Stage Door News
Stage Door News
February 11, 2015… Funding for the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre, the Stratford Festival’s actor training program, has been bolstered by a $1.5-million pledge by Charles & Marilyn Baillie to be provided over three years. The Festival intends to maximize this pledge by applying to the Canadian Heritage Department’s Endowment Incentives component of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund, which provides matching funds of up to one dollar for every dollar raised from private donors for endowment purposes.
“Marilyn and I believe strongly in the power of the arts, particularly theatre, to expand our horizons and to foster our curiosity,” says Mr. Baillie. “We are, then, exceedingly fortunate that Ontario is home to some of the world’s best classical theatre. The two of us are excited to be able to play a modest role in ensuring that aspiring young actors acquire the training at the acclaimed Birmingham Conservatory to carry on this tradition at the highest possible level.”
Led by Director Martha Henry, the Conservatory is a 20-week intensive program, with training provided by some of the world’s greatest coaches and theatre artists. Each year it welcomes eight to 12 young actors, most of whom are graduates of an accredited theatre training program and have at least two years’ experience in professional theatre.
The Birmingham Conservatory is unique among actor-training programs in that those studying are paid throughout the program and, upon completion of each year’s course of study, are offered a contract for the Festival’s following season. These contracts will be supported by the annual income from the newly pledged funds.
“The Baillies join me in believing in the importance of providing opportunities for young artists not only to train at Canada’s premier classical theatre, but also to work professionally on our stages,” says Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino. “The training these young performers receive at the Conservatory reaches even greater heights as they go on to participate in the Festival’s productions. The Baillies’ gift and the support of Canadian Heritage will make the dreams of six young actors come true each year, as they are given the opportunity to perform alongside some of the greatest actors in the country.”
The members of the Birmingham Conservatory are currently preparing their final project of the year. The Winter’s Tale, directed by David Latham, will be presented to an invited audience of staff, family and donors on February 14, at 2 p.m. at the Studio Theatre.
The Conservatory actors will then begin rehearsals for the 2015 season, which runs from April 21 to October 18, featuring Hamlet, The Sound of Music, Carousel, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Taming of the Shrew, She Stoops to Conquer, The Physicists, The Alchemist, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Oedipus Rex, Possible Worlds, The Last Wife and The Adventures of Pericles. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.stratfordfestival.ca or call 1.800.567.1600.
Photo: Festival Theatre.
2015-02-11
Stratford: Charles and Marilyn Baillie pledge $1.5 million to Birmingham Conservatory