The South Okanagan Concert Society’s ticket takers were kept busy in the lobby of the new Venables Theatre on Friday February 28, 2014, welcoming the audience for the

 Ken Lavigne concert, and selling season passes for the 2014 -15 season. 

Inside the theatre, SOCS president Janet Marcotte’s opening remarks included praise for the new venue, along with her gratitude to the concert’s many sponsors.

Tenor Ken Lavigne’s light-footed entrance with an umbrella, to the piano accompaniment of “Singin’ in the Rain” , brought immediate laughter from the sold-out crowd. Many in the audience remembered that Lavigne’s previous appearance on the Venables stage (the last performance before the original theatre was closed for renovation) was marred by a leaky roof. The tenor recalled standing backstage under a shower of rain.

Lavigne expressed admiration for the stunning new venue, calling it “a theatre to be proud of”. He also acknowledged his profound honour to be part of an historical moment: the first performer at a ticketed event to grace the new stage.