The Newmarket Theatre is getting a remake and a new name in honour of its 20th anniversary.
And by the time the 400-seat facility is ready for its grand re-opening in November, theatre-goers can expect a “whole theatre experience” that rivals that of Toronto all under a brand new banner, recreation and culture director Colin Service said.
“The 20th anniversary is a good time to reinvent the theatre and modernize it for the next 20 years,” he added. “We want to offer people a great reason to stay in Newmarket for that experience and not have to travel to Toronto.”
Town officials are now in the negotiation stage with a naming rights sponsor for the soon-to-be-revamped theatre and it’s looking “very promising”, Service said, adding he was not at liberty to share details at this point, including how much the naming rights are worth or for how long and what that sponsorship would entail.
Since the community theatre opened about 20 years ago, a $2 ticket surcharge was squirrelled away into a fund for future re-investment. The Town has up to $700,000 to use on a refurbishment of the space.
Last year, new seating was installed in the main hall with the help of a federal grant, and the carpeting and flooring were upgraded.
A lobby renovation is scheduled to begin this year in late summer or early fall. And, possibly, some outside signage and other outdoor work could be undertaken with the pool of resources.
“It will be a complete revamp of that entire space, it will all be modernized, including new furniture,” Service said. “That’s in the design phase now. No final decisions have yet been made on that aspect.”
The strong links to community-based productions will remain, such as those put on by Marquee Theatrical Productions. As well, the theatre is still available for rent to community groups, local schools, and more.
Along with the renovation of the building comes a reinvention of the programming, and the intent is to also offer more professional theatre and shows of the kind that residents normally travel outside the community to enjoy.
The Newmarket Theatre is at 505 Pickering Cres. Call the Box Office at 905-953-5122 or the Old Town Hall Box Office at 905-953-5313 for information about dates and ticket prices.
For a full list of what's happening, visit here.
