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Canadian Stage is a Canadian non-profit contemporary theatre company, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
 | This article contains promotional content. (June 2013) |
| Formation | 1988 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Location | |
Artistic director(s) | Brendan Healy Matthew Jocelyn (formerly) |
| Website | www |
The company was founded in 1988 with the merger of Centre Stage and Toronto Free Theatre.[1] Canadian Stage has produced more than 300 shows - over half of which have been Canadian plays. Canadian Stage also runs a series of development, education, and outreach programs.[2][3]
Martin Bragg stepped down as artistic producer at the end of the 2008-2009 season, his 17th with the company.[4]
In 2023, the Dream in High Park, the company's series of William Shakespeare plays presented in an open-air amphitheatre, celebrated its 40th anniversary.[5]
The current artistic director of Canadian Stage is Brendan Healy, who replaced artistic director Matthew Jocelyn in early 2018. Prior to his appointment at Canadian Stage, Healy worked at the Rose Theatre in Brampton, and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.[6]
The current executive director of Canadian Stage is Monica Esteves.[7] Esteves joined Canadian Stage after a tenure at Crow's Theatre.[8]
Canadian Stage presents performances at three venues: the 876-seat Bluma Appel Theatre; the Berkeley Street Theatres (244-seat Berkeley Downstairs Theatre and the 167-seat Berkeley Street Upstairs Theatre); and a 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre in Toronto's High Park, where Shakespeare is performed each summer.[9][10]
The company's main stage, The Bluma Appel Theatre, is located in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts (a city of Toronto-owned building), at 27 Front Street East. The theatre has been Canadian Stage's home for over 25 years. The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts was constructed in the late 1960s as part of the city's Centennial Celebrations. Originally named "The Theatre" when it opened in February 1970, it was renovated by the Thom Partnership in 1982.[11]
The Berkeley Street Theatre complex contains two performance spaces, as well as a rehearsal space, props and wardrobe facilities, and the company's administrative offices. The Berkeley site was originally built by the Consumer's Gas Corporation in 1887 as part of a gas pumping station complex. The Berkeley Downstairs Theatre was originally a pump room and served in that capacity until 1955, when Consumer's Gas moved their production out of downtown Toronto. A wrecking firm was hired to demolish the buildings in February 1971, but the complex was renovated instead. The Berkeley Upstairs Theatre was created as part of the general 1976 renovations of the complex. This building is also owned by the City of Toronto.[citation needed]
Situated in the middle of Toronto's High Park, the amphitheatre can seat over 1,000 people. The first production of Shakespeare in High Park was performed in 1983 without a stage. The City of Toronto terraced the hillside of the Amphitheatre to provide seating in 1997. A permanent stage was installed in 2005.[citation needed]
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Canadian Stage is a three-time recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Arts, in recognition of building private sector and community support. Canadian Stage has been nominated for 296 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, receiving 62.
Since 2010, Canadian Stage and York University's Faculty of Fine Arts have collaborated through an MFA in Theatre – Stage Direction. The initiative was launched in 2011 to provide training in large-scale theatre directing. The first graduates of the program were Ker Wells and Ted Witzel.[12] Students direct a Canadian Stage production and intern with a theatre.[13]
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- Bill Glassco - Producing Director, 1988–1990
- Guy Sprung -Producing and Artistic Director 1990-1992
- Bob Baker - Artistic Director, 1992–1998
- Martin Bragg - Artistic Producer, 1998–2009
- Matthew Jocelyn - Artistic & General Director, 2009–2018
- Brendan Healy - Artistic Director, 2018–Present
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