HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen-Blyth Festival 2001, 2001-06-13, Page 48The administrative staff works all year round to make Festival possible.
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PAGE 22. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2001.
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PAGE 24. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2001.
After 14 years, Karen Stewart still finds job exciting
By Mark Nonkes
Citizen staff
After 14 years at the Blyth
Festival, Administrative Director
Karen Stewart continues to find her
job exciting every day.
"It's challenging, interesting and
never boring," Stewart said.
There are always goals to strive
for and demands to be met.
Last year the festival made an
$18,000 surplus, which Steward said
is due to the success of shows. The
2000 season also saw a 20 per cent
increase in audience attendance.
The goal for this year is to make
another surplus and increase the
audience by five to 10 per cent,
Stewart said.
Stewart said The Outdoor
Donnellys is a spectacular show and
will attract a lot of first time
attendees. Another show that will
draw the audience is McGillicuddy
as writer Keith Roulston is received
well by the local audiences. Norah
Harding's earlier play This Year,
Next Year was well received and
Stewart expects the sequel
Sometime, Never to be just as
successful.
"A little bit of something for
everyone," Stewart said of the 2001
season.
This year the Festival is going
more specific targeting more people
to come and see one show instead of
buying a package of four. Stewart
said many people lead increasingly
busy lives so they can't come as
often as they used to.
This year the Blyth Festival is
launching a new program that will
open the doors for the community.
The program picks up residents of
local communities by bus. Stewart
said the service is a benefit for
people who don't feel comfortable
driving or have lost their travelling
partner.
On different nights a bus from a
local community like Goderich,
Clinton or Seaforth
will run to the
theatre.
"It's to address a
need in a more local
community," Stewart
said.
Stewart said they
are hoping to get
service clubs to host
the buses. People on
the buses will get a
delicious meal in the
Festival's cafe and
get to see a show.
Steward is in
charge of preparing
the budget, over-
seeing fund-raising,
special events, publi-
city, box office,
volunteer co-ordin-
ation and working
with Artistic Director
Anne Chislett to
realize her plans for the season. She
is also responsible for accounting
and hiring administrative staff.
"I try to keep my perspective and
keep my self organized and I usually
manage," Stewart said.
Staffing in the administrative
office continues to be a challenge for
Stewart. Since last summer there
1999 was memorable
summer for Adrienne
Continued from Pg. 23
Every Dream.
Wilson remembers the summer
well. It was a summer that allowed
her to work with writers of both
productions.
It was a summer where she spent
her free time singing around
campfires and feeding farm animals.
Being in Blyth lets Wilson live at a
slower pace. In Toronto things are
always rushed, Wilson said.
"I'm very excited to be back,"
Wilson said. — MN
has been a rash of new faces.
"It feels like I'm always in training
mode," Stewart said.
Stewart thinks one of the reasons
the festival has difficulty keeping
people stems from the isolation from
big urban areas. Highly qualified
people do not want to drive long
distances for work.
Since the Festival is a not-for-
profit agency it has trouble offering
competitive wages to administrative
staff, Stewart said.
However with the summer upon
her, it is the most exciting time of the
year at the Festival.
"I'm looking forward to another
good season," Stewart said.
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