Entrepreneur Steve Martin purchases 910 Gladstone Avenue: Ottawa’s newest performing arts venue
Most people with a disposable income go on the odd shopping spree once in awhile, perhaps splurge a few hundred dollars on something a little unusual. But do you know anybody who went window shopping one day and ended up purchasing an entire theatre? This surprising anecdote is a reality for Ottawa’s benevolent entrepreneur Steve Martin, also the owner of the Arthur Murray Dance Studios and an amateur actor. His dance studio is a mere few doors down from 910 Gladstone (formerly home of the Great Canadian Theatre Company) in the heart of Little Italy. So when the building went up for sale, Martin took advantage of this unique business prospect.
“I’m an actor who owns a theatre!” Martin exclaims ironically. “My wife, Marilisa Granzotto, and I made some inquiries, and the price was right. But I couldn’t open it in the condition it was in. Thanks to the success of the dance studio, I was able to get some proper renovations done.”
Even though the building had been running full-blown theatre productions for twenty-five years, safety regulations recently stated that the building’s structure and wiring were not up to code. Fortunately Martin’s interest and investment came to the rescue as he decided not only to renovate the building to create a safer working environment, but also give the theatre – now called The Gladstone – a much classier venue. Striving for elegance, Martin’s plans for the theatre include a 40’s style black-and-white motif with chandeliers and a marquee announcing current and upcoming productions. He is also expanding the size of the entrance way and the lobby, and providing larger dressing rooms backstage for the performers. Martin wants his patrons to “experience theatre” at its fullest, including the provision of backstage passes to meet with local celebrities after the show.
That’s right, local celebrities. Part of the building’s mandate is to hire all-local theatre artists for their feature productions. While the National Arts Centre and the GCTC do hire locally, their commitment to the national theatre community urges the inclusion of theatre professionals from across Canada, which has left many talented local actors without consistent work. The Gladstone, however, has no such obligation.
The Gladstone’s 2008-09 three-part season features plays from the all-new Gladstone Productions, SevenThirty Productions, the other resident professional theatre company run by Irish director John P. Kelly, and a handful of locally established companies, including A Company of Fools and Odyssey Theatre.
“We want to quickly establish The Gladstone as a fixture in this city by reaching out to local arts groups and inviting the top players to play in our house,” explains Gladstone Manager John Collins, also a local actor and director.
The Gladstone’s 250 seat theatre provides an intimate setting for established companies that might not ordinarily have sold out shows at Centrepointe Theatre or the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans – 966 seats and 500 seats, respectively. Further, it offers local companies a more affordable venue and an alternative to the high costs of production associated with our city’s larger theatres. Such costs have kept many local theatre companies out while making it necessary to bring in celebrity acts (from outside of Ottawa) in an attempt to fill to capacity.
Martin says, “No one is able to afford those spaces; it’s working against the original goal of funding, which is to keep artists in Ottawa working consistently.”
The success of the new theatre is entirely dependent on the support from the Ottawa theatre community and its patrons. The Gladstone will showcase the best-of-the-best in theatre featuring Pulitzer prize and Tony award winning scripts, brilliant directors (such as Ottawa’s own John Koensgen and Janet Irwin), unbeatable casting, and an elegant evening out. Will Ottawa audiences take advantage of this incredible opportunity? It’s a risky, risky business but, with so much interest from local theatre groups and patrons, Martin and Collins are confident of The Gladstone’s success.
For complete details of The Gladstone’s 2008-09 Season visit: www.thegladstone.ca
[...] You may have already heard all the buzz about Ottawa’s newest theatre, The Gladstone, and you may have read all about it here, here or here. [...]
this guy is a mar00n
having someone not fit for the Ottawa Little Theatre take over a space and then get himself cast as the star in productions is not what I’d call a smart business model
I’m not familiar with the term “mar00n,” but I assume you mean it in a negative sense.
I think you have been a touch misinformed: Steve Martin has not been casting himself as the star in any productions thus far. He was onstage for 10 minutes in the Lieutenant of Inishmore, barely recognizable.
In terms of not being fit for OLT, are you referring to his acting skills? If so, then that has very little to do with running a theatre.
The Gladstone has had its share of problems this year, namely low box office sales. If you have suggestions for how the theatre can improve its current state, I’d suggest writing to the management directly. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.