THEATRE SARNIA BOARD OF THEATRE SARNIA BOARD OF
DIRECTORS DIRECTORS
BOARDOFDIRECTORS
The Board is made up of 11 Directors. There are four executive positions which include the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Board Secretary. Each Director is nominated by vote at AGM for a 3 year period. The Board works with the Executive Director who is an ex officio member.
ANNUALGENERALMEETING
The Annual General Meeting of Theatre Sarnia will be held on Thursday, September 4th, 2025 at 7:00PM, in person, in the Main Auditorium at the Imperial Theatre
STRATEGICPLAN
The Board developed a new 3 year Strategic Plan that went into effect in September 2022. 2025 marked our final year of this plan. The Board met in February for a working day where we updated this Strategic Plan. The update will be presented to the membership at the AGM.
Join a Committee A ROLE FOR EVERYONE
FINANCE
The Finance and Capital Projects Committee comprised of eight members are an advisory committee to the Board of Directors of Theatre Sarnia that monitors and makes recommendations related to financial planning, financial performance, financial investment and financial management of the Corporation They ensure that effective financial policies and practices, as well as internal controls, are in place to safeguard Theatre Sarnia's financial health and sustainability The committee reviews Theatre Sarnia's annual budget and recommend its approval to the Board while monitoring Financial Performance against the budget If you are interesting in joining the committee please contact jveenstra@theatresarnia org
GOVERNANCE
The Governance Committee works to develop, review, and recommend policies and bylaws for approval by the Board of Directors, ensuring alignment with our mission, vision, & values and congruence with other existing policies and bylaws. If you are interesting in joining the committee please contact pbedard@theathresarnia.org.
PRODUCTION
The Production Committee collaborates with the Play Reading subcommittee to deliver a completed season playbill to the board of directors annually. We assist in recruiting and overseeing volunteers, mentoring new directors, improving productions through post-production meetings and surveys, and updating production-related policies and procedures. The committee is accountable for every production from start to finish. If you are interested in joining the committee in the future, please contact hcanino@theatresarnia.org.
COMMUNITYENGAGEMENT
The Community Engagement Committee works to create communications and help run events for Theatre Sarnia The committee is made up of 3 subcommittees - Events, Stagestruck and 100th Year Anniversary If you are interesting in joining the committee please contact dhakala@theatresarnia org
BYAMANDAWRIGHT,CHAIROFTHEBOARDOFDIRECTORS
This was the final year of our current strategic plan. Year three focused on solidifying our community impact, expanding our audience base post-pandemic, and strengthening financial resilience
The Board met for a working day meeting in February, to begin updating the existing Strategic Plan. The updated plan, which will be in place for the next 3 years will be presented at the AGM in September 2025.
Key Achievements
Youth Group: Our youth group more than exceeded expectations this year. This growth reflects the demand for accessible arts education and validates our strategic investment in young artists.
Audience Growth: Year 3 marked our strongest post-pandemic growth yet.
Programming: Our programming goals were fully met and in key areas, exceeded.
As we reflect on a year of artistic growth and expanding reach, we are especially grateful to the volunteers and members who form the backbone of our theatre community. Their contributions, seen and unseen, make our work possible.
As we prepare the next 3-year strategic plan, we are guided by the momentum of our recent successes, the lessons we’ve learned, and the voices of our community.
Theatre Sarnia“ A role for everyone.”
YOUTH GROUP TRIPS April
This April, our Youth Group had the amazing opportunity to go on not one, but two theatre trips!
Our first trip on April 13th was to see Lion King in Toronto! 48 of our Youth Group members attended this amazing production of the Disney classic musical with an all Canadian cast The performance was absolutely stellar! Following the show, all of the attendees got to take part in a workshop of their choice - either “Ensemble Singing and Acting Through Song” or “Character and Scene Study” These workshops were led by Toronto based professional performing artists Ryan Whittal and Bryce Kenny, respectively
On April 26th, 36 Youth Group members to headed to Stratford to see their production of Annie! Many of our own Annie Jr. cast members got to attend this trip, which was a very exciting and unique experience. We were all so impressed with this performance and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it! Following the show, our Youth Group members got to attend a Q&A with two cast members from the show and ask them questions about the show, theatre in general, and gain insightful knowledge about what it’s like to be a professional performing artist.
I would be completely remiss not to mention that the Stratford trip was made possible by an incredibly generous donation from Ron Lawton and Steve Chitovas, who sponsored all our Youth Group members for this trip. On behalf of the entire Youth Group and Imperial Theatre staff, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
These trips are such a wonderful way for our Youth Group members to experience different kinds of high caliber professional performance and expand their horizons about what is possible in the world of theatre here in Canada. We can’t wait to see what’s next in their theatre journeys!
Next up, we have our summer camp programs, which are almost full! And stay tuned for our next season announcement and some exciting upcoming opportunities!
Did you know?
Theatre Sarnia is buzzing with fresh talent! You may have heard whispers that community theatre often casts the same familiar faces, but we’re here to set the record straight. Curious about our track record, I recently casually estimated we’d welcomed around 65 new performers to our stage over the past five years
However, I wanted to check I wasn’t way off, so with Ian Alexander’s help, I dove into the cast lists from every show since the 2019 season. The result? An astonishing 132 new performers have graced our stage! Sounds unbelievable? I’ve kept the receipts, so ask me anytime to share it
And that’s just the actors stay tuned as I may tally up the incredible crew members who’ve joined our ranks in recent years. At Theatre Sarnia, we’re passionate about nurturing new talent and can’t wait to see even more fresh faces at future auditions Come be part of our vibrant community!
