Roxy Fire FAQ & UPDATE

The Roxy Theatre suffered a tragic fire on January 13th closing the curtain on the historic 124 Street building. The Theatre Network staff and board send their deepest condolences to everyone who suffers from the loss of a favourite venue, a reliable performance space, a favourite date night – many were affected by this fire.

However, this is just an intermission…

The Roxy Theatre may be gone but Theatre Network is far from out. The staff have been working tirelessly to secure new venues, gain emergency funding, manage media and salvage as much as they can from the Roxy site. It has been a hectic two weeks for the Network team but the hard work will translate into some exciting announcements in the upcoming days.

We know that many of our patrons and supporters have many things on their mind so we thought we would attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

When and how did the fire start?

The fire started around 3:50am and blazed until close to 8:00am on Tuesday January 13th. The fire department has not announced the official cause but the Edmonton police department has said that arson is “not probable”.

Will there be performances of Famous Puppet Death Scenes, Armstrong’s War and Nextfest 2015?

Yes. Famous Puppet Death Scenes will proceed as planned running February 3 – 22 at the Majestic Theatre at Eastglen High School. The rest of our 40th Anniversary Season including Armstrong’s War, the 40th Anniversary Event – Summer of My Amazing Luck and Hey Ladies! will be held at the Backstage Theatre in the ATB Financial Arts Barns (10330 84 Ave). The homes for Nextfest 2015 and Nextfest’s 20th Anniversary Showcase have yet to be determined but will proceed as scheduled.

What is the status of ticket sales and patron information?

Our server and work computers were all in the building during the fire but a few have survived. Our tech expert is currently working with the computers to extract as much information as possible to make sure we get back up and running soon. However, this is not a quick process when the computers are water/smoke damaged. We currently do not have access to patron data or anyone’s account. Please be patient as we aim to get this back up and running within the next week. The fire has not put anyone’s personal information at risk.

Can I book or purchase new tickets?

Not yet. We will inform you on this blog post, through our newsletter and on social media when we have things back up.

Can I get my money back for the Cheerleader! ticket I didn’t use?

Yes. We are offering patrons who wish to get their money back for a missed Cheerleader! show cash back. We are also offering tax receipts (so the ticket cost counts as a donation) or tickets to future shows as a replacement. The choice will be up to the patron. However, due to the loss of our database we will require a proof of purchase (in the form of a ticket, purchase receipt, credit card statement) until we get our database back up and running. Please call the Network phone, 780.453.2440 or email Harley boxoffice@theatrenetwork.ca if you have any questions.

Will you be rebuilding the Roxy Theatre?

Our dream would be to stay in the same spot the Roxy was in and remain a fixture of 124 Street. We are exploring options and avenues to see how we can make the dream a reality.

What did you lose in the fire?

Pretty much everything. We have been able to salvage some archival posters, print materials, some of our hard drives, record books and personal items. All of our technical equipment is gone including our lighting board, sound board, stage lights and show computers. It’s safe to say that 90% – 95% of the items in the building are not salvageable.

How can we support you in the rebuild or donate directly to the company?

You can visit our canadahelps.org page to donate directly or support us through one of the many groups that have pledged their support to Theatre Network. You can read more about some of the support we received by following THIS LINK.

How can I stay up to date with Theatre Network?

You can get the latest from Theatre Network by checking out this blog post for updates, subscribing to our newsletter, liking us on facebook or following us on twitter.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

General questions can be sent to Taylor, info@theatrenetwork.ca

Funding and donor questions to Maggie, maggie@theatrenetwork.ca

Box Office, Volunteers and general office inquires to Harley, boxoffice@theatrenetwork.ca

Nextfest questions can go to Maggie, maggie@nextfest.ca

You can also call us at 780.453.2440

We will have more information for you regarding our 40th Anniversary Season, the future of Theatre Network and the future of the Roxy Theatre in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned to theatrenetwork.ca, our newsletter and social media.