About Theatre Sarnia
Theatre Sarnia: 1927 to 2023 - 96 Years of Great Performances!
Amateur Theatre in Sarnia grew through the leadership of Herman Voaden, Dr. R.K.Stratford and D. Park Jamieson with the creation of the Drama Club of Sarnia in 1927. After many years known as the Sarnia Little Theatre the organization is now known as Theatre Sarnia and it is one of the oldest, continuously operating theatre groups in Canada and one ot the few that actually own their theatre . As of November 30, 2016 the Imperial Theatre became mortgage free - a testament to the vision of the original conversion steering committee. Over the years, this group has performed in a Lutheran Church, the auditorium at Johnson Memorial School, the Sarnia Public Library auditorium, Sarnia Collegiate Institute auditorium, and the original Imperial Theatre, further North on Christina Street that was destroyed in the tornado that hit Sarnia in 1953.
Theatre Sarnia now has it's home at the Imperial Theatre in downtown Sarnia, which was officially opened on December 31, 1996. The theatre originally opened as the Capitol Theatre on New Year's Eve 1936 with the movie College Holiday starring Jack Benny. It closed 52 years later in 1988, and was left abandoned and derelict for 10 years and slated for demolition. In two short years, with the help of local Industry, a loan from the City of Sarnia...since repaid in full, and private donors, Theatre Sarnia members and many volunteers accomplished the transformation of the movie house to a live theatre venue. Now restored in all it's Art Deco elegance, the Imperial Theatre showcases Theatre Sarnia productions and also actively hosts a variety of professional and local community groups providing a wide spectrum of entertainment. The Imperial Theatre is noted for its' technical excellence and is recognised as a first class performance venue by local and national artists, together with friendly, helpful Technical and Administrative staff.
The Imperial Theatre is wholly owned and operated by Theatre Sarnia. Over the years the group has hosted successful Theatre Festivals such as the Dominion Drama Festival, the Theatre Ontario Festival and the Western Ontario Drama League Theatre Festival and WODL Mini-Fest. The theatre group has won many awards and had their work nominated for recognition at these Festivals. Graduates of Theatre Sarnia have gone on to careers in various fields of the theatrical community and entertainment industry.
The Accomplishments of Theatre Sarnia
Theatre Sarnia has won more than its share of awards, and on a number of occasions have represented Sarnia and WODL at the Theatre Ontario Festival winning the top award twice. In 1995, our production of The Melville Boys was judged the best production in all of Western Ontario. It went to the Theatre Ontario Festival at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts in North York, where it won "Best Play" in Ontario. In April 2009, our production of Night Sky won the D.Park Jamieson Memorial Award for the best production in Western Ontario at the WODL Festival in Woodstock.
In March 2015 our production of The Clean House won the award for the best production in Western Ontario at the WODL Festival in Owen Sound and moved on to the Theatre Ontario Festival in Oshawa held in May where it was recognized as the winning outstanding Festival production...the best in Ontario !
In March 2019 our production of Girls Like That won the award for the Best Production in Western Ontario at the WODL Festival in Guelph, together with a series of awards for Best Visual Production, Outstanding Technical Achievement, Outstanding Ensemble Work, Best Sound Design by Henri Canino, Best Complex Choreography by Jacqueline McKenzie, Best Projections by Ian Alexander and Oustanding Direction by Henri Canino. The number of awards given to this production attest to the depth of theatre talent within Theatre Sarnia.
Over the years members of Theatre Sarnia have won many other awards for acting, directing, stage managing, ensemble playing, make-up, lighting, sound design, set design and creation of special costume pieces. Graduates of our theatre group have taken up many positions in various fields of the theatrical community. A partial list includes:
- Victoria Wallace - Designer for the Stratford Festival, The 'Met' in New York and the Vienna State Opera Company
- Andrew Wallace - Assistant Head Carpenter for the Shaw Festival and Neptune Theatre
- Rosemary Dunsmore - Actor in CBC's Mom, PI and various films including Cliffhanger and Total Recall
- John Wing Jr. - Comedian and Author
- Mishu Vellani - Actor on TVO's Polka Dot Door
- Arlene Mazerolle - many credits as an Actor on Stage and in Film and Television.
