The Centaur Theatre Board of Directors has announced that after ten seasons, Roy Surette, Centaur Theatre's Artistic and Executive Director, will depart June 2017. Roy returns to family and friends in his home town of Vancouver, BC, to assume the position of Touchstone Theatre's Artistic Director.
Centaur Board President, Howard Golberg, spoke on behalf of the Directors saying, "We are extremely saddened by Roy's departure. With his impressive track record it will be a challenge to fill his shoes. To ensure a smooth transition we are forming a search committee to issue a call for applications immediately with the goal of selecting Roy's replacement by January 2017. There is no great time to make such an announcement but Roy's notice comes on the heels of an astonishing 22 Montreal English Theatre Award nominations, many for the captivating The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God, recognition by the International Centre for Women Playwrights with the 50/50 Applause Award for last year's egalitarian blend of male and female playwrights, and an upcoming season of international blockbusters we are looking forward to with great anticipation." Roy Surette's unique ability to balance programming that both satisfied loyal patrons and attracted new audiences was an essential asset, one of many he brought to Centaur. Since the beginning of his stewardship in 2007, he extended Centaur's scope by forging important partnerships with respected national organizations (Ottawa's NAC, Toronto's Canadian Stage, Vancouver's Arts Club Theatre and Kay Meek Centre). Mainstage programming included 18 world premieres, mostly by Montreal playwrights such as Steve Galluccio's The St. Léonard Chronicles, Bowser and Blue's Schwartz's: The Musical and Last Night at the Gayety, and MariAnne Ackerman's Triplex Nervosa, all box-office successes. His innovative development of the Wildside Festival also raised the theatre's profile on an international level. Through Brave New Looks, not only did local, independent companies (Scapegoat Carnivale, Talisman Theatre, Imago Theatre, The Other Theatre) benefit from the exposure Centaur afforded them, but audiences were introduced to English translations of renownEd French plays or contemporary reimaginings of the classics. Countless Montreal theatre artists, from playwrights, directors, actors and designers, were showcased at Centaur due to Surette's commitment to the advancement of local talent.
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