With a vision to make this fine venue into an even greater hall, we continue to expand our programming to inspire and engage the largest proportion of our community. We satisfy existing audiences with legendary artists such as Boz Scaggs and Ziggy Marley to engaging those who do not traditionally engage with the venue using accessible programming and participation.
We launch the fall with an explosion of energy, featuring Australia’s Strange Fruit, a free outdoor event to profile contemporary work of the highest quality and use free work to remove barriers for the larger community to engage with The Centre. Australia’s Strange Fruit fuses theatre, dance and circus with performers perched atop 14-foot tall flexible poles leaving audiences hypnotized by this unique artistry.
With the return of our OnStage concerts featuring Rich Robinson, Owen Pallett, The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer amongst others, we use an unconventional stage set up and innovative ticket pricing not only to remove financial barriers but to also engage with new audiences through emerging and much loved musicians in an intimate setting.
We’ve placed a significant focus on kids programming following the success of last year. This year, we will feature local and international artists launching the fall with The ToyBox, a digital interactive work created by local artists Playground Studios through to Manxmouse, a story of a brave little mouse on a special adventure brought to life by the Netherlands based theatre group Kwatta.
As we continue to bring a number of premieres to the Kitchener-Waterloo Region, one of this year’s highlights will undoubtedly be The Book of Mormon. The opportunity to present this musical, which is a winner of 9 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, by the creators of South Park, will continue to strengthen the arts sector of the region and raise the national profile of Kitchener-Waterloo.
We will continue to bring the unexpected to you as we announce new shows throughout the year, bringing the best available right up to the minute. So get ready to be entertained and inspired.
I look forward to seeing you at The Centre.
Sandra Bender
CEO