Renting the BST

The cost of each rental will depend on many factors, such as the scope of the rental, duration, additional equipment costs, and crew fees. For an estimate on what renting the Big Secret Theatre would cost, please refer to our current rental rates. 

All rentals that bring the general public in to the Big Secret Theatre are required to provide proof of insurance in the amount of $5,000,000 (Five Million Dollars) and this insurance must recognize Werklund Centre and One Yellow Rabbit as co-insured.  

If you currently have an insurance provider for public liability in a smaller amount, you can ask to have the amount increased to $5,000,000 for the period of your rental, and ask to have Werklund Centre and One Yellow Rabbit named to the policy for the period of the rental.

If you don’t already carry public liability insurance any insurance company should be able to provide you with what you need and expected costs should be between $200 and $500, depending on the length of time of your rental.  There are several on-line options available to arrange short-term event liability insurance, such as Front Row Insurance, Zensurance or The Alberta Motor Association (AMA).  

Please provide One Yellow Rabbit with a copy of your insurance certificate in advance of your rental date. 

One Yellow Rabbit is licensed through SOCAN and Re:Sound to provide the rights for the use of “background” music that can be played before and after a performance, as well as during intermission.  This fee is incorporated in to your general rental costs.  For other music uses, such as the use of recorded music for a reception, wedding, etc., or for the use of music within the body of a production, there are additional fees which will be charged to you as part of your rental agreement and will be submitted to SOCAN and/or Re:Sound on your behalf.  Alternatively, if you already work under one or more of these agreements, you can include your rental in your own reporting and pay these fees directly to SOCAN / Re:Sound.  Please see the Big Secret Theatre Rental agreement for more detail. 

We do not promote rental performances on the One Yellow Rabbit or High Performance Rodeo web page unless they are produced, in whole or in part, by One Yellow Rabbit.  If you are selling tickets through the Werklund Centre Box Office, your show information will also be listed on the Werklund Centre website. 

No. As we are not the producer's of the work, we ask that our logo not be included in any show's materials, promotional or otherwise.

We do not allow the use of our Box Office window for rentals. We will arrange to provide you with a table in front of the theatre entrance for your ticket pick-ups and sales prior to your performance each evening, if necessary.  It will be your responsibility to provide staff or volunteers to man this table. 

All events that include the general public must employ a trained Werklund Centre Front of House Manager.  You must also provide a minimum of 3 volunteer ushers, or you can pay for the services of Werklund Centre ushers for your event.  The details are laid out in your contract in Clause 9.  A Werklund Centre Front of House Manager is required to ensure that there is a person who is properly trained and familiar with all safety, security and emergency procedures on site while the general public is in attendance at the Big Secret Theatre.  

Please see your contract or the Big Secret Theatre Rental Rates sheet for details on the cost of Front of House staff. 

The answer is yes.  When you rent the Big Secret Theatre, you are agreeing to abide by the policies of Werklund Centre, which includes using the Werklund Centre ticketing system.  You can sell your tickets (pre-printed by Werklund Centre, for a fee) at the door, but you cannot use any other on-line 3rd party ticketing system, such as Eventbrite,  ShowPass, etc.  You may sell tickets directly from your own website, using PayPal or other sales apps, but you must still have physical tickets printed for you and provided by Werklund Centre, and you must still pay the Capital Replacement Fund Surcharge, which is based on attendance.  This fee will be added to your invoice following the event.  All details are covered in Clause 10 and Appendix B of your rental contract.  

You MUST contact the Werklund Centre Box Office staff at least 30 days in advance of your rental to arrange all of your ticket details directly.  They will work with you to provide the best option for your event. One Yellow Rabbit will not arrange this on your behalf and will not be a party to your ticket sales arrangements. 

If you are selling tickets through the Werklund Centre Box Office, they may be able to display one of your posters at the Box Office.   We do reserve a display case right outside the main doors of The Big Secret Theatre for you to have a poster up while your show is in residence in the space.  That space requires a poster that is 20” wide and 30” tall. 

Yes.  

Please NOTE: We have a beer fridge behind the bar that are used solely for bar service, and two small fridges (one in the dressing room and one behind the bar) that are not large enough to accommodate catering trays.  We can provide you with access to a small servery space with an ice machine, a very small sink, and a dishwasher.  There is NO standard fridge available for use by catering. There is also no dedicated space available for any on-site cooking. 

No.  The Big Secret Theatre is only licensed for liquor purchased or provided through our own bar service.  If you are interested in bar service for your event, please ask about a bar service contract, which is separate from your rental contract. You will be charged a fee that covers the staffing of the bar.  All bar sales revenue remains the property of One Yellow Rabbit. 

All alterations of the physical space, including painting, or the placement of the audience risers, must be approved in advance by the Company Manager, as part of your contract negotiations.  Additional labour charges will apply for both the alteration and the restoration. It is rare for us to grant permission for a renter to paint the floor. 

You must make your own arrangements to provide any equipment not supplied by us as part of your rental.  This typically includes such items as sound monitor speakers and other additional sound equipment.  You will be responsible for sourcing these needs, bringing them to the space, installing them (with the support of our OYR technician) and removing / returning them at the completion of your rental.  Our Technician can work with you to identify what additional equipment you might require, and can often provide suggestions as to where you might rent it.