2026
OK – so I’m just over 80 years old, physically and mentally, as some poet once said, “Sliding gently down to oblivion”. All well and good – until the award was made! Immediately panic set in. Many thoughts echoed through the cavernous holes that compose my Swiss Cheese of a brain.
Why me? Why now? What for? Do I owe someone money, or love?
After working in professional Theatre on three continents for over 60 years in every technical field as well as acting, directing, writing and consulting I built up a lot of experience in all types of Theatre from a couple of Theatre Royals and premium Repertory Companies in the UK; a 14 show, 3 weeks a show, 52 weeks a year Rep Company in Nairobi (you do the Math) to a variety of Theatres in Canada, specifically based in the East Coast. Lots of designing; constructing; lighting; driving Northern BC in winter in some very dodgy weather conditions (Thanks Two Planks); but nothing I considered ‘Legacy’ worthy.
I hadn’t built a company or a Theatre – no bricks and mortar. No national acclaim. No foundations.
It wasn’t until I factored in the teaching I had done; The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; Birmingham University (UK – not the Alabama one); Dalhousie University and all the mentoring I had done over the years that a light began to dawn – it takes a while for it to filter through the above mentioned holes! My legacy is people. People of all ages that I have guided over the years. Hopefully instilling in them the notion that every member of a team is fundamental to its success, be they Director or Janitor, actor or lighting tech. No-one works ‘for’ the company but ‘with’ it, everyone is part of the creative process. Nothing is ‘9 – 5’, even the hourly paid jobs.
So, while Emmy has her legacy of the new Mulgrave Theatre Centre; Ken and Chris have the wonder that is Ross Creek; Addy and Ed have Festival Antigonish, and so many others have their legacies in bricks and companies I have come to believe that mine lies in the ethics, work-rate, attitudes (and aptitudes) of the individuals I have had had the joy of passing my humble philosophy on to over the past 60 years.
