Theatre Alberta Board President Jeremy Mason
Why?
Why have a day to celebrate theatre?
We take time to celebrate theatre throughout the year. We celebrate openings, closings, premieres, and remounts. Let’s be honest, we’ll find any reason to celebrate our passion. So why the day?
To me it’s not about celebrating the act of theatre, it’s about celebrating the reason for theatre. The reason why we do what we do and the reason why theatre is so important.
We use theatre to change the world. Maybe in small ways and maybe in large ways, but none the less we strive to change the world. Sometimes it’s our own world we change, sometimes the world of a child, sometimes the world of our audience, but always the world of another human.
A rare chance in this crazy world to sit in a room with a group of strangers and dare them to change us. Dare them to make us cry, to make us feel proud, to make us feel uncomfortable, to make us feel welcome.
So on this world theatre day celebrate the reason. Remember that theatre is the instrument to inspire change. We must live that. We must breathe that.
Happy World Theatre Day to all!
Jeremy Mason
President
Theatre Alberta
Jeremy Mason is a driven and dedicated theatre artist with a passion for contemporary Canadian theatre and Theatre for Young Audiences. He is the Artistic Director of New West Theatre in Lethbridge, and Theatre Alberta’s Board President.
Before becoming New West Theatre’s Artistic Director, Jeremy held the position of General Manager from 2009 until 2012. He has worked in artistic capacities with the organization on various productions since 2003. Select favourites include Country Gold: Songs of the Prairie Grass; Tidings; Billy Bishop Goes to War; The Kitchen Witches; Sitting on Paradise; Dear Santa and Ned, What’s Under Your Bed?
Jeremy previously worked as the Summer Program Director of the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta and travelled the province creating imaginative theatre projects with children as a part of Trickster Theatre. Jeremy is a member of the Alberta Playwrights’ Network and the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada.
