Amazing Small Town Theatre in Rosebud, Alberta

Posts on this site may have affiliate links. If you make a purchase using an affiliate link I earn a small commission at no extra cost to yourself. Thanks for your support.

I previously wrote about my experience of going to Drumheller to see the Canadian Badlands Passion Play. Surprisingly, my time at the Passion Play wasn’t the only theatre experience I’d have in this region of Alberta. A short drive from Drumheller is the hamlet of Rosebud, which has a professional theatre and theatre school (including a post-secondary theatre school). I went there to see a production of the classic musical The Wizard of Oz.

The History of Rosebud & The Rosebud Centre OF The Arts

Rosebud has been on my Alberta bucket list for a while for many reasons. The Drumheller region is well known for its fossils and other paleontology discoveries, but the region during the early 1900s was well-known for its coal mining. Rosebud was a small hamlet, like many in this area, whose economy was greatly influenced by the coal industry. Eventually, the coal boom in this area died down, and the population of the community dwindled down, practically to nothing.

Alberta has several ghost towns, communities that were once populated and then dispersed to nothing. This could have been Rosebud’s fate too, but in the 1970s a group of young adults from Calgary used the old Mercantile building in Rosebud as a location for a youth summer camp. Eventually, this camp led to the creation of the Rosebud Centre of the Arts. This is a performing arts school where students are trained by and with professional performing artists. I love how this small community was able to have a new life because of a focus on the arts.

Getting to Rosebud

Rosebud puts on several different performances throughout the year. This summer they put on the musical The Wizard of Oz. As I was going to be in the area anyway, I wanted to check out this show at The Rosebud Centre of the Arts. The drive to Rosebud took about 25 minutes from Drumheller. The layered rock landscape of the Badlands giving way to more prairie, like the landscape I’m used to seeing. Coming into Rosebud I was greeted with some Bed & Breakfasts, but the main area is centered around the Mercantile and the theatre itself.

The Mercantile

The Mercantile is where the Rosebud General Store used to be. Now instead of an abandoned building, it’s been renovated into a dining hall, restaurant, gift store, and conference space. My ticket for The Wizard of Oz included dinner at The Rosebud Theatre’s Mercantile Dining Room. When I arrived I went to the front counter to pick up my ticket and get a seat for dinner. My table wasn’t ready, but I was told I could wander through the Mercantile (including in the gift store) while I waited.

Once my table was ready I went inside The Dining Room for the buffet dinner, which was really good. I think my favourite thing was the watermelon and feta cheese salad. I usually hate watermelon, but this was delicious. The dinner includes complimentary coffee and tea. Since it was my birthday, I splurged on a glass of white wine.

Pre-Show Entertainment

While patrons are having dinner, the students from the Rosebud Centre of the Arts are providing entertainment. Three girls were singing and playing the violin, and they were fantastic. During the meal, we were also told that there would be a screening of a student film upstairs in the conference room, which I decided to check out. The film was a scene from another show at Rosebud called Last Train to Nibroc that two groups of students had filmed and edited. I hadn’t seen this show, but the short films were entertaining, and it was clear the students were excited and passionate about their work. I love when kids and young people (god I sound old) get involved with theatre or any type of arts and culture.

The Show

After dinner and the film screening, it was time to walk (about 30 seconds across the street) to the Rosebud Opera House. This is where Rosebud Centre of The Arts holds their performances. Inside there are about 230 seats. The building itself used to be a grain annex.

The show was great. I think most people are probably familiar with The Wizard of Oz Dorothy and her dog Toto from Kansas get swept up in a tornado to the magical and strange land of Oz. If you’ve seen the famous movie with Judy Garland, this version of the musical is pretty similar, except there are a few extra songs not in the film. The cast isn’t huge, but everyone was fantastic. I loved the staging, it was creative and straightforward in its use.

Intermission

Normally the intermission of a show is where people line up to use the bathroom, get a snack or a drink, and yes you can do that here as well. Since Rosebud is such a small town, I decided to get out and take a little walk during intermission. I was surprised to see there was a little cafe, an art gallery, a museum, several homes, as well as a beautiful view of the Rosebud River. Taking a walk during the intermission, I could see that there is more to do in Rosebud than just see a show. Next time I go to Rosebud, I’ll give myself a few hours beforehand to check out some of the other attractions in town.

Final Thoughts

I loved my short visit to Rosebud. The idea of this town going from practically nothing to a little vibrant theatre and arts community is lovely. For anyone who loves theatre and culture, Rosebud is well worth a visit.

---

Things To Know
Rosebud Opera House is located at 102 Railway Avenue in Rosebud, Alberta. Rosebud is 35 km southwest of Drumheller. The nearest major city is Calgary, which is 110km away. The town (hamlet) is tiny, so you won’t have a hard time finding the theatre. Information about upcoming shows at Rosebud can be found on The Rosebud Theatre website.

This isn’t the only theatre in the area. Check out my post on going to the Canadian Badlands Passion Play.

I partnered with Travel Alberta for this trip to the Canadian Badlands. I was provided with a complimentary stay at the locally run Heartwood Inn and Spa and a ticket for this production of The Wizard of Oz at the Rosebud Opera House. I would like to thank Travel Alberta for their support. All opinions in this post are my own. If you’re looking to stay in the area you can book your hotel here.

---

Have you been to Rosebud? Would you see a show at the Rosebud Theatre?