- Patricia Yeatman - Actor
- Stella Wallace - Actor and Children's Theatre Specialist
- Rod Brown Jr. - Actor
- Daryl Cloran - Actor and Artistic Director ( Citadel Theatre, Edmonton, Stratford Festival)
- Richard Poore - Director of Performing Arts, Victoria Playhouse. President 2008-2009, Theatre Ontario Board of Directors
- Megan Hadley - Actor
- Karen Dunn - Professional Stage Manager
- Caitlin Murphy - Playwright
- John Hobbs - Professional Theatre Technician
- Dustyn Wales - Professional Stage Manager
- Drew Dafoe - Host of TVO's The Space
- Brian Austin Jr -Executive Director, Imperial Theatre
- Carson Pinch - Comedy writer and performer
- Susan Shillingford - Actor, Director and Writer
- Catherine Soulliere - Production Manager - Imperial Theatre
The Membership of Theatre Sarnia
Members are the heart of Theatre Sarnia, playing a wide variety roles to support the organization, including onstage performers, backstage support, box office volunteers, bartenders, ushers, Committee and Board members and many others.
If you wish to become more involved with Theatre Sarnia, please email support@theartresarnia.org or Catherine Soulliere, the Production Manager of the Imperial Theatre, csoulliere@imperialtheatre.org and let them know your interests. They will pass your name along!
There are two classes of membership within Theatre Sarnia, namely Honourary Life Member and Theatre Sarnia Member.
Honourary Life Members are appointed by the Board of Directors and are entitled to notice of meetings of the Corporation (Theatre Sarnia), and are not required to pay any membership fees. The Honourary Life Members are entitled to one vote per member at all meetings of the members of the Corporation.
Theatre Sarnia Members complete the Membership application and pay yearly fees . The membership period runs from the May 31st to May 31st of the following year. Adult members are granted a vote at the AGM in September.
Theatre Sarnia Honourary Life Members
The following made a significant contribution to Theatre Sarnia and it's antecedents, over a period of at least 15 years and were appropriately recognised by their peers as Honourary Life Members. Each of these members, past and present, contributed in their own way to the continued success of Theatre Sarnia. They rightly deserve an ovation and our thanks for their efforts. Sadly, those members listed in italics have taken their final bow. The suffix (P) indicates the Member was recognized posthumously.
Year Honorary Member
2022 Jean Simon, Tony Hughes (P)
2021 Jay Peckham, Holly Wenning
2019 Colleen Vasey-Smith
2018 Brian Austin Jr.
2017 Godfrey Stevens, Carolyn Robinson(P)
2016 Ron Pask
2015 Henri Canino
2014 Carol Kennedy
2012 Jane Janes
2011 Robert Kennedy
2010 Andrea Hughes
2009 Georgina Ford, Mary Ann Kennedy
2007 Drew Caldwell, Donna Poore, John L'Heureux,
2004 Kenn Poore, Paul Richardson, Richard Poore, Dave Dunk
2002 Mary Anne Coderre-Richardson
1999 Fran Lewis, Peg Petley
1997 Carol O'Grady
1995 Don Poore, Shirley O'Neill
1994 Bill Allingham
1993 Megan Hadley, George Wood Jr.
1991 Evelyn Kerr, Wyman Kerr
1989 Edie Poore
1988 Charles Perrie
1986 Eila Kuosmanen, Eunice Taylor
1984 Peggy Coslett, Jim Wallace, Stella Wallace
1982 Clarice Hunt, Edmund Taylor
1978 Fredrick Hadley
1976 Helen Brook, Valerie Hadley, Norma Hunter, Sam Hunter
1974 Harold Backman, Dmytro Charyk, Mr. & Mrs. G. Henderson, Harold Van Horne, Pauly Legate
1972 Dr. & Mrs. E. J. Buckler, Dr. & Mrs. O.S. Pokorny
1970 Duncan Cunningham, Harry Tredwell
1968 Jean Gowland, Mr. & Mrs. W. Walker
1949 D. Park Jamieson
1945 Ethel Mills