Jonathan Church, Stratford Festival's new artistic director, is one of many fresh faces at theatre companies nationwide.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
This month, the Stratford Festival announced the hire of its next artistic director – Jonathan Church, a British director-producer with a long list of commercial and not-for-profit theatre credits in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
But Church’s hire is simply the most recent – and perhaps the splashiest – in a large wave of fresh faces at companies coast to coast. Theatrical institutions of all sizes have seen a remarkable amount of turnover in key leadership roles; the last such influx occurred during the early years of the pandemic.
With the 2025-26 theatre season well under way, it seems we’re in a new era for theatre – one defined not by COVID-19 constraints, but by a vested interest in the future of Canadian culture. Leaders across the country are weighing what it means to make art that speaks to this moment in time – with considerations for Canada’s tenuous relationship with the U.S. and a cost-of-living crisis – while also creating work that’s rigorous, enjoyable and community-conscious.
Aisling Murphy: Why Jonathan Church’s hire could be a mixed bag for the Stratford Festival
I spoke with eight recently appointed artistic directors in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and B.C. about their priorities. I expected commonalities in their struggles – pinched budgets, declining audiences, programming woes – but I was surprised by the overlap and specificity of their sharpest concerns: How can Canadian theatres increase visibility for marginalized communities onstage and off? How does a company balance reverence for its own history with audacious plans for the future? What is a Canadian company’s obligation to produce Canadian work?
Several of the leaders spoke about the importance of this wave of hires.
“It’s an opportunity to champion and encourage new voices, and it signals change,” said Michael Rubinoff, artistic director of Musical Stage Company. “We’re in a postlockdown world. It’s full of challenges, but also exciting opportunities as we reset and attempt to look forward.”
Luminato artistic director Olivia Ansell agreed, highlighting the uncertainty of the years to come. “That’s the leading word of this decade – uncertainty,” she said. “We’re sitting in the chaos and coming together as a sector – as artists, crew, arts workers, philanthropists, government partners, corporate supporters, audiences, community. How we collaborate going forward will be the defining legacy and trademark for this generation of audiences and artists.”
Here’s what eight artistic directors across Canada are grappling with as they settle into their roles behind the scenes.
David Connolly: Ramping up representation in musical theatre
David Connolly contributed to more than 30 Drayton Entertainment productions before becoming artistic director.David Leyes/Supplied
Overseeing Drayton Entertainment, with its portfolio of seven venues across Southwestern Ontario, might be an intimidating prospect for most artistic directors. But David Connolly, who made history as the first amputee to perform on Broadway, knows Drayton well: He contributed to more than 30 productions before being appointed artistic director.
As Drayton’s leader, he’s eager to welcome artists and audiences from all walks of life to his stages.
“I like to think that all Canadian theatre-makers have the same goal, which is to change the world – to really believe in the power of storytelling and the effect it can have,” he said. “My pipe dream is that we have new stories, and new people telling them. … We need more highly trained, marginalized actors.”
Geoffrey Gaquère: Keeping up with large, aging audiences in Montreal
Geoffrey Gaquère's goal is to foster audience loyalty at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.Éva-Maude/Supplied
Theatres across Canada continue to grapple with audience numbers that haven’t quite returned to prepandemic levels. But at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in Montreal, artistic director Geoffrey Gaquère has a different problem: He’s learning how to keep up with a loyal, massive base.
“We are very fortunate to have a huge audience where our subscribers are increasing exponentially,” he said in French. “Last year we had 10,500 subscribers – this year we’re at 11,500. But society in Quebec is also aging. Our goal is to foster loyalty among the audience that is there right now, but also reach out to people who might not think about coming to see us on their own. We have a lot of work to do to ensure that in 10 years time, when I’m no longer the artistic director, that TNM still has an audience.”
Paolo Santalucia: Pegging Soulpepper to community outreach
SoulPepper Artistic Director Paolo Santalucia is an alum of the company’s training academy.Dahlia Katz/Supplied
Paolo Santalucia has only officially been on the job at Soulpepper since the beginning of September. But the graduate of the company’s training academy, who has Distillery District credits sprinkled across his résumé as well as a recent stint as the associate artistic director at Crow’s Theatre, is ready to transform Soulpepper with audience outreach tactics and programming.
