About Us
We put people at centre stage.
Thousand Islands Playhouse is a registered charity bringing professional live theatre to the heart of the 1000 Islands. Founded in 1982, the Playhouse, known as Canada’s Dockside Theatre, is nestled on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Gananoque, Ontario, and is the largest regional theatre company between Toronto and Montreal.
Each season, over 48,000 visitors experience its dynamic lineup of Canadian and international musicals, dramas, and comedies. Committed to artistic excellence, the Playhouse fosters new Canadian works, mentors emerging theatre artists, and dedicates itself to impactful arts education programs.
Our Purpose
At the Thousand Islands Playhouse:
- We put people at centre stage.
- We believe that by shining a light on every person and their story, we will build an empathetic community with a broad worldview.
- We strive to nurture creative collaboration, foster engagement with the arts, and provide a fun and welcoming environment for all who come to visit us, Dockside.
Our Mandate
The Thousand Islands Playhouse produces professional theatre that entertains, engages, and inspires our audience, with our work resonating locally, throughout Eastern Ontario, and across Canada.
The Thousand Islands Playhouse:
- Produces a broad repertoire of plays including Canadian and international works, and both classics and contemporary plays. Our work is interpreted with a uniquely Canadian perspective and always strives for artistic excellence.
- Actively develops new works and new creative voices.
- Mentors a new generation of theatre artists through professional development and training.
- Provides artistic education programs that have a meaningful impact on our community and promote lifelong learning.
Hailey Lewis. A Moonlit Night. Photo: James Paddle-Grant.
Sayer Roberts and Romi Shraiter in Stag and Doe. Set Designer: Joe Pagnan. Costume Designer: Des’ree Gray. Lighting Designer: Michelle Ramsay. Photo: Garrett Elliott Photography
Theatre Leadership
Brett Christopher, Managing Artistic Director
Brett has worked in the Theatre industry for the last 25 years. First as an actor/director, working on more than 60 productions across the country, and then as an Arts administrator. As Artistic Producer of Theatre Kingston, Brett produced 12 plays, conceived and founded the Storefront Fringe Festival, co-founded the Kick & Push Festival, and worked with a wide range of arts organizations in the region. Since 2017, he has led the Thousand Islands Playhouse as Managing Artistic Director, providing creative opportunities for more than 1000 professional actors, directors, designers, and stage managers from across the country, as well as hundreds of youth in the region. Under his leadership the organization’s annual operating budget has grown from $1.8 million to $4.2 million, now attracting more than 48,000 people to Gananoque, Ontario each year.
Highlights of his tenure include:
The establishment of an Education department hosting classes, workshops and camps throughout the year as well as the redevelopment of the Young Company as a for-credit high school program in conjunction with the UCDSB; negotiating the purchase of all Playhouse lands and premises from the Town of Gananoque; the purchase of an 8-bedroom house for artist accommodations; the investment of $850,000 in the renewal and renovation of the Springer Theatre, building new docks, shoreline, lobby, and accessible washrooms; managing a $750,000 renovation of the Firehall Theatre’s brick envelope with support from the Dept. of Canadian Heritage; negotiating the renewal of the company’s 10-year lease of the Herbert St Production facility, increasing the footprint by 8,200 sqft to house a new rehearsal hall, set storage, and scenic paint shop.
Past Artistic Directors
1982 – 2012 Greg Wanless
2012 – 2017 Ashlie Corcoran
Board of Directors
Steve Tanner, BOARD CHAIR
Lois Lorimer Nunn, VICE-CHAIR
Andrew Mulder, TREASURER
Ann Cinzar, SECRETARY
Mark Boyle
Lynda Garrah
Bob Gibbins
Beth Hart
Rob Johnston
Diane Kelly
Lois Lorimer Nunn
Catherine Macdonald
Dawn Tymianski