Henri Canino Production Committee Chair
The Power of the Ensemble: Why the Company Matters
E D Downie, MA, BFA(H), BA(H), (they/them)
Let’s talk about the ensemble First, let me introduce myself: I’m E D I’ve studied theatre arts for 20 years, I have worked in Toronto, Guelph, Windsor, Waterloo, and most recently, at the Stratford Festival. I need to talk about the ensemble, the chorus, the company, those darlings of the upstage, those high kickers, and vocal thrillers: the heartbeat of a show
It is so easy to get caught up in the spotlight, and although I profoundly respect those who state “leads only” in their auditions, because of life and work and family (especially in community theatre), I really want to express to you that ensemble work is extraordinary work that often leads to an experience more rewarding and fulfilling than the spotlight
As a professional director, I have witnessed acting giants ebb and flow between lead and ensemble casting because they know what happens when we create within a collective The word ensemble itself comes from the French word meaning TOGETHER So, when a collection of diverse artists meet to create a piece of theatre, it is the ensemble that asks each artist to perform better, to work for the greater vision together, to provide the answer to the question that every show asks: “What do we need to say together?” The shift from “ me ” to “ we ” is trending When all performers, regardless of role, embrace the idea that they are part of a company, a collective, something bigger than themselves, the quality of the work goes up Cohesion strengthens Stories resonate more deeply The audience becomes immersed in a world built by every player on the stage
Diversity and Representation: The Ensemble as a Living Mosaic
One of the most powerful aspects of ensemble work is its capacity to reflect the full spectrum of the human experience. When casts are intentionally diverse across race, gender, age, ability, body, background, and voice the ensemble becomes more than a group of performers. It becomes a living mosaic of perspectives. These voices don’t just fill space they shape it They push the work toward something richer, more truthful and more relevant A diverse ensemble brings authenticity and nuance to the world of the play, allowing more audience members to see themselves reflected and more stories to be told in fuller, deeper ways Representation in the ensemble challenges the narrow perception of who gets to be on stage and what stories matter It reminds us that theatre is not built on stars alone, but on the many And that “the many ” should look and sound like the world we live in or the world we ’ re trying to create
The Art of Showing Up
Ensemble work requires humility, presence, and passion It’s not about standing out, but about blending in while still giving 100% That’s not a step down from leading; it’s a step into true artistry
To those leads who’ve stepped into ensemble roles and given them the same energy, attention, and professionalism as any starring part: thank you. You’re not just supporting the show you ’ re transforming it. So I challenge you, take an ensemble role, give your 100% to a collective of diverse minds all striving to say something TOGETHER. Let’s keep celebrating the ensemble. Because in the end, art is about humanity, a living mosaic, working together.
RENT GALA RENT GALA
By Ruth Francoeur
Opening Night of RENT was a huge success! The cast and crew provided a talent extravaganza and the audience was overwhelmingly appreciative! The winning cocktail was "Angel's Wings", submitted by Tayler Hartwick. Yummy food was catered by Tang's China House.
The lobby was decorated by Roy Gouveia and his amazing students - Moon Espinosa, Justice Fioroni, Savana Gorniak, Evelyn Vandenberk and Mark Zylstra Headshots were arranged by Andrea Coleman.
The merch table was manned by Colleen Vasey-Smith and Ruth Francoeur Sales went so well, they sold out of tshirts after the 2 show and had to take orders! nd
Amanda Jenkins decorated the Capitol Bar a la NYC to a tee!
The Tin Fiddler, our show sponsor, provided a second beverage and social spot after the gala.We held an appreciation party at Ups and Downs, where we enjoyed nibbles and cake
WODLFESTIVAL AWARDS
The Bank Theatre in Leamington recently held the Western Ontario Drama League Festival Awards Gala from May 14 to the 18th 2025.
Theatre Sarnia was nominated for 11 awards and The Last Romance came home with three trophies. A good time was had by all.
Shawn Chapman won the London Community Players award for outstanding performance in a supporting role.
Theatre Sarnia won the Elmira Theatre Company award for the best visual production out of festival.
Paul Baert won the Harmony Award sponsored by Marion Smith for the best set design and execution.
YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP
The Imperial Theatre Youth Scholarship, with funding from the Chitovas & Lawton Foundation is a $2,500 bursary awarded each year to an individual entering a postsecondary education in the following artistic disciplines: Production Design and Technical Arts; Playwriting; Directing; Set and Costume Design; Acting; Dance; Music Theatre The Imperial Theatre aims to promote equity, inclusion and access through this scholarship and is pleased to continue to enrich young people through this bursary.
The Chitovas & Lawton Foundation was created in 2011 by Steve Chitovas and Ron Lawton who believed in the powerful rippling effect of celebrating the arts. And that the engagement, inspiration and support of youth in the arts is one of the most powerful ways to improve society.
Apply Here
Application Form submission is due by July 18, 2025. Auditions will happen in July, candidates will be notified of their audition date
The Chitovas & Lawton Foundation believes that the arts help cities thrive The arts in all its forms can offer perspective and creative solutions to the challenges we face. The arts inspire, challenge, excite, spark conversations, bridge differences, and so much more
Since its inception, the Chitovas & Lawton Foundation has disbursed many grants to Lambton County students pursuing post-secondary education and careers in the entertainment industry.
Please email support@theatresarniaorg for more information Dates subject to change.
Jul4,2025:GalaforHOPE DucCruise-Markyourcalendars!
SummerYouthprograms-registrationopen
July7-23Summershowtimeprogram
July28-Aug1SeniorMusicalTheatreProgram
Aug5-8JuniorActingProgram,JuniorMusical TheatreProgram
If you know of any Theatre Sarnia members who have had a major life event, please share with us at mailto:member-liaison@theatresarnia.org
Theatre Sarnia is a registered charity and donations are tax deductible. We rely on your patronage and generosity to make our theatre a success. Thank you for your loyalty!