Theatre Ontario Regretfully Announces Departure of Executive Director Carol Beauchamp

Cam Lund, President of the Theatre Ontario Board of Directors, regretfully announces that Carol Beauchamp, Executive Director, will be leaving the organization at the end of February.  “We will miss Carol’s absolute passion and commitment to the theatre sector, her boundless energy, and her creative and collaborative leadership style.”

Under Carol’s leadership, Theatre Ontario has undergone tremendous change, embracing new collaborative partnerships with theatre organizations, sponsors, and the broader arts ecology.  These new partnerships have created more opportunities for our members and the theatre community to access programs and resources, so that together we can stage a vibrant and sustainable theatre community for today and tomorrow.

Over the last twelve months, thanks to the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Carol has guided Theatre Ontario through a strategic organizational review which has resulted in the development of our rigorous workshop series; the formation of a committed and energetic Theatre Ontario Youth Advisory Council; mentorship training and learning circles for our Professional Theatre Training Program recipients; new partnerships, programs and networking opportunities for Next Generation Showcase; community theatre forums across the province; and the development of our vibrant new brand and website, which will be rolled out within the next 6 – 8 weeks.

Theatre Ontario is sorry to see Carol leave, but is delighted that she will remain in an advisory capacity over the next twelve months, which will ensure a seamless transition, continuity, and support for the Board and Staff of Theatre Ontario as we continue the momentum of bringing leadership and innovation to the theatre community for today and tomorrow.

Bruce Pitkin

A search committee has been formed and has begun the task of finding Carol’s replacement, however, it is our pleasure to announce that Bruce Pitkin has been appointed as the Interim Executive Director.  Bruce, who has been an important member of the Theatre Ontario staff team for the last twelve months, is a trained theatre artist who has performed, directed, produced and taught in Japan, Germany, the United States and Canada. With an MFA in Performance from York University, he has worked with the Tadashi Suzuki Company (Japan) and Shakespeare & Company (Boston).  He was the Artistic Director at both the Acting Academy (Munich) and the International Michael Chekhov School of Acting (Munich), and has taught Shakespeare and Scene Study at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto since 2007. In addition to his extensive theatre background, his business experience in marketing and digital media has included working with organizations that include TeleFilm Canada, Canada Media Fund, Capital C Communications, Adeo Communications, Digital Media Studios, alleswirdgut—Agency for Creative Direction (Munich), BioID AG (Berlin), Dialog Communication Systems (Taiwan), and Schaeffler und Partner Multimedia (Munich).

The Staff and Board of Theatre Ontario are looking forward to the coming year, and continuing the exciting work on our organizational and program initiatives.