For the Lyric Theatre, 2020 promises to be about investing in youth.

Gordon McCall, the artistic director of the theatre, says that 2019 was a banner year for the oldest operating theatre in Saskatchewan, with new series and returning programming both seeing plenty of support from the community. The three plays in the brand new Sparks in the Dark series were successes. The first annual Great Southwest Shakespeare Festival in Riverside Park opened to a three-week run that was sold out nearly every night; an event that warranted a sequel, with Twelfth Night being announced for this coming summer.

The success of the new programming and the returning favourites like Write Out Loud, Youth Talent Night and Open Stage as well as the larger events like the Blenders concert series made for a busy year. And McCall sees that continuing into 2020, where he hopes to introduce more educational opportunities for young people in the community via theatre, citing last years Fairy Tale Factory as an example; an event which saw children between the ages of eight and ten creating and writing their own brand new fairy tale.

The long-range goal, he believes, is to develop the next generation of performers and technicians, homegrown in Swift Current by attracting them to theatre and culture while they're young.

"You know, one of the beautiful things about the festival is this summer, many children attended that with their parents. Children anywhere from 7 years old up, you know. And they were sitting there rapt in attention with Shakespeare and if we can invest in them and (give them an) understanding of the greatest writer in the English language I just think it's nothing but good for their future."

He says that the public's response to the Great Southwest Shakespeare Festival and the Sparks in the Dark series spoke volumes about the demand for more theatre in Swift Current.

"The Audience responded. It felt like there was pent up energy to want to come to theatre at the Lyric so that was tremendous. What I feel in the community is that there's on occasion kind of what I would call a passive need that once they see the opportunity and the event actualized, they do come out."

That philosophy of 'If you build it they will come', worked out well for the Lyric in 2019 and McCall sees a goldmine of cultural opportunity in Swift Current because of its location as the central hub of the southwest region, with the ability to draw on communities to both borders and beyond. The opportunity to share his love of the arts with a new generation is one he is most excited about, talking about what it means for the future of a vibrant city.

"It's very very exciting to be a part of this theatre and this creativity that's happening in our community on all fronts.  You attract people to a community for the jobs but also for the quality of life. And part of the quality of life is your entertainment options and sports, obviously. But they go hand in hand. And if we've got them available right in our community, people will stay."