The Citizen, 2003-06-25, Page 27PAGE 2. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2003.
Actor/director Coates jumps into Festival's top job
Giving direction
Eric Coates, new Festival artistic director says “My passion
has always been on-stage and directing. I am intensely
involved with the company.”
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
Actor, director, administrator. For
several seasons as Blyth Festival’s
associate artistic director Eric
Coates immersed himself in the
work required to help mount a
successful season of Canadian
theatre.
Now preparing for the 2003
season, his first as artistic director,
Coates smiles when reminded that
last year he talked about stepping
back from administration and
putting his energies back into acting
and directing.
“That was probably born out of
the absolute passion that revs up in
my guts when I start rehearsals,”
said Coates, who was just beginning
work on the challenging role of Will
Donnelly in the Festival’s acclaimed
The Outdoor Donnellys.
“I was having to split my focus
and felt a bit like I was tearing
myself in half. Anyone who comes
into theatre through the creative
door is always going to choose the
creative side.”
However, by season’s end, when
Coates knew that Anne Chislett was
not renewing her contract as AD he
was able to look at things differently.
Realizing that his mentor’s
departure would quite likely mean
the end of his time as associate,
Coates had to make a choice, to
leave the theatre he had come to love
so deeply or take the next step.
Noting that the Festival’s board
had demonstrated such faith in him
over, the years, Coates said he felt
that not applying for the job of AD
would have been not just a betrayal
to himself but to the board as well.
“Not only had I invested time, but
the theatre did too and I would have
been remiss in not pursuing the
position.”
Since being hired as Chislett’s
replacement, part of Jiis job has been
to consider how he will make his
mark.
“Anne and I have totally different
approaches and backgrounds to
theatre. My passion has always been
on-stage and directing. I am
intensely involved with the
company. Anne’s focus was on play
development. So that’s a pretty
major change.”
Both aspects of the Festival’s
work are obviously important. With
Chislett’s departure, Gil Garrett has
been brought in to assist Coates by
reading scripts. “Gil has extra
versatility, he’s young and energetic.
Without changing what the theatre
does we are adapting the jobs to fit
new people.”
In addition to helping with the
budget, by directing two plays this
season Coates has an opportunity to
establish “an artistic voice for my
period here.”
“It is important for people to see
an artistic director’s stamp on the
season.”
Since his appointment the biggest
surprise for Coates has been
adapting to the job. “I assumed it
would be a natural step, but I’m
finding this as dramatic a change as
going from actor to director.”
“I’m still focussed on the creative
end of things, but now there’s just 50
more things that need to be taken
into consideration.”
Having the creative responsibility
of hearing points of view and
weighing them before a final
decision has taught Coates not to be
too influenced by outside forces. “I
have learned to dig in my heels
when necessary, to understand that
my choices are valid and stand by
them.”
The choices for his inaugural
season have Coates excited. On the
day of this interview he was “just
buzzing” because rehearsals were to
begin on Perilous Pirate’s
Daughter.
“The goal with this play was to try
and produce a full-scale family
musical. This is a family show
which is at the same time steeped in
Canadiana. We have attempted to
take what Blyth does best and marry
it to what the public is looking for.
I’m interested in seeing if it
satisfies.”
The second offering, Leaving
Home fills the Canadian classic slot.
“This is one of the most important
hits in Canadian theatre. It was
playing in Toronto when Blyth
Festival started.”
It’s part of a long-time Coates’s
plan to do a series of the Mervers,
the family in the play and he says the
first in the trilogy will be a
“wonderful starting point.”
The show also features a “top
notch” cast including perennial
favourite Jerry Franken.
An entire generation will have an
understanding of why the Festival is
presenting Hippie, says Coates of
the third production. “It’s about the
incredible influence this culture had
when it hit the county.”
So many developments are
occurring in this play that the
Festival is offering a second version
Hippie Uncut, featuring scenes that
don’t make it into the final script.
Having Hope at Home is the feel-
Continued on page 8
Support the Blyth FestivalCanadian Theatre
BLYTH
FESTIVAL
catch the in Blyth!
Let the road be your stage in this delicious Salsa Red Pontiac Vibe featuring automatic transmission, z;
power door locks and windows, remote keyless entry system and cruise control.
Purchase your tickets today and feel the v i b el =
$25 per ticket =
$65 for three tickets =
Car supplied by McGee Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac
Early Bird Draw
$1,000. - July 2/03
2003 Pontiac Vibe ~ Oct. 6/03
All draws take place at
Blyth Memorial Hall
between 8 & 10 am
5000 tickets printed
Value of car $24,320.
= Call us at 1-877-TO-BLYTH or at info@blythfestival.com =
Actual vehicle will differ from picture shown. (Licence #M345068)
jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir?,
™ ---------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- ------------------ ------------------ ' ■ ---------------------- ------------------------------------ -- -----------------------------------------------------------