P.E.I. theatres form professional network

A new network on P.E.I. means more cooperation among the Island's many theatres.

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The professional theatres wanted a voice, and the best way to have a voice was to have an organization. Andrea Surich, Watermark Theatre

Confederation Centre in Charlottetown, Victoria Playhouse, the Harbourfront Theatre, Young at Heart, Watermark Theatre and The Guild are all members of the new group, the Professional Theatre Network of Prince Edward Island.

"Its time had come," said Andrea Surich, who was production manager at the Grand Theatre in London, Ont., before taking on a new role as general manager at the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico.

"There's a cultural strategy going on here on the Island and so the professional theatres wanted a voice, and the best way to have a voice was to have an organization."

Surich notes she and the new artistic director at the Watermark, Robert Tsonos, are new to the Island and come from places that have professional theatre associations.

They've had half a dozen meetings since forming in November 2015, and share news via a website.

'Supporting each other'

"We're basically trying to find synergies in advertising, in supporting each other," she said.

"Theatre generally is always looking for stuff, or ideas or people's names."

Having a group allows theatres to contact one another easily if they're looking for a prop, a piece of equipment or a technician. That happened recently with a sound board needed by one of the theatres the Confederation Centre offered to loan one until a replacement was found, said Surich.

"When you find out from one each you have exactly the same issues, that you're trying to solve them in different ways, and trying to make sure you're not reinventing the wheel constantly!" said Surich, noting she she has enjoyed getting advice from other general managers, since she is new to her post.

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