our History
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Our Organizational History

2013 – company founded by Joan Etienne and Carey Nicholson
2013 - First Production: Vern Thiessen’s Vimy, Port Perry
2014 - Incorporated as a not for profit organization
2015 – Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant for 1st Durham Minifest in 2016
2016 – Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grants for Summer Stages Youth Camps,  3x60 Youth Collective, Port Perry Heritage Cemetery Walks
2018 – Ontarion Trillium Foundation Seed Grant for First Nations Youth Program in for Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation
2019 – received Charitable Status
 
Our Impact in the Community In 2019

• We continued our repertory summer theatre festival in Port Perry, providing an “incubator” for emerging artists and an economic driver for local tourism and business partners in the community.
• Through generous donors, we made theatre training available to 2 area youth who were able to work and perform with our professional company as apprentices.
• Through sponsorship support, we made live theatre experiences available to over 200 youth who may not have other access to live performing arts.
• We workshopped and premiered a new Canadian musical, Willow Quartet at our summer festival.
• We continued our partnership with Scugog Lake Stewards and presented our original theatre for young audiences production, Monsters and Milfoil: A Tale of Lake Scugog at West Shore Retirement Village, to residents and the public.
• We continued to provide roleplaying services to Durham Regional Police Services and Elder Abuse Ontario training programs.
• We continued to provide employment and financial compensation for local theatre artists and practitioners through our programs and productions. 
  
  Our Impact in the Community Since 2013
  • we have brought live theatre to more than 3,500 elementary and high school students through our community touring program,
  • We have introduced the work of local and national Canadian playwrights to audiences,
  • We have provided mentorship to area high schools and community theatres,
  • We have developed unique youth theatre training programs in Durham with
    the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
  • We have been able to increase financial accessibility to local theatre to
    students and those of limited financial means.
  • We launched Durham Minifest, an educational one-act play festival with the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. 
    
  • We have worked with local heritage partners to create a dramatic cemetery walk program in Port Perry with the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation
  • We have created programming for the Ontario Black History Society

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