As 2014 drew to a close, the Classic Theatre Festival’s Artistic Producer Laurel Smith was in a reflective mood,looking back on 5 successful years of a project that was inspired in part by her stint at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2008. “I always loved summer theatre, and for years, our company, Burning Passions Theatre, had been considering possible locations to start our own,” Smith says. “When I was at the Shaw, it convinced me that the time was right and so, after 20 years in Toronto, we decided it was time for a change, and when a friend showed us the Perth Visitor’s Guide, we thought it was worth taking a peek.” Although Smith and Associate Producer Matthew Behrens had been in Perth about a decade earlier as part of a touring show – they played at a local community theatre space during a blizzard and so did not have much opportunity to survey the town – they decided in 2009 that they should investigate. As luck would have it, it was a freezing Sunday in February and, with ice on the sidewalks and most stores closed, things did not look particularly promising. However, a trip to the Perth & District Union Library followed by lunch at a restaurant on Foster Street provided all they needed to decide Perth would be home. “It was clear that Perth was a beautiful town with a sense of civic pride, even in the dead of winter. At the same time, the idea of bringing the only professional theatre company to the Ottawa Valley was exciting, while the Town’s focus on heritage fit perfectly within our mandate to produce plays from an earlier era,” Smith says, adding that monthly meetings with the Chamber of Commerce as well as community members and Town staff throughout the spring and summer confirmed the decision to relocate. Since that time, the Festival has staged five successful summer seasons of hits from the golden age of Broadway and the London stage, drawing thousands of tourists annually, working on packaging opportunities with local restaurants, accommodations, stores, and attractions, and generating several million dollars in economic spinoffs for the local community. Smith has also been particularly active in the tourism sector, promoting Perth to a wide audience across Eastern and Central Ontario, Western Quebec, and New York State, while also serving as Chair of the Board of the Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO). “A key goal for us has been to combine professional artistic quality with a community feel. A key part of what makes us tick – like a lot of groups in Perth – is the hard work of our amazing volunteers who are eager to be part of this wonderful community all summer long,” Smith says. “The Festival is like a big stage where you can bring your special talents as a photographer, a set builder, a painter, an usher, and that special feeling was clearly evident when we were designated top ranking in customer service… Continue reading