“We’re still asking questions,” he said. “Who’s in Toronto right now? Who’s going to the theatre? Who’s not going to the theatre, and why? There are hopeful trends: More groups of people are coming to the theatre in ways they didn’t in the past, and that’s exciting. We’re looking at what it means for a city to feel like they have a stake in the work which is happening within the institution.”
Michael Rubinoff: Balancing commercial and not-for-profit interests
New Musical Stage Company director Michael Rubinoff strives to champion non-profit storytelling.Michael Rubinoff/Supplied
Michael Rubinoff, originating producer of Come From Away, is no stranger to Canadian musical theatre. But his appointment at the Musical Stage Company in Toronto marks a novel immersion for Rubinoff in the not-for-profit theatre world: He’s balancing his MSC role with outside commercial producing projects, all in service of championing homegrown musicals.
“Not-for-profit theatres are the bedrock of launching new work in Canada,” he said. “But I’m looking at the long-term strategy of where we are when we start, and where we want to get to. I think having commercial partners around the world offers us a chance to give the development path a longer gestation. I want to keep these projects gestating a little longer, so they can eventually take off and soar. There’s an interplay between these hats that I wear, and I’m using that to benefit the Musical Stage Company.”
Kelli Fox: Understanding that Indigenous storytelling is ‘non-negotiable’
Kelli Fox looks for community guidance on what stories should be told on Western Canada Theatre stages.David Cooper/Supplied
Kelli Fox only recently arrived in Kamloops, where roughly 10 per cent of the population is Indigenous (approximately double the national average). But in her time at Western Canada Theatre so far, she’s learned that Indigenous storytelling must be highlighted in every season – and that, as a leader, she’ll need to look to her community for guidance about what stories they want (and need) to see onstage.
“It is a non-negotiable that there is an Indigenous story absolutely every year on our stage,” she said. “I’m not making space for Indigenous stories – I’m asking the community for space in this place that belongs to them. I’m in the steepest of learning curves, but this time is crucial: I’m having new conversations and learning as much as I can.”
Anand Rajaram: Rebuilding VideoCabaret from the ground up
Anand Rajaram strives to balance history and modernity as artistic director of VideoCabaret.Dahlia Katz/Supplied
VideoCabaret, a teeny venue in Toronto’s trendy Leslieville neighbourhood, has a long, rich history – one that was in many ways cut short by the pandemic, as well as the death of co-founder Deanne Taylor in 2020. For decades, the company was known best for its stylized history plays, which mimicked the close framing and theatrics of TV.
Artistic director Anand Rajaram is shoring things up – while working to celebrate the history of the institution.
Here’s what to see on stages across Canada this fall
“It feels like starting a brand new company while honouring the company that once existed,” he said. “But we’re unable to do the same range of stuff the company used to do. We just don’t have that money any more. I would love for the traditional VideoCabaret style to become a widely accepted theatrical form – a global, globally accessible idea.”
Ann Hodges has been associated with Prairie Theatre Exchange for more than 30 years.Prairie Theatre Exchange/Supplied
Ann Hodges: Cultivating a circuit for Canadian plays in Winnipeg and beyond
Ann Hodges was appointed to the top job at Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange last November, but has been associated with the company for more than 30 years. PTE, she says, is part of a crucial circuit for Canadian plays that premiered in a larger market but are ready to flourish with brand new productions outside of hubs such as Toronto.
“We can’t focus exclusively on world premieres, because then we’d be neglecting this other role that we play,” she said. “PTE, along with a few other companies across the country, have the ability to give new plays a second or third life, and I think that’s as important a role as any for the health of our Canadian theatre community.”
Olivia Ansell: Harnessing Toronto’s ‘civic pride’ for a festival of international scale
Olivia Ansell believes the festival must be engaged with its community.Jenna Hum/Supplied
Founded in 2007, Luminato Festival is an annual grab bag of theatre, art and cultural activities that takes over Toronto in early summer. Australian Olivia Ansell believes that in order for the festival to thrive, it must engage with the community in which it takes place.
Read more Globe theatre coverage
“There has to be civic pride,” she said. “Pride in being Canadian and pride in telling these stories. This festival has the ability to paint the city as a canvas if we come together and embrace culture collaboratively. We so sorely need more conversations around reciprocity of cultures – co-existence – and bringing cultures, languages and people together.”