Newsletter
October / November 2007
by John Goddard
Executive Director
This summer I was asked to chair a committee of representatives of many Provincial Arts Service Organizations to prepare a survey on Arts and Culture questions in anticipation of the up-coming provincial election. It has been an interesting, illuminating but ultimately frustrating and discouraging time. You can find the ARTSELECTS ’07 questionnaire on our website with the responses we received, but I have to share with you some of my experience.
Is there anyone else out there who is discouraged with the personalization of politics? I wish to cast my vote based on the performance, platform and policies of a political party, but instead I am being bombarded with personalities. We are on all quarters encouraged to think of "John Tory's" platform, not the Progressive Conservative platform. It has become "Howard Hampton's NDP" not the NDP of Ontario citizens or voters. And I never got a response from the Ontario Liberal Party; I got a response from "Dalton McGuinty." It seems to me that a large part of this movement is to encourage the political debate to become personal and insulting -– we do not discuss issues or policies, we attack people. I find it a deplorable trend in the political process. We are electing a government (which is a collective noun), not an oligarch or a dictator. It is belittling of the importance of the matter at hand, and our democratic process, to suggest that the electorate is being asked to empower John Tory or Dalton McGuinty or Howard Hampton.
I also found the process of soliciting answers to specific questions very discouraging.&nbs; As an ordinary citizen, I felt that I had the right to ask our political parties questions on an area of government which impacted me and my view of a healthy society. For most of the parties it was worse than pulling teeth. With the exception of the NDP, the responses, where we got them, were late and required prodding and persistence. The biggest disappointment of all was the responses we received from the two largest parties –- the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals.
After taking several weeks to respond, and after many assurances that the party was working on a response, the answers we got from them did not address most of the issues or questions raised but rather was a rehashing of their press releases. In other words, rather than telling us what we wanted to know, they were telling us only what they wanted us to hear.
I do not by any means expect the political parties to share in all matters of my agenda or perspective on things. I am not suggesting that they should dance to my tune. But I am suggesting that as a citizen, and as a representative of a large mass of voters of Ontario who share somewhat the same concerns about an important area of our common existence, I expect the political parties to answer five straightforward questions about Ontario society.
So it is now up to you, and me. When candidates come to the door, ask them for their position on matters that concern you. Do not let them switch into attacking other candidates; don’t let them talk about what the party leader thinks or says; be persistent and demand that if they want your vote, you want their answers to your questions. Contact your candidates' local offices and ask the same questions. Go to all-candidates meetings and ask the same questions. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.
If you do like the official response from the party, make sure their candidate is aware of that position and tell him/her you expect the candidate to follow through on that commitment. If you don't like the response, tell the candidate so and why –- and whether or not this issue is important enough for you to withhold your vote.
Now is the time, and the only time, within our political process that you have the upper hand. Every candidate wants your vote and you hold the power. I know that sounds pessimistic, but it's true. Once your local candidate gets elected, they will be fettered by "Party Solidarity" to do exactly what they are told by a small cadre of people –- the cabinet or party executive. You have less leverage with your representative in Queen's Park after October 10 than you do before –- so make it count.
And I strongly encourage each of you to contact each candidate you can and tell them that Art and Culture are important areas of our society and require the attention —- and real and measurable support—of our government.
And by all means, vote!
by Tim Chapman
Professional Theatre Coordinator
John Goddard and I ambitiously decided to visit all members of ASTRO, the Association of Theatres 'Round Ontario, this past summer. I must confess there were more than a few which I had never been to, so it was an illuminating summer. John and I split up the 22 members for 2007 and I ended up visiting 11 ASTRO members, plus one past member. Let me tell you of my travels in order of attendance.
My initial stop was Port Hope Festival at their lovely Capitol Theatre. Prior to the show I lunched with Uwe Meyer and Louise Weldon from the theatre. Uwe, busy rehearsing the upcoming Oklahoma!, said the season was going well. Of the four shows in their summer season, only Jasper Station did not do as well at the box office as expected. Both Shirley Valentine and 1-900-DEE-LITE brought the crowds in, and the advance sale for Oklahoma! was tremendous. Uwe programs the theatre year-round and he counts on a busy summer theatre season. I was interested to hear that 60% of the theatre's audience comes from more than forty kilometres away, as this is an unusually high proportion. Sitting in a capacity matinee that included at least one busload, I enjoyed the amiable phone sex comedy 1-900-DEE-LITE as did the rest of the full house.
Next I was off to 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook, south of Peterborough, now in their 16th season. I had heard a lot about this unique exciting theatre which develops new plays of local resonance and performs them outdoors at the Winslow Farm. I spoke with Administrative Director Simone Georges who told me they were experiencing a record-breaking summer. After seeing their July hit Schoolhouse, I understood why this wonderfully-produced show about one-room rural schoolhouses was hitting home. I was so impressed not only with the production —- which included a live baby pig—but with the whole experience of their rural outdoor venue: its organization, its welcoming spirit, the volunteers and staff. This is a theatre that exudes success, confident in their distinct identity.
A bit further north at the Lakeview Arts Barn near Bobcaygeon, Globus Theatre were in the middle of their second season of five shows. It's run by James Barrett and Sarah Quick, a young couple in their thirties. James directs three shows and acts in a fourth; Sarah performs in three shows, one of which she also wrote, and directs a fourth show. As well they manage the theatre and Sarah also cooks for their dinner theatre package evenings. I feel old just thinking about it, but their joyful love of theatre was obvious. Kitchen Witches was a hoot and their audiences were up 15% in total near the end of July.
