Shakespeare In the Park

Alison introuded Mike St. Amant who was our outbound student to Denmark 6 years ago and who is now going to college to take acting and who has been performing in productions in PEI and other places as well as working on a special project.

Mike said that after his exchange experience he spent two more years finishing High School and then started training to be a paramedic but on a whim did an audition and got the part.  It turns out he likes acting better so is now studying to become a "starving actor" at Sheraton and is in his third year.  He has signed with an agent and has had some work but he's also trying to start a festival in Midland - Shakespeare In The Park - for two weeks in July.

It won't start till 2014 because he wants to spend 2013 raising awareness and money and linking with the educational and community organizations here.  He feels such a Festival will promote the arts, local talent and local jobs.  He has support from actor friends so it will be affordable and accessible and will offer the opportunity to create educational programs.

Mike says there is not much outdoor theatre in Ontario but Shakespeare is popular and he's familiar to students because he's part of their curriculum.  Also his work is in the public domain which saves money.  Drayton doesn't do Shakespeare so there's no competition.  Such a Festival would be something new for this community and would act as an intro to other aspects of arts in the community and would bring professional actors to town as well as audiences.  He has an idea for an acting camp as well.

He's planning a launch party, a Canada Day event, a Boat Cruise and a Special Gala hosted at St. Marie to announce the first season.  Of course, he needs help with volunteers, sponsors and donors but he's still in the early stages and is testing the level of interest.  He figures the budget would be between 15 and 20 thousand the first year and he's making a submission to the Board and has talked to Huronia Players.