The Chatham Capitol Theater is tuning up for its first season of performances since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2022-23 Capitol Theater Presents season will begin in September and feature acts like Jann Arden, The Tenors, The Irish Rovers, Backman & Bachman and Hyprov with Colin Mochrie.
While other events have been held at the venue during the pandemic
“It feels like it has been a long time since we’ve launched a full season of Capitol Theater Presents shows,” said Heather Slater, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s director of arts and culture.
“I think it was the third or fourth last show of our 2019 (to 2020) season when COVID happened and we had to cancel the last few shows.”
Perhaps the biggest event affected was The Irish Rovers, who were slated to perform on St. Patrick’s Day before they had to cancel the rest of their tour. The band will return March 4 next year.
“They’re such a favorite of our audience here and it’s just so great that we’re finally able to present them,” Slater said.
Other performances include The Mush Hole, which tells the story of Canada’s first residential school; Canadian Celtic Choir; Johnny Reid; Styx frontman Lawrence Gowan; and tribute acts for Fleetwood Mac, Abba and Paul McCartney.
“You want a variety throughout the season and you look at who is touring throughout the area,” Slater said of how the Capitol chooses the performers.
“We’re part of a network of theaters in Ontario called Ontario Presents. Together we huddle with all the other theaters and talk about which artists we would like to present.”
Slater said some of the acts don’t normally perform at a venue the size of the Chatham Capitol Theatre.
“It’s not a massive stadium. It’s a relatively small theater compared to some at about 1,200 seats,” she said. “We’re super excited about The Tenors and Jann Arden – artists of that caliber playing more intimate shows in these smaller theaters this year.”
Slater said she hopes people consider an event called Choir! Choir! Choir!, which she attended in Kitchener in February 2020.
A duo from Toronto will get the entire audience to sing a four-part harmony of a classic 1980s tune by the end of the show.
“In our back to normal year, to have a gathering in the theater like this, it will be really appropriate, I think, to be able to gather with people and sing and enjoy something together like that,” Slater said.
Over the last two years, Slater said the Capitol team has made some changes at the theater. This includes e-ticketing and credit card payments at the concession stands. There is also a “flexible” refund policy due to ticketholders potentially being ill at the time of the event, she said.
The full list of events and ticket information is available at www.chathamcapitoltheatre.com. The box office is also open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm or by phone at 519-354-8338.