Canadian Stage Announces Surplus for Second Year Running

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, Canadian Stage announced a surplus of $114,532, marking the second year in a row the company has ended the theatre season in the black, following a surplus of $30,880 for the 2012 fiscal year. Under the leadership of Artistic & General Director Matthew Jocelyn, Managing Director Su Hutchinson and board chair Ron Lalonde, the not-for-profit company continues to support its artistic mandate as a home for innovative live performance from Canada and around the world by reducing the organization's accumulated deficit by seven per cent in fiscal year 2013 from fiscal year 2012.

While celebrating the 2012.2013 25th anniversary season, Canadian Stage shared bold and multidisciplinary theatre and dance with 98,000 audience members across three venues, the Bluma Appel Theatre, the Berkeley Street Theatre and the High Park Amphitheatre, beginning with A Midsummer Night's Dream in High Park and ending with Marie Chouinard's compelling dance piece The Golden Mean (Live) in May 2013. Highlights included season opener Tear the Curtain! from Vancouver's Electric Company Theatre, and the highest grossing shows at the Berkeley and Bluma respectively, THISdirected by Matthew Jocelyn, and David Mamet's RACE starring Jason Priestley.

"There has been much to celebrate at Canadian Stage this year as we continue to consolidate our artistic project alongside the organization's financial growth," said Jocelyn. "First and foremost, I congratulate the tireless work and commitment of our staff team to sharing groundbreaking artistic work in a way that is operationally balanced. Thank you as well to our board of directors for their ongoing support and guidance."

During the 2012.2013 season Canadian Stage saw a 28 per cent increase in subscription acquisitions over the 2011.2012 season, with programming at the Berkeley Street Theatre bringing in 55 per cent more ticket sales revenue than anticipated. For the 2012.2013 season, 50 per cent of Canadian Stage's audience was under the age of 45, with more than 5,000 patrons participating in pre- and post-show events including artist chats, workshops, on-site childcare initiatives and more.

"This time of year finds us squarely in the midst of executing a new season while planning for future seasons and reporting on the past," said Hutchinson. "As my first year with Canadian Stage passes, this company's importance as purveyors of contemporary Canadian and international culture is profoundly underscored by the results we share today with a keen and optimistic eye to the future."