Hello Theatre Lovers, It’s hard to believe that 2019 is almost over. Looking out my office window I can see a blanket of snow turning our town in to a picturesque snow globe once again! We are so lucky to live in an area that has so much to offer year round and is always so beautiful!

Very soon it will be Christmas, and this whole month brings many special events in which to gather with friends and relatives. Last night Theatre Collingwood was gathering at Prime Seven Nine Restaurant to celebrate and thank our many sponsors. I’d like to thank the restaurant for providing their absolutely delicious Baklava treats and refreshments for all to enjoy (as well as their great hospitality). If you are a sponsor who was unable to attend please know how much we appreciate YOU. I enjoyed speaking with our friends from Crozier & Associates, Royal LePage Trinity, Monaco Condominiums, Prime Seven Nine, Blue Mountain Resort, and more. 2019 was a year with some challenges but I am so proud of what we achieved together, and I am thrilled to report that we have received so many positive comments about the productions and about the various venues!

We are currently selling tickets on our website and in our office for our friends in the Sound Investment Community Choir. If you are available this Friday night, December 6 th , please consider purchasing tickets to their upcoming Christmas concert, celebrating the wonderful music and song from Christmas movies, both old and new! This is a great way to enjoy some Christmas music and support your local community choir.

Today I am meeting with our team of readers for our Theatre Collingwood staged reading of “A Christmas Carol”, which we will perform on Friday, December 20 th at First Presbyterian Church at 7pm. I can’t wait to meet with the readers today, they are all amazing talents from our community! They are people who serve Collingwood and the region in so many ways. This year we have as our readers: Collingwood Mayor Brian Saunderson, Clearview Mayor Doug Measures, Collingwood Councillor (and radio personality) Mariane McLeod, actors Dean Hollin, Luke Hamilton Ford and Andy Dumas, Linda Murphy (realtor, actor, teacher, and hiker extraordinaire), radio host Bill Anderson, and retiree Rowland Fleming (who happened to be the former president of the Toronto Stock Exchange). If you have not purchased your tickets yet please do so right away on line at www.theatrecollingwood.ca or call 705-445-2200. Tickets are only $25 and the proceeds will support our 2020 Youth Drama Program. The evening promises to be a delight! We will enjoy Christmas carols sung by Shealyn Angus (my daughter, who many of you know from our February LOVE Carbaret) and accompanied by Collingwood’s very own Greg Gibson (yes, Yvonne Gibson’s son will be back in town), a wonderful reading of a story we all know and love, and mulled cider & cookies to top it off in the hall afterwards. Please gather your friends and join us for a great event to finish off our 2019 theatre year!

2020 EARLY BIRD SUBSCRIPTIONS are on sale now until January 10th! Please do not forget to take advantage of the best ticket prices of the year! You will receive 5 shows for only $195 (plus HST & applicable service charges). I know we have a really great year of programming for you. The subscription is for our 5 shows (May to September), but this year if you want to add any of our other shows to your subscription you may do so at the same low price when you order your subscription. Also, if you don’t want to pay any service charges just become a MEMBER. This means you make a donation of $50 or more and you will also receive a tax receipt for this donation. You will know that you are supporting your theatre company and seeing great performances!

PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER THAT THEATRE TICKETS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES MAKE GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS!

I have had some questions about reserved seating. Of course we will be in various venues again this year and this can be difficult to facilitate traditional reserved seating. This year we will have a section at the front of each venue for those who are subscribers and/or members, and sponsors. You will be given a lanyard to wear that will signify that you may sit in our VIP section. This is our way of acknowledging and thanking you for your continued support of Theatre Collingwood. Please also note that those with accessibility issues will also be happily accommodated.

COLLINGWOODARTS.COM CACE (Collingwood Art Culture Entertainment) Group is a local grassroots group of citizens who are very passionate and committed to building an arts, culture and entertainment Centre in Collingwood. Please visit the website at: www.collingwoodarts.com and register your support. We need a theatre and an arts centre. These folks are committed to making it happen and they need your help. For now, simply go to the website and register that you believe in the concept. There will be many more ways to get involved in the near future but for now please register your name, so we can show that we all believe that the time is NOW to build a centre for the arts.

SPOTLIGHT ON VALERIE O’BRIEN Valerie is our Business Development Manager and a great member of our TC team! She joined the organization after working with other dynamic non-profits such as Concerned Children’s Advertisers and UNICEF Canada. In her most recent role as Marketing Manager for Drayton Entertainment, Valerie was responsible for the promotion of seven live theatre venues in Ontario. She was a board member for the Association of Summer Theatres ‘Round Ontario and served on the Executive Marketing Committee when the organization re-branded in 2013.

In 2015, Valerie relocated from Waterloo Region to Collingwood and took a break from the business of live theatre to spend more time with her young family. Originally from Alberta, she has also lived and worked in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, diving into the arts communities wherever she lands. Valerie holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Master of Arts in Communication and Culture. Valerie’s role at Theatre Collingwood is quite diverse. In addition to developing our audiences and group sales, she works with our various sponsors. If you are looking for a great way to support your community and the arts, please call the office and speak with Valerie about our partnership opportunities. Valerie’s Favourite Theatrical Experience : "Many come to mind, but my favourite was seeing CATS on Broadway as a teenager and sitting next to “Mrs. Garrett” (Charlotte Rae) at an Off-Broadway play the same week."

Thank you everyone! See you at the theatre! Erica Erica Angus Executive Director, Theatre Collingwood

‌ ‌ ‌