THUNDER BAY – Magnus Theatre broke ground at the site of its new Next Stage expansion project on Sunday afternoon with some familiar faces from the theatre’s 50 year long history in attendance.
“Well, this is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the original Magnus Theatre in the East End on McLaughlin St.” said Thom Currie, artistic director, Magnus Theatre.
“And we thought, what a great way to celebrate the founding of this theatre, and the continuance of this theatre, and the continued growth of this theatre, what better way to celebrate than inviting the people who ran the theatre?”
In attendance of the event was Brian Richmond, artistic director, 1982-1987, Mario Crudo, artistic director, 1992-2016, Michael McLaughlin, artistic director 1987-1992, Rosalie Woloski, wife of Tibor Feheregyhazi, Artistic Director 1978-1982, and Rebecca Lancaster daughter of Burton Lancaster, founding artistic director 1971-1977.
Crudo says it was wonderful to get together and attend the event with other notable figures from the theatre’s past.
“It's great to see Brian and Michael and to meet Rebecca Lancaster and Rosalie who was representing Tibor Feheregyhazi, so it's just been great,” he said.
“We haven't had a lot of time to chat I hope that we will today at the at the fundraising dinner that's taking place, so I will get to talk to them a little bit more, but it's just been great to see everybody.”
The Next Stage is a major infrastructure project that magnus theatre says will restore, upgrade, and expand its unique facility to meet emerging needs of the community and the theatre’s impact as a cultural and economic force.
The project will see the addition of a 125-seat Studio Theatre, expansion of the Production Shop, renovations to the Lounge, and building improvements and retrofit, all while maintaining the Heritage features of the Central School building.
The project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and supported by FedNor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the Trillium Community Building Fund, and the Trillium Resilient Communities Fund.
