After an award winning season debuting their hit play From Jasper, With Love, local theatre stars Pieter Van Loon and Joost Tijssen are helping Jasper youth take the stage.
Since November 18, and continuing until December 16, the duo have been featuring winter acting classes for teens.
In the meantime, Van Loon and Tijssen are reflecting on the highs and lows of their foray into the local arts circuit. Having been named Best New Business and Best Attraction by local media, as well as having picked up the People’s Choice Award from the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, their work was well-received by locals.
“Audiences will fall in love with the the smart script, the simple and brilliant props and the passionate performances from these two talented thespians,” claimed The Jasper Local’s June 28 review.
Much of the perspective and humour of From Jasper, With Love can be attributed to the fresh eyes with which it was written; Van Loon and Tijssen moved to Jasper in May 2021. They didn’t plan to stay.
“We were only supposed to be here for six months,” says Van Loon.
But as they got to know the community, the two Dutch ex-pats began to notice the untapped potential that the town held for a theatre venture.
So they got to work. In April, they began working towards securing a venue (they found a perfect home in the Lobstick Lodge’s Skyline Lounge). Next came licensing and promotion. With 10 years of experience in theatre, the actors had the know-how, but Jasper’s small-town setting presented unique challenges. A lack of locally-available materials, costumes and props required some creative thinking to overcome. Equipment was ordered in from Edmonton, while the stage and set were constructed locally with help from Jasper artists and handy-people Connor Passe, Sarah Ray and James Watt.
After only three months, opening night was marked for June 26. The first of 70 shows was delivered to a packed house, but the season wasn’t all smooth sailing. Thanks to the Chetamon Wildfire and resulting power outage, both electricity and audience members were limited. Yet for the most part, the show went on.
“We did a couple of candlelight shows, which were amazing,” Tijssen recalled.
On October 1, From Jasper, With Love closed on a high note – the final production was a standout, Van Loon said, as it was not only the culmination of the year’s efforts, but their most polished performance.
“We knew the play so well we could dream it,” he said.
Looking forward to the reboot of the play next summer, Van Loon and Tijssen promise to keep things fresh for returning viewers. New bits and new lines will accompany their favourite scenes from the original script.
“If you saw it last year, you definitely can come again,” Tijssen assures Jasper locals.
Until then, they’ll be focused on their winter projects, including improv classes and engaging youth.
For local teens interested in taking the stage, a three-part series of theatre classes will take place on December 2, 9, and 16. For sign-up information and further details, contact Jasper Theater Productions at info@jaspertheater.ca.
Jack Mastrianni // info@thejasperlocal.com
