Stage Door News
Stage Door News
JANUARY 17, 2014, BLYTH, ON… At Blyth Festival’s Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, January 9, General Manager Deb Sholdice acknowledged the work that the Festival accomplished in 2013. “It was a big, bold season programmed by outgoing Artistic Director Eric Coates, and produced by Interim Artistic Director Peter Smith, who had the energy required to undertake the task,” she said.
“Offering six full productions, we were successful in increasing our overall box office revenue by 30% over 2012. While we were unable to hit targets on some of the productions, by the end of the season audiences were reacting well to Garrison’s Garage, Prairie Nurse, and Falling: A Wake. Producing two musicals, including a full ‘Broadway-style’ production (Yorkville), created a monumental task but our production team tackled it with aplomb.”
Artistic Director Marion de Vries talked about the 2014 Season; the 40th for Blyth Festival and her first since taking over the reins as Artistic Director on August 1, 2013. “In the process of choosing the playbill, the phrase ‘where the heart is’ kept echoing in my thoughts. The themes of home, homecoming, and heart reverberated through the plays I was reading,” she said.
“I am committed to improving and expanding our new play development program so that Blyth will continue to create and produce Canadian theatre of the highest quality,” de Vries continued. “I want to develop and program plays that strengthen our bond with our loyal core audience while attracting new faces to our theatre.”
It was moved and carried that the minimum donation for membership be raised from $35 to $40 in recognition of Blyth Festival’s 40th Season.
Blyth Festival Art Gallery, Singers, and Orchestra all reported a good year: Blyth Festival Art Gallery had a very successful season featuring a Student Art Show, Community Art Show, and art from Brenda McDonnell, Wayne Muma, and Susan Hay; Blyth Festival Singers appointed Sharon Poelstra as its new Music Director following Robert Blackwell’s departure after 11 years in the chair; Blyth Festival Orchestra saw the departure of their conductor, Sean Kim. They performed on three occasions last year in Clinton, Seaforth, and Blyth.
In her final report, outgoing President Wendy Hoernig thanked everyone for their support over her three year term and repeated what she has been compelled to declare every year, “this is a wonderful group to be a part of. We like each other, we work well together, and we make a mighty fine team.”
The new Board of Directors elected were: David Armstrong, President; Dennis Beker, Vice-President; Alison Lobb, Treasurer; Wendy Hutton, Secretary; Wendy Hoernig, Past President; Rein Breitmaier; Elli Cohen; Gary Coursey; Doug Elliott; Anthony Hodsman; John Rutledge; and Lisa te Brinke.
David Armstrong, the new President of the Board of Blyth Festival and Blyth Centre for the Arts has a background in education as well as project development and management. His interest in theatre began with a class project in university and of course, as a secondary school student in Ontario he was in the audiences at the Stratford Festival, enjoying the experiences created by those illustrious acting company members along with their production crews. His long career in education and his interest in the important role that culture plays in community sustainability mean that he is committed to supporting the theatre’s goals and mission as well as welcoming new theatre fans to join the audience.
Blyth Festival is a professional theatre that enriches the lives of its audience by producing and developing plays that give voice to both the region and the country. The theatre produces a repertory summer season of exclusively Canadian theatre, with an emphasis on new work. The Blyth Centre for the Arts, including the Blyth Festival, was founded in 1975 – 2014 is our 40th season.
Blyth Festival acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.
2014-01-17
Blyth: 2013 was a successful year at the Blyth Festival