Cottonwood House adds theatre to historic site

What do you get when you combine an historic setting with talented theatrical youth?

Great family entertainment.

Cottonwood House has added theatre to its already popular destination on Barkerville Highway, 20 minutes east of Quesnel.

Once a busy roadhouse on the way to Barkerville from 1865 to 1951, Cottonwood House is now operated with a partnership between the province of B.C. and School District 28, offering students in the travel and tourism programs a training opportunity while serving up history and hospitality to the public.

Volunteer members of Kersley Musical Theatre, Youth Entertaining for Service and Lets Play Theatre have spent the last six weeks preparing Tale of the Desperate Roadhouse Brides, a ficticious historical tale that looks at the Cottonwood Roadhouse in the 1920s.

Janice Butler, who just completed her Yellow Ribbon fundraiser, Feelin’ Groovy, is now devoting her time to this production.

As the public has come to expect, Butler fills the show with great music, humour and fun, a must see on the summer schedule.

Slated for July 15 – Aug. 15, Tale of the Desperate Roadhouse Brides runs Wednesday to Saturday, 7 p.m.

Thanks to Ed Coleman and School District 28, a new theatre shelter was constructed at Cottonwood House for the show and future productions.

Tickets are $5 at Helen Dixon Centre, Tourist Information Centre and Cottonwood Historic Site.