LEGACIES OF LOVE

The Shaw Festival recently lost two dear friends: Malcom Stewart Macdonald, from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Colin De la Court Watson of Toronto, Ontario. Two gentlemen–one American, one Canadian–with an abiding love for theatre.

Malcolm ‘Mac’ Macdonald

Mac spent his first three birthdays in an air raid shelter during WWII which helped shape the courage and strength that characterized him. While attending Grammar School as a young man, Mac dabbled in a little theatre in one of Bernard Shaw’s iconic plays, The Devil’s Disciple, playing none other than the scoundrel, Dick Dudgeon! The Shaw has dedicated our 2021 production of this play in memory of Mac.

Though born in England, Mac retained his Scottish identity throughout his life. At the age of 19, Mac joined Ford of Britain in Dagenham, England. He earned an accounting degree while working there and in 1963 moved to the U.S. to attend Harvard Business School. After business school Mac joined Ford Motor Company and proved to be a strategic and forward-thinking Treasury expert, leading industry best practices in financing, capital allocation, investment and risk management. Mac was also dedicated to talent development and diversity, and many corporate treasurers, investors and CFOs count Mac as the key leader that shaped their careers. Outside of work, Mac had a deep love for his family, and enjoyed fine wine, world travel and the theatre.

Malcolm, known as “Mac” sat on The Shaw’s Board of Directors from 2002-2006. He also sat on our U.S. Advisory Board from 2008 – 2014. Mac and his family stumbled on the Shaw Festival, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, enroute to the family summer house in New Hampshire.

His daughter, Eleanor reflects on theatre and her Dad: “Growing up, it was a house filled with theatre in small ways I am not sure I still fully appreciate. When we moved from England to Michigan in 1980, my 7 year old sister Alison reported that she would miss 'Gilbert and Sullivan most of all', but we never had a chance to miss it because from my earliest memories we were always seeing plays, talking about plays or earning extra pocket money by memorizing sonnets and monologs and poems. The summer drive to New Hampshire always meant a stop at Stratford or Shaw, sometimes both–memorably one time both in the same day, a matinee at Stratford and mad dash for an 8pm curtain at Shaw. It seemed inevitable that both Alison and I would become involved in theatre as we got older–Alison was on the stage in high school and college, while I was always backstage starting in high school, and my lack of fear of heights put me on a clear lighting track”.

Eleanor’s degree in Theater Lighting, which was the inspiration for Mac to establish an Endowment Fund in her name. The Eleanor Macdonald Endowment Fund has supported lighting design and lighting design assistants since 2008.

As his final gift to The Shaw, Mac left a lasting Legacy through a significant gift to his endowment fund, which Eleanor has decided to rename The Macdonald Family Endowment Fund. We are grateful for Mac’s contribution as a valuable leader, volunteer and true advocate for theatre and how it improves the world–one he travelled so well. Like Mac, Colin Watson was born in England at the height of the 'Blitz'. His father was a Canadian (PPCLI) soldier and his mother was English. After the war, the family moved to British Columbia where Colin graduated from UBC with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, followed by an MBA at the Ivey Business School in London, Ontario. Colin spent most of his career (close to 50 years) with Rogers Communications as a Corporate Director then as CEO of Rogers Cable systems. He left Rogers to become CEO of Spar Aerospace and subsequently Vector Aerospace in 2004. “Retirement” meant continued corporate board involvement with several Canadian boards. Along with his wife Barbara, Colin joined The Shaw’s Board of Governors when it was established in March 2020 and both are long-time supporters and familiar faces at The Shaw for over 25 years.

Colin was a unique, direct and driven individual; he had a clever wit and a great sense of humour that made people smile. Most importantly, Colin loved his friends and family, not least the many friends he developed through his association with The Shaw. He was known for his wonderful sense of camaraderie whenever he visited the Festival. It is also evident how much family, friends and giving back to the community mattered to him. A testament to his love of friends and his love of the arts, we are pleased to announce that many in the Shaw community have come together to donate in Colin’s memory. These generous gifts, inspired by Colin’s engaging spirit, carry forward his legacy.

To help plan for your Legacy Gift or for more information, contact:

Kimberley White, Senior Development Officer, Individual Gifts & Legacy Giving