Park Theatre celebrates 20-year anniversary with a birthday bash concert

Lord Roberts

If you stepped into The Park Theatre in 2005, you could grab a coffee in the retro-style café, see a second-run film, or rent a DVD. Even though Erick Casselman’s original concept attracted patrons, he always envisioned a venue filled with music.

When JP Hoe, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter, asked Casselman if he could do a live recording at Park Theatre, he immediately said yes.

JP Hoe & the Truly Richards recorded The Live Beta Project over two nights. The live recording helped to establish the venue as a space for emerging artists.

“Erick turned a corner,” said Hoe. “It worked out well for everyone. Over the years, I’ve done about 20 different shows at The Park Theatre.”

Despite the venue’s lack of a proper sound system or lighting, Casselman was determined to bring live music to the stage.

“It was very DIY. The bands brought in their own equipment,” he said. “But every time bands brought in sound systems, I wrote down the items they brought.”

With a comprehensive list in hand, Casselman invested in a state-of-the art sound system and hired a sound tech.

By early 2007, with the new sound system in place, The Park Theatre transitioned into a music venue.

Owning any type of business is not for the faint of heart, but music venues are particularly challenging and often run on razor-thin margins. When Casselman faced challenges, he doubled down on his approach.

“The music is number one,” he said. “Make sure it’s the best stage, the best sound system and the best techs. If you take care of your musicians and patrons, the rest will follow.”

During the pandemic when The Park Theatre was shut down for extended periods, Casselman improved the sound and lighting systems and renovated the venue, increasing capacity to 550 patrons and enhancing accessibility.

The Park Theatre now hosts more than 300 music, comedy, theatre and film events a year.

It’s only fitting that Casselman and his team are marking the anniversary with a concert on Friday, Sept. 19, featuring performances from JP Hoe, Quinzy and Tele. The date also falls near Hoe’s birthday, so it’ll be a double celebration.

“It’s going to be really special for Erick and me,” said Hoe. “I’m really grateful he took a risk and made an investment. It’s been challenging for him to say the least, but Winnipeg is benefitting.”

You can purchase tickets for the Park Anniversary Show at myparktheatre.com