PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
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Category Archives: News Flash
Hear All About It
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 at the Harbourfront Theatre
Doors Open: 5:30 PM
Doors Close: 6:15 PM (All attendees must be seated by this time.)
*Live Broadcast will start 6:30 PM.
Please contact Box Office (open Monday-Friday, 12 PM – 5 PM) to add your name to our wait list.
(Local: 902-888-2500 | Long Distance Toll-Free: 800-708-6505)
PEI Votes 2019: CBC Leaders Debate
PEI’s political party leaders debate the issues important to Islanders. CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin moderates for broadcast on TV, online and mobile.
Please contact CBC PEI to share the questions and topics you hope to see in the debate in advance of April 16th.
PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
Casting Announced for Mamma Mia
The Charlottetown Festival: Complete Casting Announced for Mamma Mia!
Co-production between Charlottetown and The Grand Theatre has begun rehearsals in London, ON
The Charlottetown Festival returns to an idyllic Greek island for Mamma Mia! this summer, and rehearsals are underway for the first leg of the show’s co-production with The Grand Theatre.
The blockbuster musical plays in London, Ontario from April 23 to May 18 and then The Charlottetown Festival company makes its homecoming to “the other island paradise” to begin work on Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ and Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical.
Mamma Mia! will play in Charlottetown from August 9 to September 28. Artistic Director of Confederation Centre of the Arts, Adam Brazier is directing the ABBA-driven phenomenon, and has announced complete casting. This week marks 20 years since the world-wide smash hit first premiered in London’s West End.
As previously revealed, the production stars Katie Kerr, as bride-to-be ‘Sophie’ and Rebecca Poff as her single-mother ‘Donna’. Aaron Hastelow plays Sophie’s beau, ‘Sky’, while her two best friends ’Ali’ and ‘Lisa’ are anchored by Hailey Lewis and Kim Truong.
Sophie is to be married but wants to first find her father so he can walk her down the aisle. She invites three possible men from Donna’s past to the wedding—Cam MacDuffee (the Festival’s On the Road with Dutch Mason) as ‘Harry’; Stephen Guy-McGrath (Million Dollar Quartet) as ‘Bill’, and Festival newcomer, Michael Torontow as ‘Sam’.
Rounding out the principal cast are Festival favourites Nicole Dawn Brook (Bittergirl—The Musical) and Susan Henley (Anne™) as the Super Troupers, ‘Rosie’ and ‘Tanya’; as well as Connor Lucasand Anthony MacPherson as party boys, ‘Eddie’ and ‘Pepper’. See complete casting in addendum.
Mamma Mia! is sponsored by Tim Hortons and plays the Homburg Theatre at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Musical direction is from Craig Fair, choreography by Lisa Stevens, set and costumes by Cory Sincennes, lighting design from Renée Brode, and sound design from Peter McBoyle.
Confederation Centre wishes to acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Government of P.E.I., and the City of Charlottetown for their continued support.
PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
Coade Joins Confed Board
The Fathers of Confederation Buildings Trust, known as Confederation Centre of the Arts (CCOA) has announced the appointment of Kateri Coade to its board of directors.
Robert Sear, CCOA board chairman, says the organization is delighted to have Coade join the board. “Kateri brings an expertise in social work and community engagement as well as years of experience educating othersabout Mi’kmaq cultures, traditions, and ways of life,” he remarks. “We are pleased to welcome her and are sure she will help strengthen Confederation Centre of the Arts as it continues to grow its reach and become accessible to more people.”
Coade is a member of the Abegweit First Nation and currently resides in Rocky Point with her husband and two daughters. She works for Abegweit First Nation as the director of social development programs and is a strong voice for Mi’kmaq people living on P.E.I. Her robust network and friendships in the Mi’kmaq community has led to increased opportunities for performers to present and share Mi’kmaq songs and traditional dancing at various events.
The new board member holds her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UPEI, and her Bachelor of Social Work and her Master’s in Social Work from Dalhousie.
She currently volunteers on other boards including the P.E.I. Rape and Sexual Assault Board of Directors; the P.E.I. 2023 Canada Games Bid/Host Committee; the MCPEI Indigenous Justice Committee; the Abegweit First Nation Mental Wellness Committee; and various other committees related to front-line social work and the First Nations population.
Coade joins returning executive members Bob Sear, chair; Alex MacBeath, vice-chair; Lori Pendleton, secretary-treasurer; Margo Thompson; and Pamela Williams.
Continuing national directors for CCOA include: Arlene Perly Rae, ON; Dan Mathieson, ON; Charles Scott, ON; Dr. Frederic L.R. Jackman, ON; Murray Kilfoyle, MB; Dr. Peter Stoicheff, SK; Richard Homburg, NS; and Sean Finn, QC.
PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
Getting In On the Act
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| Watermark Acting Conservatory 2019 July 22nd to Aug 2nd, 2019The Acting Conservatory at the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico offers young actors from the ages of 12 to 18 the opportunity to train with our professional acting company members. Previous year’s classes have included improvisation, scene study, dance, Shakespeare, voice and speech, monologues, stage combat, etc. The Acting Conservatory culminates in a public performance for family and friends at the end of the two-week session. All classes will be taught by our team of professional actors who are in residence with the Watermark Theatre Acting Company for the 2019 summer season. Full Day Acting Workshops Monday to Friday One week session: $99 plus HST Sign up for your place in this remarkable experience at admin@watermarktheatre.com or call 902-963-3963 For more information please contact Andrea Surich at 902-963-3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com Watermark Theatre Watermark Theatre is a proud member of the Professional Theatre Network of PEI. PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
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Symons Medal Coming Soon
Confederation Centre Announces Date for 2019 Symons Medal Ceremony
Annual medal ceremony and lecture on the state of Canadian Confederation returns this fall
Confederation Centre of the Arts announced today that the 2019 Symons Medal will be awarded on Friday, November 1 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
The Symons Medal is one of Canada’s most prestigious honours, recognizing an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life. Held each fall, the medal ceremony and its associated lecture create a national platform for a prominent Canadian to discuss the nation’s current state and future prospects.