My first stop in eastern Ontario was Morrisburg to visit Upper Canada Playhouse. Their ebullient Artistic Director Donnie Bowes, who also supervises the marketing, proudly noted their 98% attendance thus far that summer! That is remarkable. Mr. Bowes knows his audience and is keeping them happy —- never a task to be underestimated. I caught a matinee of Norm Foster's Bedtime Stories, a well-received show with a cast who adroitly found the text's many laughs. On the same day, I dropped by to meet Ian Farthing, Artistic Director of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott, where I discovered a lovely amphitheatre set next to the St. Lawrence River. It provided a lovely venue for their solid A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Steve Scott from Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Ian is from Vancouver and there were other company members from Seattle, New York and Kingston, together with many local youth —- all gathered in Prescott!
My last stop in eastern Ontario was Thousand Islands Playhouse, now in its 26th season on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Gananoque. Artistic Director Greg Wanless now has two theatres where I saw a smashing production of Anne and Gilbert (a sequel to Anne of Green Gables) in their larger Springer Theatre and the adventurous two-hander Stones In His Pockets in the smaller four-year-old Firehall Theatre. I strongly advise artistic directors across Ontario to look into the new Anne and Gilbert. Nancy White, Bob Johnson and Jeff Hochhauser have put together a strong musical which I believe will have a very successful and long stage life. Greg says he expects box office numbers to be up at least five or six per cent from last season's total of nearly 60,000 over the six-month season. The Americans are not returning in any significant way, but that has not stopped the phenomenal growth of what now has to be considered one of Ontario's major regional theatres.
The Red Barn Theatre in Jackson's Point on Lake Simcoe was a nice day-trip for me. I got up to see Noel Coward's Fallen Angels and lunched with Renee Blake, Red Barn's Marketing Manager. Artistic Director Jordan Merkur was back in Toronto rehearsing the final show of the season. The matinee was full and it was great to see a Coward that I had not seen before. There was a very funny second act where two wives who have been friends for a long time get tipsy waiting for the impending return of an old lover, whom they had in common. Renee said the season was going well. Attendance overall was up but the dollar increase was not as great due to ticket discounting.
In Toronto I got to Canadian Stage Company's Dream in High Park for the first time in many years. To mark their 25th anniversary, A Midsummer Night's Dream was produced directed by ahdri zhina mandiela. On a crowded hot August night, I saw a high-spirited, jolly production of this summer mainstay, colourfully designed by Julia Tribe. I had a very good time, particularly enjoying Holly Lewis and Maev Beaty playing, respectively, Hermia and Helena.
The next trip was to Parry Sound to see Theatre Muskoka's comedy Sexy Laundry. Walter Young was only able to mount one show this summer but the funny and poignant Laundry was selling well, so he is optimistic about 2008. Staying on Georgian Bay, I went on to visit Theatre Collingwood and see I Do! I Do! directed by Artistic Director Steven Thomas. It's a lovely musical ("My Cup Runneth Over") and the cast of Kyle Dadd and Stephanie McNamara was superb. Steve is also the President of ASTRO so we began preparations for their AGM in Brampton on October 11. I look forward to seeing everybody else who I could not visit this summer.
Of course I did get to ASTRO members at Stratford and Shaw. Life is buzzing at Stratford with the artistic changeover in 2008; and—with our mutual interest in the Directors Project -- I have been fortunate to see Saint Joan, The Cassilis Engagement, A Month in the Country and The Circle at The Shaw. I truly loved them all. Congratulations to Jackie Maxwell on a great season.
I know the Americans still are not coming north in the numbers prior to 9/11 but our summer theatres are doing well. Many are more than holding their own and it was so heartening to see that this summer. It was a fantastic experience to see the variety and quality of work spread across this province. I urge you to visit the 2008 ASTRO website or get a copy of the 2008 ASTRO brochure and see some of it yourself next summer.
by Tim Chapman
Professional Theatre Coordinator
On a sad note I must pay a brief tribute to the many giants of the performing arts that we lost this past summer.
In late June, the great Canadian actor William Hutt died. Arguably Canada's foremost stage actor, Mr Hutt's enduring career at the Stratford Festival began with its inaugural season in 1953, and ended playing Prospero in 2005. In Toronto we were so fortunate to be able to see him in Beckett's Waiting for Godot in 2004 and Pinter's No Man's Land in 2003, both at Soulpepper Theatre. It has been said by many —- and I entirely agree -— that he was truly a master of stage acting, making it look so effortless. He had the rare gift of inhabiting his roles. You never saw the technique, only the character.
Within a week of each other, both Ed Mirvish and Bluma Appel died this past July. The legendary theatre producer and the fearless philanthropist both made huge contributions to theatre in this country. They will be greatly missed, but their legacy will live on forever in Toronto.
In August, Toronto also suddenly lost Richard Bradshaw, the brilliant General Director of the Canadian Opera Company since 1998. He took the COC to its greatest artistic heights, culminating in 2006 with the opening of Canada's first opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
Professional theatre is still relatively young in this country. With the loss of these four Canadian theatre icons in less than two months, our theatrical youth has now reached a point when we are losing some of our greatest pioneers. These four will doubtless be remembered for many decades to come.
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