Stepping up for entertainment: The Pearl Theater

Bonners Ferry locals know the advantages that living in a small town affords, from recognizing successive generations of classmates, to understanding that buying one item at the grocery store means spending an hour visiting with family and friends. We know every name, every event, every business, and every landmark in this town. But do we know everything our town has to offer? For example, most of us have heard of The Pearl Theater, but how well are we acquainted with it?

Isn’t it that old church on Ash Street? Well, yes and no. That little church where you attended a wedding in 1983 was elegantly restored for use as a community theater in 2011. While the arched windows and beautiful architecture of the 1894 church remain, The Pearl’s stunning renovation also included a professionally lit stage, main floor seating, balcony, sound system, retractable movie screen, and café.

Carolyn Testa originally bought and renovated the historic building, which originally housed a Roman Catholic Church in 1894. Carolyn dreamed of this community supporting not only visual arts, but also performance arts. From this dream came The Pearl’s Mission Statement: “To foster the performing arts throughout Boundary County for the education, entertainment, and inspiration of the community.”

“I want to support locals, not a bunch of hoity-toity rich folks who don’t need my money.” The Pearl is already our theater. It runs entirely on performance proceeds, donations, and volunteer efforts, with the exception of one part-time administrative position. They are a 501[c][3] non-profit, run by a Board of Directors and members who volunteer as many hours as it takes to fulfill the mission. It costs $22.58 every day, just to keep The Pearl up and running, whether they have a performance scheduled or not. Nobody benefits more than the local community, and the theater needs Bonners Ferry citizens to support it with their patronage.

“That’s just not my crowd. Those aren’t my type of people.” The Pearl doesn’t have an audience “type.” You won’t find every audience member a refined person of culture or a theater geek spouting Monty Python lines to annoy you . . . just a group of people who like music, comedy, theater, movies, and fun. There’s no dress code, either. Some wear flannel shirts and baseball caps, while others dress for theater. Some of us grew up believing that the theater was reserved for one set group of people in this community. Not so. Our members have a wide range of political, religious, and social views.

“I wish I didn’t have to drive so far to see a movie.” You don’t. The Pearl now offers movie nights once a month, with a wide selection of movies, popcorn, and theater snacks.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a place in town that serves good food and beverages with a show?” The Pearl Café offers a nice selection of alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, substantive snacks/dinner specials, and delectable desserts.

“But they only seem to have one type of show.” Few people know how diverse The Pearl’s Performance Committee strives to make the acts. In just one season, they have had everything from folk/blues music to Scottish performances, dramatic theater, belly dancing, orchestra, country/western music, choirs, and rock n roll. They even had an Elvis tribute and a swing dance! The upcoming season promises even more diversity, with their first standup comedian.

Some people believe that The Pearl only brings in local acts that “can’t be that good.” Wrong again. Despite a limited performance budget, incredible acts travel great distances to experience the intimate setting of this venue, which is limited to only 157 audience members. A recent musician said, “There’s just something special about connecting with the audience in this place…a performer’s dream!”

“But if I go to a show, I would rather support the schools’ arts programs.” The Board of Directors includes educators and citizens who support education, too. The Pearl works in partnership with local schools, homeschool programs, and businesses to support all young people to put on programs like Missoula Children’s Theater and other acting/performance workshops. Some Pearl sponsored events occur at different venues, from Bonners Books, to the local school gyms, to Becker Auditorium.

The Board recently decided to lower ticket prices for students, so that they may see most shows for $5.

“It won’t last. This town won’t support that kind of place.” Everyone must join together to support our local theater, whether that means stopping in for a beer to watch our monthly Open Mic and Performers Circle, or taking a chance to try something new. Buy a ticket to a performance, become a volunteer, or show your support with our upcoming non-profit fundraiser.

One member said it best: “I would like to see The Pearl touch every person in our community in some way, whether it be a child who participates in their first play on stage, someone who volunteers their time to help plant flowers in front, or maybe a young person who is inspired to go on to become a professional musician because of a workshop they attended. The Pearl has already reached so many people, making lives richer in the process - but we are always striving for more!”

As one of The Pearl Theater’s biggest fundraising events of the year, Idaho Gives offers individuals in the Bonners Ferry community a chance to support local arts, music, events, and performances at our local theater. To support The Pearl, please go to our website and click on the Idaho Gives link at thepearltheater.org.

Idaho Gives is a statewide, 24-hour giving day taking place on May 4th, 2017, a day to celebrate the incredible work non-profits do across the state. Whether it’s The Pearl or another non-profit, it provides all of us a chance to support our favorite causes!