Neptune Theatre (Halifax)
Encyclopedia
The Neptune Theatre is the largest professional theatre company in Atlantic Canada
with a capacity of 497 and is located in downtown
Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
. It performs a mixture of new and classical plays.
The Neptune was originally opened during Canada
's drive to create regional theatres on the site of a former cinema in 1963. Its first Artistic Director was Leon Major
, later to become the Artistic Director of Boston Lyric Opera
and Cleveland Opera
. The building was renovated in 1997 and now has two theatres and incorporates a theatre school.
From April to July 2007, the theatre staged its longest running production Beauty and the Beast
. The play was performed 127 times, breaking a record previously held by Cats
in 2004. Beauty and the Beast was directed by Ron Ulrich and starred Julie Martell as Belle and George Masswohl as the Beast. It also featured Rejean Cournoyer
, Martha Irving, and Hank Stinson.
The most successful play of the 2008/2009 season was the comedy Skin Flick. This production marked the second time Neptune presented a mainstage play by Canada's most successful playwright, Norm Foster
, after the 2008 production "The Love List". The production was directed by Walter Learning
.
For their final production of 2009, Neptune Theatre produced the Canadian Premiere of the stage adaptation of the Disney sensation "High School Musical"; directed by Canadian director/choreographer David Connolly. Starring the three actors from the hit childrens series "The Doodlebops
", along with Aaron Kyte and Elena Juatco, the production premiered on April 17th, 2009 and broke several box office records for the theatre.
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
with a capacity of 497 and is located in downtown
Downtown Halifax
Downtown Halifax is the city centre of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern-central portion of the Halifax Peninsula, on Halifax Harbour, it serves as the business, entertainment, and tourism hub of the region.- Municipal:...
Halifax
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It performs a mixture of new and classical plays.
The Neptune was originally opened during Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's drive to create regional theatres on the site of a former cinema in 1963. Its first Artistic Director was Leon Major
Leon Major
Leon Major is a Canadian opera and theatre director. He is the Artistic Director of The Maryland Opera Studio for the University of Maryland, College Park...
, later to become the Artistic Director of Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera is an American opera company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1976.Each season, BLO produces three mainstage productions at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre in Boston and a fully staged, one-hour English language version of a popular opera for school...
and Cleveland Opera
Cleveland Opera
Opera Cleveland is Cleveland, Ohio's professional opera company, formed in 2006 following a merger between two existing opera companies: the Cleveland Opera , and the area's other professional opera company, Lyric Opera Cleveland.-Cleveland Opera:Cleveland Opera was incorporated by David...
. The building was renovated in 1997 and now has two theatres and incorporates a theatre school.
From April to July 2007, the theatre staged its longest running production Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
. The play was performed 127 times, breaking a record previously held by Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
in 2004. Beauty and the Beast was directed by Ron Ulrich and starred Julie Martell as Belle and George Masswohl as the Beast. It also featured Rejean Cournoyer
Rejean Cournoyer
Réjean Cournoyer is a Canadian actor and singer, and was raised in a bilingual, Mormon home. After graduating from Mount Saint Vincent University with a degree in public relations, and leaving Mormonism, he began working at the Charlottetown Festival, then made his way to Toronto in 1995 to...
, Martha Irving, and Hank Stinson.
The most successful play of the 2008/2009 season was the comedy Skin Flick. This production marked the second time Neptune presented a mainstage play by Canada's most successful playwright, Norm Foster
Norm Foster (playwright)
Norm Foster is a Canadian playwright, considered to be Canada's most produced playwright. Foster discovered his talents as a playwright in Fredericton, New Brunswick, while he was working as host of a popular morning radio show. He accompanied a friend to an audition, and landed his first acting...
, after the 2008 production "The Love List". The production was directed by Walter Learning
Walter Learning
Walter John Learning is a Canadian theatre director, actor, and founder of Theatre New Brunswick.-Biography:Walter Learning was born in 1938 in the small village of Quidi Vidi in Newfoundland. Learning attended Bishop Feild College in St. John's and the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton,...
.
For their final production of 2009, Neptune Theatre produced the Canadian Premiere of the stage adaptation of the Disney sensation "High School Musical"; directed by Canadian director/choreographer David Connolly. Starring the three actors from the hit childrens series "The Doodlebops
The Doodlebops
The Doodlebops is a Canadian television children's television series. "Rock & Bop with The Doodlebops", , was released in 2004 and continues to top the children's charts in North America...
", along with Aaron Kyte and Elena Juatco, the production premiered on April 17th, 2009 and broke several box office records for the theatre.
Artistic directors
- Leon MajorLeon MajorLeon Major is a Canadian opera and theatre director. He is the Artistic Director of The Maryland Opera Studio for the University of Maryland, College Park...
(founder, first artistic director, 1963-68) - Heinar Piller (1969-1970)
- Robert Sherrin (1971-74)
- John Wood (1974-77)
- David Renton (1977-78)
- John NevilleJohn NevilleJohn Neville, OBE, CM was an English theatre and film actor who moved to Canada in 1972. He enjoyed a resurgence of international attention in the 1980s as a result of his starring role in Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen .-Early life:Neville was born in Willesden, London, the...
(1978-83) - Tom Kerr (1983-86)
- Richard OuzounianRichard OuzounianRichard Ouzounian is a Canadian journalist and theatre artist. He is currently the chief theatre critic for the Toronto Star and the Canadian theatre correspondent for Variety.-Life and career:...
(1986-89) - Linda Moore (1990-2000)
- Ron Ulrich (2000-2008)
- George Pothitos (2008 - present)