before their spring production is set to begin.
Grand Forks RCMP confirmed that a break-in at the group’s storage locker occurred and said the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, BM&TS member and secretary Debbie Battrick said the group is scrambling to replace valuable costumes and props before the spring production of Beauty and the Beast takes the stage March 1 for a two-week, eight-show run.
“This is a big blow. We’re only [six weeks] away from production, now we have to replace costumes and props, which are always difficult to get done anyways,” she said.
Battrick said the storage locker in the alley behind the building on Fourth Street was broken into twice — the first time, between Dec. 31 and Jan. 3, the lock was cut; the second time, after a tamper-proof lock was installed, the chain link fence was cut. That break-in was Jan. 16, Battrick said. She estimates well over $1,000 worth of costumes and props were stolen.
The costumes and props in the storage locker, which the BM&TS has used for more than three years, are the result of years of work — the group has been building its wardrobe library for some time, as the period piece and props the productions call for are often difficult to find and expensive to buy.
For this upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast, the group purchased costumes from another theatre company in Calgary. And last year, the group was donated a large collection of high-quality, professional costumes from a theatre group from Trail that went out of business.
“It’s what we’ve been looking for for years. People say they have a dress here or a dress there, but a whole, period [set], of costumes… They are difficult to find, get and replace,” Battrick said.
While it’s hard to tell exactly what was stolen because the storage space was so rifled through, Battrick said it is safe to assume much of that is gone. Fur coats, period headpieces, small props and wooden prop weapons were all taken.
Aside from the Beauty and the Beast costumes that were stolen, Battrick said the group was also beginning to collect costumes for future productions. While nothing has been set in stone, she did say costumes for Peter Pan were among those being collected.
Battrick said what was most baffling about the theft is that while the costumes have enormous value to the group, they have little street value.
“No one understands why they would have done this when whoever has done this gets no monetary value, it is not something they can resell,” she said.
Most of the group’s materials have now been moved from the space, and they are actively looking for a new, preferably donated, storage space.
Battrick said the whole group finds the theft “very stressful” even beyond the value of the goods stolen, at a time when the actors need to be in a good head space as they hit the home stretch.
“This is all volunteer-based, people that work full-time jobs and give of their time on top to do this for the community,” she said, noting especially the work of Deb and Aaron Baker. “Everyone is heartbroken.”
The show must go on, Battrick said — at this point, the group has spent thousands on the rights to the show and can’t afford to not go ahead with the production. Right now they are working to replace or make costumes in time for the show, which has been in rehearsal for months, and are desperately hoping some of the costumes and props turn up around town.
But, she said, the group is looking past the theft towards a fantastic show of Beauty and the Beast. “That is our biggest concern. Making something good come out of this somehow.”
The group’s GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/replace-stolen-props-and-costumes. Battrick can be contacted at 250-442-9713.