The 2025 season at Sarnia's Imperial Theatre is kicking off with a pair of popular plays hitting the stage.
Theatre Sarnia’s Junior Youth Musical Theatre Program will be performing Annie Jr., based on the classic musical.
Executive Director Brian Austin Jr. said Jackie Burns has done an incredible job growing the program.
He said they performed "Frozen" last year.
"This year, the program has doubled," said Austin Jr. "We're actually planning on doing more shows this year. We've got Annie this month, and two other productions coming up later in the year."
Austin Jr. said the kids gain a lot from the program, which is focused on making sure the families have a great experience.
"It's funny to see the kids come in on day one and then to see them during the performance week," he said. "There's a huge change in so many kids. They kind of find their voice and they're able to advocate for themselves. They also build friendships that last forever."
Meanwhile, there's also an adaptation of Stephen King’s famous thriller novel called "Misery", which is directed by Sarnia's own Ian Alexander.
Austin Jr. said the play stars Jeff Winter, Dallas Michaluk, and Norm Francoeur, and has props made by Kelly Barrington.
"It's about a romance novelist named Paul Sheldon, and he finds himself trapped in the secluded home of his number one fan, who is Annie Wilkes, after a car accident," he said. "Her obsession takes a dark turn when she discovers Paul has killed off her favourite character, Misery Chastain. She's not happy about it, and it just escalates from there."
Austin Jr. said it's been a while since they've put on a thriller that will leave the audience at the edge of their seats.
"The set actually spins on stage as you move from room to room," said Austin Jr. "It's different from seeing a film at the cinema because everybody is experiencing the same energy. The energy from the audience is kind of fed back to the performers. I'm really excited to see how the room feels during this one."
Annie Jr. will be presented on January 23 and 24, with showtimes at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available for purchase at $15 for adults and $10 for children.
"Misery" will be performed January 29 to February 2, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on February 2 at 2 p.m.
There will be no performances on Mondays or Tuesdays.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.imperialtheatre.net or contact the box office at 519-344-7469.