Magnus Theatre

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Magnus Theatre
MAgnust Theatre Thunder Bay October One.jpg
Magnus Theatre in the renovated Port Arthur Central Schoolhouse (1884)
Address10 South Algoma Street
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates 48°26′13″N89°13′29″W / 48.43695°N 89.22472°W / 48.43695; -89.22472
Website
http://www.magnustheatre.com

The Magnus Theatre - The Dr. S. Penny Petrone Centre for the Performing Arts in Thunder Bay, Ontario was founded in 1971 and is Northwestern Ontario's professional theatre company.

Thunder Bay City in Ontario, Canada

Thunder Bay is a city in, and the seat of, Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario with a population of 107,909 as of the Canada 2016 Census, and the second most populous in Northern Ontario after Greater Sudbury. Located on Lake Superior, the census metropolitan area of Thunder Bay has a population of 121,621, and consists of the city of Thunder Bay, the municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge and Neebing, the townships of Shuniah, Conmee, O'Connor, and Gillies, and the Fort William First Nation.

Ontario Province of Canada

Ontario is one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada and is located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province accounting for 38.3 percent of the country's population, and is the second-largest province in total area. Ontario is fourth-largest jurisdiction in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included. It is home to the nation's capital city, Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city, Toronto, which is also Ontario's provincial capital.

Contents

History

Founded by British director Burton Lancaster, who had the idea to create a new theatre company with the help of Dusty Miller (the first Chair of the Arts and Heritage Committee of Thunder Bay, and former Mayor of Thunder Bay), and Carol Bell, (a former Hillcrest High School drama teacher), a citizen's coalition was formed.

EleanorJoan 'Dusty' Miller, was a Canadian politician who served as the first female mayor of Thunder Bay, Ontario from 1978 until the end of 1980 when she was defeated. Miller was married to Lakehead University history professor Tom Miller. The couple was very active in the University community, and they along with other community members pushed for the school to offer degrees. Before her political activity, she was active in community theater. She is a member of the Order of Ontario. She died on February 14, 2012.

The original building was across from the Slovakian Hall in the famous East End of Fort William, now Thunder Bay. Although it was small and run-down, it had charm, enough space to house the stage and the essential facilities and it was available for rent. Eventually, Lancaster transformed this small hall at 639 McLaughlin Street into the full-fledged professional theatre company that Magnus has become.

Fort William, Ontario former city in Ontario, Canada, amalgamated with Port Arthur to form Thunder Bay in 1970

Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern Ontario. The city's Latin motto was A posse ad esse featured on its coat of arms designed in 1900 by town officials, "On one side of the shield stands an Indian dressed in the paint and feathers of the early days; on the other side is a French voyageur; the center contains an elevator, a steamship and a locomotive, while the beaver surmounts the whole."

By 1977, it had become the only professional theatre company between Winnipeg and Sudbury, and it was supported by the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, the City of Thunder Bay, local businesses, and theatre patrons.

Building upon Lancaster's initial vision, each successive Artistic Director has taken the Magnus reigns and strengthened the theatre's local and national profile. From 1977 to 1982, Tibor Feheregyhazi created a community-focused company and built the local audience base for mainstage productions. Following Tibor, Brian Richmond took over from 1982 to 1987 and established a high national profile for Magnus by producing new Canadian plays. Other theatres subsequently produced many of these plays across the country, firmly placing Magnus on the Canadian professional theatre map. In 1987, Michael McLaughlin took over and shifted the focus back to the community as he further established the local audience base. McLaughlin also initiated the successful Theatre in Education program to further develop the strong ties that Magnus and the community share. [1] From 1992 to 2016, Mario Crudo placed his focus on the following areas: strengthening and broadening ties with the community, partnerships, generating new interest in mainstage productions, advancing new play development, and solidifying adult regional touring and other outreach programs. Thom Currie is the current Artistic Director of Magnus Theatre.

Tibor Feheregyhazi, CM was a Hungarian-Canadian actor and director. He attended the National Theatre School in Montreal, Quebec. Feheregyhazi went on to become a resident director at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as well as artistic director of Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay, Ontario and lastly, artistic director of the Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Magnus inaugurated its 2001-2002 30th Anniversary Season in a newly built theatre attached to the historic Central School House, which houses Magnus' administrative offices, in Waverley Park heritage district. Central School was the first school in the City of Port Arthur. In 1884, 2 acres (8,100 m2) of Waverley Park land were granted by the Crown to the Public School Trustees and the original structure was built. The renovation of the school also included the preservation and enhancement of the Waverley Park Heritage Conservation District and Magnus Theatre was renamed in honor of one of their generous patrons, Dr. S. Penny Petrone Centre for the Performing Arts.

Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario, Canada, located on Lake Superior. In January 1970 it amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay.

Waverley Park (Thunder Bay)

Waverley Park is a public park located in the north end of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is the second oldest municipal park in Ontario. The park forms the centre of the Waverley Park Heritage Conservation District, a collection of historical homes, churches, schools, and other buildings at the centre of Port Arthur.

Penny Petrone Canadian writer

Dr. Penny Serafina Petrone was a Canadian writer, educator, patron of the arts, and philanthropist.

In 1998, Magnus received the Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Arts from the Ontario Arts Council Foundation. The award recognized the Organization's exceptional private sector and community support. This award certainly justified the dedicated work of the Organization's management and Board to supplementing the Company's operating support through innovative sponsorship initiatives and other fundraising campaigns. [2]

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References

  1. ↑ Magnus Theatre Website- History Archived 2008-10-14 at the Wayback Machine .
  2. ↑ Magnus Theatre Website- History Archived 2008-10-14 at the Wayback Machine .
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