Objective

The objective of the Garrick project is to develop a premier, multi-use, 200 seat theatre at Bonavista that would contribute to the social and economic well-being of residents on the Bonavista Peninsula. Managed by the Foundation, the Garrick would be a year-round cultural venue where patrons could experience both live performance and cinema. This community theatre would give local and visiting artists access to an exceptional facility with all of the necessary equipment and a ready audience. For the first time, area residents would be able to see a wide range of Newfoundland and Canadian artists in their own purpose-built theatre. Independent and mainstream film would complement the live performance program, and make the Garrick a more viable year-round facility. Good quality audio-visual equipment along with theatre seating would also create an ideal public auditorium for lectures, meetings, and conferences, and would be especially useful as a lecture space for special programs offered by the College of the North Atlantic.

Facility

The facility will be located in the Garrick Theatre building which served the area as a privately-owned cinema for more than a half century, and is now owned by the Bonavista Historical Society. With a large auditorium and raked floor, two small balconies, an upper level projection-technical room, and a traditional stage and proscenium, the building is well suited for redevelopment as both a live performance venue and cinema.

Capital Development

In order to create a high quality theatrical facility in the existing space, an extensive interior redevelopment is required, costing about $1 million. The exterior work saw the construction of two additions to accommodate new washrooms, dressing rooms and a production area behind the stage, and a full restoration of the main structure. The interior requires an upgrade of the stage, proscenium, auditorium and lobby, the installation of new mechanical and electrical systems, projection equipment, theatrical sound and lighting systems, and new seats. The facility, including stage and dressing rooms, will be fully accessible.

Management Structure and Staff

The Bonavista Historic Townscape Foundation will oversee the redevelopment, and provide a volunteer Management Committee to operate the Garrick when the project is complete. A volunteer Program Advisory Committee - composed of people drawn from communities in the area who have great interest or expertise in the performing arts - will assist the Foundation in determining the overall direction of the facility as a live performance venue and cinema, and also advise staff on daily programming and scheduling.

Two existing staff members of the Foundation - the General Manager and the Manager of Restoration, Redevelopment and Maintenance - will fill key management staff positions on a half-time basis to ensure that the business is established on a sound footing. If all aspects of the operation are managed by the Foundation, the facility will require a total of three additional part-time staff working a minimum of 20 hours per week. Volunteers will supplement the work of paid staff when deemed desirable or necessary.

Business Concept

Foundation Chair Gordon Bradley (centre) with Blair Haynes and Natalie Tomasella of the Toronto International Film Festival - Film Circuit Division, standing near the front door of the Garrick in March, 2004. Cindy Morris and Lorraine Hopkins of the Film Circuit also visited the Garrick in October, 2005. The Film Circuit would supply the Garrick with both independent and mainstream film.

The financial viability of the Garrick hinges on a fundamental concept - that it will be a multi-use theatrical venue with cinema to supplement live performance events, allowing the facility to operate on a year round basis with part-time, permanent staff. By providing a weekly, year round use for the Garrick, cinema will allow overhead costs to be absorbed over a twelve month period, making the facility more viable as a live performance venue. With far fewer "dark nights" than would be the case if it operated solely as a live performance venue during the peak summer season, the Garrick will be regarded by area residents as a "community" theatre rather than as a place solely for "tourists." The Garrick's appeal as a community-owned facility should lead to strong local patronage and the ability to fund-raise through various means - key ingredients for its success.

Live performance events will range from visiting and local theatrical productions to traditional, contemporary and classical musicians and choral groups. Several of the visiting productions each year will be sponsored by the provincial Arts and Culture Centres' "Community Circuit" program. There is also potential for local youth theatre, variety shows, benefit concerts, and public lectures and meetings. For cinema, the principal focus will be Canadian and international films and, during the tourism season, special events featuring Newfoundland films, documentaries and short films also offer significant potential. There will also be emphasis on music and other events rather than professional theatre in the summer to avoid direct competition with Rising Tide Theatre at Trinity. With the further development of good quality accommodations in the Bonavista area, the facility would also be well-suited to host various types of Newfoundland theatrical, musical and film festivals. The minimum level of operation for the facility in the first year will be 200 nights for cinema and 20 nights for live performance (expanding to 30 and 40 nights respectively in years two and three), with a balanced operating budget of about $130,000.

Economic Development Rationale

This initiative is consistent with the mandate of the Bonavista Historic Townscape Management Plan to develop the heritage resources of Bonavista in a manner which leads to new economic opportunities for the town and region. In the last two decades many towns and cities throughout North America have used the redevelopment of an old theatre as the principal mechanism and inspiration for revitalizing a previously decaying downtown. The Garrick's central location on Church Street - in the heart of a proposed Downtown Heritage District - increases its potential for creating new economic opportunities. Further rehabilitation of this mixed-use commercial district will attract both area residents and visitors, and thereby support the retention and development of local businesses. By providing an attraction that can entice visitors to overnight in the Bonavista area, the Garrick will also substantially overcome that major, longstanding weakness in the local tourism market, and lead to new investment in tourism-related businesses.