History/Mandate – Theatre NorthWest

Founded by Artistic Director Ted Price and General Manager Anne Laughlin in 1994 Theatre NorthWest began establishing its roots in the regional community with a 26-performance tour of its first production, The Occupation of Heather Rose by Wendy Lill. This was followed by a production of Amadeus in February and Shirley Valentine in April.

One year later a performance space was created out of a bakery warehouse in the Parkhill Centre in Prince George and TNW offered its first full subscription season. Major renovations in 1997 expanded the venue to a 220-seat theatre, which has provided a home for all of TNW’s subsequent productions. The intimacy of the theatre allowed for powerful productions of lesser known and captivating shows like, The Rez Sisters, The Number 14, I, Claudia, Corker, Proof, Doubt, How it works, The SlipKnot and The Secret Mask, while at the same time being able to produce exciting and entertaining productions of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Brighton Beach memoirs, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sexy Laundry, and All Shook Up.

A program of four to five professional stage productions, with as many as 100 performances, was offered each season. Programming, based on TNW’s mission, is a blend of contemporary work from the Canadian and International repertoire.

The 2010-2011 Season marked the succession of the organization’s leadership to Artistic Producer, Samantha MacDonald. During her time there she developed programs to enhance mentorship opportunities as well as instigated the ‘Tours and Talks’ Program, aimed at offering high school students access to the theatre as well as workshops from visiting artists. Under her leadership TNW produced its first premiere of Bemused in 2014, as well as the first local new play development program, ‘TrueNorth New Works’.

In its 20th Anniversary Season in 2014, Jack Grinhaus was appointed Theatre NorthWest’s Artistic Producer and began his tenure with a focus on the future that included upgrading the lighting and sound equipment, renovations to the lobby, adding new seating for audiences, a digital box office system, a new logo, website, and new programming vision to celebrate the milestone season comprised of newer and classic Canadian plays. 2015 saw the addition of a Presentation Series into the season that included tours of both TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) and an Innovation Play. In 2016 General Manager Marnie Hamagami was added to the theatre as Jack Grinhaus became Artistic Director.

Theatre NorthWest now ranks as the largest arts organization in the northern two-thirds of British Columbia with the most paid attendance, the most annual performances, and remarkably high per capita season ticket sales.

With the announcement of Grinhaus’ departure in 2019, TWN looks to the future of its artistic leadership.

Mandate

Theatre NorthWest is a regional theatre dedicated to bringing our audience a wide range of plays drawn from the contemporary Canadian and International repertoire. Actors and other theatre professionals are contracted for each production from across Canada to work with our resident staff in order to bring together a four-play season which runs from September to May.
Theatre NorthWest is the largest arts organization in the northern two-thirds of British Columbia, Theatre NorthWest boasts the most paid attendance, most annual performances, and one of the highest subscription rates in Canada.

To maintain and operate a professional theatre company in Prince George, BC thereby providing for the citizens of North Central British Columbia:

• Theatre of high calibre, reaching a broad cross-section of the community through varied and stimulating programming that strives to inspire, invigorate, educate, and entertain by reflecting and illuminating the concerns and aspirations of both the community and our world today.

• Promotion of interest in – and development of – theatre arts for North Central B.C. and Canadian theatre by such means as: the presentation of plays and other performances, audience education, instruction in and demonstration of the arts of the theatre.

• AND ABOVE ALL: ACCESS for those in this Northern region to the pleasures and benefits of professional theatre commonly enjoyed by Canadians in our country’s traditional centers.

Professional Affiliations:

Theatre NorthWest is an active member of The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), engages artists under both the Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA) CTA Agreement and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC) and receives generous funding from The Canada Council for the Arts, The B.C Arts Council, and the City of Prince George