"As far as I can remember, everything I have ever learned, and that has mattered to me, I have learned through storytelling. And I have learned much by being told and telling stories through theatre."
Those words were among the sentiments expressed by Canadian messenger Micheline Chevrier on World Theatre Day, 2013, March 27. Chevrier, associate director of Imago, was chosen to deliver the English-language message on behalf of Canada.
Created in 1961 by UNESCO, World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on March 27 by theatre communities around the globe. The impetus behind World Theatre Day is to honour and further UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute’s goals to:
– celebrate the power of theatre as an indispensable bridge-builder for mutual international understanding and peace;
– promote and protect cultural diversity and identity in communities throughout the world. Each year, a renowned theatre artist of world stature is invited to craft an International Message to mark the global occasion.
Drayton Entertainment artistic director Alex Mustakas issued his own World Theatre Day message on March 27.
In a press release, Mustakas stated, “Today, Drayton Entertainment proudly celebrates World Theatre Day in each of the unique southwestern Ontario communities in which it operates: the original Drayton Festival Theatre in Drayton, Huron Country Playhouse and Playhouse II in Grand Bend, King’s Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene, Schoolhouse Theatre in St. Jacobs, St. Jacobs Country Playhouse in Waterloo, and the new Dunfield Theatre Cambridge, located in the heart of Galt.
“At its core, Drayton Entertainment has always understood that good theatre doesn’t just portray life – it encourages us to participate and experience it at a much deeper level. It encourages us to think, to cry, to laugh, to learn, to form a sense of the purpose of life, to be sympathetic with others – the list goes on and on.”
“Theatre is one of the cornerstones of a healthy, vibrant society. It is a conduit for the convergence of community, commerce, and creativity, building new synergies between the traditional and innovative … enhancing the lives of all Canadians in the process.”
