The Neptune Theatre is the largest professional theatre company in Atlantic Canada with a capacity of 458 and is located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It performs a mixture of new and classical plays.
 Corner of Sackville and Argyle Streets | |
 | |
| Former names | The Strand Theatre (1915 – 1928) The Garrick Repertory Theatre (1928 – 1929) Neptune Theatre 1 July 1963 – present |
|---|---|
| Location | 1593 Argyle Street Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°38′46.02″N 63°34′27.16″W / 44.6461167°N 63.5742111°W |
| Type | Theatre |
| Seating type | Reserved seating |
| Capacity | Fountain Hall 458 Studio Theatre 163–200 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1915 |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Renovated | 9 July 1928 1996 |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
editThe theatre is named after the play Théâtre de Neptune, which was performed at Port Royal, Nova Scotia as the first theatrical production in North America.
The Neptune was opened on the site of a former cinema in 1963 during Canada's drive to create regional theatres. Its first Artistic Director was Leon Major, later to become the Artistic Director of Boston Lyric Opera and Cleveland Opera. Its first President of the Board was local surgeon and CBC writer Dr. Arthur L. Murphy. The building was renovated in 1997 and now has two theatres and incorporates a theatre school.[citation needed]
Artistic directors
edit- Leon Major (founder, first artistic director, 1963–68)[1]
- Heinar Piller (1969–1970)
- Robert Sherrin (1971–74)
- John Wood (1974–77)
- David Renton (1977–78)
- John Neville (1978–83)
- Tom Kerr (1983–86)
- Richard Ouzounian (1986–89)
- Linda Moore (1990–2000)
- Ron Ulrich (2000–2008)
- George Pothitos (2008–2017)[2]
- Jeremy Webb (2017–present)[3]
Further reading
edit- Perkyns, Richard (1989). The Neptune Story: Twenty-Five Years in the Life of a Leading Canadian Theatre. Lancelot Press. ISBN 978-0889993938. ( Book Review )
References
edit- ^ "Neptune Theatre", The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ "Neptune Theatre begins national search for new artistic director - Local Xpress". Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ "Jeremy Webb named Neptune Theatre's new artistic director "