I’ve had the pleasure of serving as Founding Artistic Managing Director of New Curtain Theatre now for four years. More and more I realize that NCTC is a very special place. From the day that I started this company in April of 2006, with our first production at the Clarenville Twin Cinemas, I knew it was going to be a hard but pleasant struggle to bring professional live theatre to rural Newfoundland on a year round basis. My plan was to bring the performing arts to the local population outside of the summer tourist season. And out first show was evident that it was desired. And the response that we received for our studio training sessions was simply remarkable - especially in the youth. In less than a year following our first production our presence was appreciated further by the offering by the Town and the Alpine Association of the use of their unused chalet at the White Hills resort as our own theatre space. We had found our home!
But we have had our days as well when the path we were traveling was severely put to the test. But as Frederich Nietzsche once said - "that which does not kill us makes us stronger". And that is what the following season of 2010-2011 is going to be all about. About coming through the storm on the other side stronger for the journey. I have after four years, taken a look at what our strengths and our weaknesses are. There have had been both smooth sailings and pot-holes . But it is through this self evaluation that we have emerged on the other side clearer of what New Curtain's purpose as a theatre company actually is and what part we play in this community. In part we are experiencing our own Renaissance.
With that in mind, I’ve planned our next season of 2010-2011 to be like a palette of sorts of what we are aiming for. We will draw a little on the strengths of our immediate history, we will offer up stories to both the young and old alike, stories of the power of the love inside the struggles of family and the power that exist in our own personal struggles of who we are. We will make you look at yourselves and at those around you and touch your mind and your soul.
Primarily a truly Canadian season (apart from two shows) I hope we'll make you laugh and think and yes - even cry . I know that everything that we offer, and all the stories we will tell, will employ your head and heart and make you feel good about supporting the arts in Clarenville. We will see some old friends return and we will also be introduced to some new.
There are many reasons to subscribe to New Curtain Theatre – you save some money, have the seat you want, arrange your entertainment time – but more importantly you set aside five nights to get together with others, and let yourself be taken on a journey that will lift your soul.
See you at the theatre.
Geoff Adams
Artistic Managing Director