HISTORY OF CENTRESTAGE THEATRE

- The idea of having a year-round community theatre was the dream of Allen Hume, Susan Munro, Jerry Morine, Chloris Morine, Gertrude Bishop, and Arlo Moen – the organizers and founders of CentreStage Theatre. Diana Bishop became associated with this group a number of years after it began.

- Many of these individuals had been part of

Jack Sherriff’s Kipawo Showboat Company in Wolfville.

- The theatre opened for business in February 1984, with the production of Neil Simon’s “Chapter Two.” The director was Arlo Moen; the cast included Dave Ballum, Allen Hume, Gertrude Bishop, and Susan Hume. - The six shows of the 1984 season were held in the ballroom of the Cornwallis Inn in Kentville while a search was made for a more permanent home.

- From 1985 to the spring of 2002, CentreStage Theatre was in the Centre Square end of the Lawton’s Building, which was owned at that time by Doug Morrison.

- In 1998, after 115 productions, this founding group turned the company over to another talented group of individuals: Chérie Zinck, Ernest Zinck, Brian McInnis, Fiona McInnis, Mark Crouse, and Stephen Abbass.

- In August 2000, CentreStage Theatre Society incorporated as a society as defined under the Societies Act of Nova Scotia. - From 1985 to 2002, 136 productions were staged at the Centre Square theatre.

- In 2002, “On Golden Pond” and “Da” were the last two plays staged at the Centre Square location. During those productions, a new theatre was being constructed in the lower level of the IOOF and Rebecca Hall on River Street. “Da” closed one weekend, and “Every Little Crook and Nanny” opened in the new theatre on River Street on the following weekend. - CentreStage currently produces eight to 10 plays each year. There are no paid employees. - As of 2019, CentreStage, in its 35th year, has produced 308 plays and musicals, involving more than 400 different actors, actresses, singers and technicians in the Valley

– History notes provided by George Henry and CentreStage website.