The award is presented at Confederation Centre of the Arts—Canada’s living monument to Canadian Confederation—in honour of the meetings of the Fathers of Confederation, who first gathered at Province House in the fall of 1864.
The Centre also announced today that the 2019 recipient of the Symons Medal will be revealed on Tuesday, May 7. The Symons Medal Ceremony also includes an hour long address in which the medallist reflects upon the current state of Canadian Confederation using themes related to their professional pursuits.
Since 2004, the Centre has honoured 18 distinguished Symons Medallists. These include: the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau; His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales; historian Margaret MacMillan; human rights activist Stephen Lewis; the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., former Chief Justice of Canada; and the former President of the national Inuit organization, Mary Simon.
The 2019 Ceremony will take place in the Homburg Theatre and will also be livestreamed on the Centre’s YouTube channel. Tickets for this important ceremony will be available via the Box Office at a later date. Stay tuned for further event updates on social media: @confedcentre and via hashtag, #Symons2019.
In related matters, the annual Symons Medal Student Essay Contest for the 2018-19 school year is still active, with prizes totalling $2,000. Organizers are accepting submissions until April 30, 2019 and the top three award recipients will be recognized during the 2019 Symons Medal Ceremony. For complete details, visit Confederation Centre’s website.
About the Symons Medal Ceremony and Lecture:
The Symons Medal and Lecture Series is named in honour of Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, a long-time supporter of Confederation Centre of the Arts and a Board Governor. Professor Symons, the founding President of Trent University, is widely recognized for his work in the field of Canadian Studies, particularly within public policy, heritage, and education.
Previous Symons Medalists: (chronological order, from most recent):
Ø Historian Margaret MacMillan;
Ø The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau;
Ø Novelist Antonine Maillet;
Ø Actor/director Paul Gross;
Ø His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Prince of Wales;
Ø Human rights activist Stephen Lewis;
Ø Former Prime Minister Paul Martin;
Ø Environmentalist David Suzuki;
Ø Canada’s Chief Statistician Emeritus, Ivan P. Fellegi;
Ø Former Governor General David Johnston;
Ø Former President of the national Inuit organization, Mary Simon;
Ø The Right Hon. Beverley McLachlin, P.C., former Chief Justice of Canada;
Ø Ian E. Wilson, Librarian and Archivist of Canada;
Ø The Hon. John Crosby, former Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador;
Ø The Hon. Peter Lougheed, former premier of Alberta;
Ø Mark Starowicz, broadcaster and journalist;
Ø The Hon. R. Roy Murray, former Chief Justice of Ontario; and,
Ø The Hon. Jean Charest, former premier of Quebec.
PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
Celebrating a Pioneer
The Charlottetown Festival Celebrates the Life of Founding Member Fen Watkin
Member of the Order of Canada, Watkin had a profound influence on Canadian musical theatre
The Confederation Centre of the Arts community is mourning the passing ofJoseph Fenwick “Fen” Watkin, O.C.
Watkin was a founding member of the team that brought Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ to life in 1965 and was a driving force within The Charlottetown Festival for more than 40 years. Watkin passed away Thursday in Toronto. He was 96 years young.
“Fen will always be remembered for his kindness and humour,” offers Adam Brazier, artistic director of Confederation Centre. “His love of music and storytelling kept him engaged in the theatre throughout his celebrated life. He was a blessing to everyone who had the pleasure of working with him.”
Joseph Fenwick “Fen” Watkin was a virtuoso pianist and a highly accomplished arranger, conductor, and musical director involved in more than 200 original Canadian productions. He served for 12 years as associate music director of The Charlottetown Festival and 28 years as music director, spanning more than four decades from 1965 to the late 2000s.
The Toronto Symphony, CBC variety shows, and countless community theatre projects also benefitted from Watkin’s talents. As a mentor and coach he inspired generations of amateur and professional performers. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2005 for his considerable contribution to musical theatre.
Dean Constable, general manager of theatre at the Centre, fondly remembers Watkin, with whom he collaborated during the musical director’s final season leading Anne™. “Working alongside Fen you immediately realized that he was at the heart of those who had built The Charlottetown Festival,” Constable recalls. “He had a wonderful, gentle demeanour, and a terrific sense of humour, but rest assured if you were doing something wrong musically, he would see it corrected. The Canadian musical theatre community has lost an instrumental member and friend and we are grateful for his many contributions.”
Watkin first served as associate musical director at The Charlottetown Festival from 1965-77 alongside John Fenwick during a thriving era for musical theatre in Canada. Working with then artistic director Alan Lund, both Fenwick and Watkin conducted the orchestra for Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™and dozens of other productions, such as By George!, Kronborg 1582, Johnny Belinda, Singin’ & Dancin’ TONIGHT, and many more. Watkin became musical director in 1978 and continued to lead in this way until the mid-2000’s, including national and international tours of Anne™.
PEI Professional Theatre Network
PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
