IT SEEMS AS though the prediction of a local councillor has come true in the case of a York Region landmark.
“Councillor Arnie Warner prophesied that the first word out of everybody’s mouth when they walk in the building [would be] ‘Wow,’” said Michael Grit, the theatre manager for the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. “I’ve heard ‘Wow’ mentioned so many times in the last few weeks.”
The centre played host to a star-studded party on June 8, to celebrate and unveil the lineup for the upcoming 2009–2010 season — which marks the centre’s first full season — beginning on Sept. 22.
Hosted by Chris Van Vliet, the entertainment television personality of SUN TV’s Inside Jam!, the event included performances by local musician Suzie McNeil, a stage combat demonstration by the Resurgence Theatre Company and performances from the upcoming season.
The response from those in attendance, Grit said, has been positive, if unexpected.
“I think there’s a bit of surprise, in a very positive sense,” Grit said. “I’m not sure people expected the calibre of artists that we have.”
The approaching season will blend together some very recognizable artists and acts, such as performer Art Garfunkel, with Canadian newcomers.
The theatre will also host several world premieres, such as the season’s opening performance, Hallaj, based on the life of a 10th-century Sufi mystic.
The choice to include such a diverse range of acts was a very conscious one, Grit said.
“We’re trying to encompass as many cultural groups as we can,” he said. “A lot of theatres are built and there’s a perception that it belongs to a certain demographic. What we’re trying to do is target all demographics. And we’ve been very successful, I would say.”
“He’s definitely got it right in terms of what council’s vision was for the building,” said Arnie Warner, the councillor for Ward 2 and the chair of the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts steering committee.
Warner, who has been involved in nearly every stage in the theatre’s brief history, from the decision on site location to selecting the architects, said the notion of inclusion extends not only to the variety of content that will be presented at the centre, but also to how the facility will be used by the surrounding neighbourhood.
“It is a performing arts centre, but it’s also a community centre,” he said, adding that the spot will host everything from high school graduation ceremonies to shows by dance troupes. There will also be programming for seniors and many more organizations that will utilize the space.
“We don’t want it to be an empty building that comes to life only for performances,” Warner said. “We want people there Saturday morning reading their paper or reading a book and having a coffee. We want it to be a people place throughout the day and throughout the night.
We’re going to transcend boundaries.”