ERICA ANGUS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THEATRE COLLINGWOOD

Theatre Collingwood could be compared to the children’s story The Little Engine That Could, as there is no doubt, as a non-profit professional theatre company, we have had some mountains to overcome! Our decision to leave the Gayety Theatre five years ago because of accessibility issues and rent that doubled was a bold step. Touring to unique spaces around the region took guts and inventiveness. Then there was that little thing called The Pandemic! Getting folks to feel comfortable inside again has been slow for all theatre companies. However, the mantra for the company goes beyond that of the little engine’s “I think I can, I think I can” chant. We prefer to shout “WE KNOW WE CAN, WE KNOW WE CAN!

This tenacity did not start when I came on board 11 years ago. Our first Artistic Director, Kevin McCormick, started the company almost 40 years ago, and during the ‘80s the company was known for its large scale musicals. Jamie Portman of the Southam Press referred to Kevin’s creative work in developing summer theatre in the Georgian Triangle area as “A creative and economic miracle – a lesson to be learned for other parts of Canada.” Steven Thomas was Artistic Director from 1997-2012 and brought to Theatre Collingwood his experience, talent and vision, producing a range of Canadian and International literature, along with many premiers.

As our world recovers and also technologically advances at an increasingly rapid rate, we must ask ourselves what the viewing public is looking for now in terms of entertainment. Do people want to leave their homes to see a live performance? I believe they do, or maybe even that they should! The pandemic has had an effect on people and made many of us incredibly comfortable just staying home alone. However, humans are social creatures. We need interaction. The incredible growth of “tribute shows” may also be telling us that people are feeling nostalgic.

A question that comes up often is “how do we get younger people into the theatre?” I have actually heard this question my whole career. I think programming has something to do with it, but can we really ever please everyone? Schools are cutting back drastically on the arts. Parents are busy with work and children, trying to make ends meet, and often lacking enough time in the day. It’s mature adults who have always been the ones with the time and money to go to the theatre, and we applaud them for this!

At Theatre Collingwood we are going to continue to creatively present the best of Canadian talent to the region. We will continue to support artists and work collaboratively. We will enrich our community with education programs for youth, adults and seniors. And perhaps most of all, we will work to create an arts hub in Collingwood, with our programming and in our support for the building of a Centre for the Arts and Culture.

But we need your help. If you believe in live theatre please consider purchasing a subscription or making a donation. Introduce a friend to Theatre Collingwood. And speak to council about the need for an arts centre. We are here for you and we are so excited about our 2023 programming, and especially the regular season of GREAT STORYTELLERS and annual PORCHSIDE FESTIVAL. Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you at a live performance soon!

Erica