Centaur announces new AD - Roy Surette

ROY SURETTE APPOINTED AS CENTAUR’S

NEW ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR



Roy Surette

Montreal
(June 5, 2007) –It is with great anticipation and enthusiasm that the
Board of Centaur Theatre Company announces the appointment of Roy
Surette as successor to Gordon McCall, and third Artistic and Executive
Director in Centaur’s 39 year history. Mr. Surette’s engagement as
Artistic and Executive Director of Centaur will commence in November of
2007.

Search Committee Chair Nick Gaitan, had this to say about the appointment of Mr. Surette:
“Following an intensive search process with submissions from extremely
worthy candidates across Canada and abroad, the Board of Directors of
Centaur Theatre Company is happy to announce that Roy Surette has
accepted our invitation to become the next Artistic and Executive
Director of Centaur Theatre Company.”

Upon receiving the news of his appointment, Mr. Surette had this to say:
“I am absolutely thrilled to accept the Position of Artistic and
Executive Director for The Centaur Theatre. Although my career has
primarily been on the West Coast I have always had a love of Montreal
and appreciate the important leading role the Centaur holds in Montreal
and in Canadian theatre. I am excited by the Centaur's commitment to
Montreal theatre artists and by the mandate to engage in works from the
local community,
Canada, abroad and from the classical repertoire.
Gordon McCall has opened the doors to many and I look forward to
building on his important initiatives and to plunging into the vibrant,
diverse cultural life of Montreal. I also look forward to making Quebec
my home and to have the opportunity to work with the dynamic and
world-class Montreal artistic community.”

In speaking of his successor, outgoing Artistic/Executive Director, Gordon McCall noted: “I
applaud the Search Committee’s choice of Mr. Surette as Centaur’s new
Artistic and Executive Director. I look forward to watching him lead
this great company to new heights in the years to come. I’ve known Roy
for many years as a colleague and collaborator and know that he brings
a great mix of professional accomplishment, support of local artists,
belief in community animation, professional expertise as a director and
Artistic Director, and a belief in Canadian creation that bodes well
for Centaur’s Montreal identity and first-class theatrical
presentations.”

Roy Surette is an
accomplished award-winning theatre artist, who has twenty-two years of
experience as an Artistic Director and over 86 direction credits to his
name. After graduating from Studio 58, Vancouver’s leading professional
theatre training program, Mr. Surette worked as an actor, box office
manager, independent producer and founder of Burnaby Summer Theatre.
His full fledge professional affiliations began with Carousel Theatre in

Vancouver and then Western Canada Theatre Company in Kamloops, where he
was Associate Artistic Director. In 1985 he was appointed Artistic
Director of Touchstone Theatre, where he remained for twelve years and
helped the company grow from a tiny $30,000 annual budget to nearly
$300,000, while becoming a major player in Vancouver’s theatre
community, garnering many awards and accolades. During this time, Mr.
Surette maintained a successful freelance career working with many of
Canada’s leading theatres on a wide variety of projects. In 1997, he
left Touchstone to become Artistic Director of The Belfry Theatre in
Victoria, where he currently completed his tenth season. The Belfry is
considered one of Canada’s most successful theatre companies, renowned
for its strong work on stage and its vibrant role in the community.

As a director, some of Roy Surette’s highlights include Shirley Valentine,
starring Nicola Cavendish, which played almost every major regional
theatre across the country, including Canstage, Citadel Theatre and The
Arts Club;The Number 14, a collective creation that he
co-created, recently played at the New Victory Theatre in New York for
the second time in ten years; and Flying Blind, a collective
creation produced by four companies that played Victoria, Vancouver and
Calgary prior to a four city tour in Australia. His production of Moms The Word Two: Unhinged
is currently running at the Arts Club Theatre in Vancouver following
runs at The Grand Theatre in London, PTE in Winnipeg. He directed an
Australian version in Melbourne playing the 1000 seat Comedy Theatre as
well as in Scotland at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow.

His awards include three Monday Magazine’s M Awards for Most Outstanding production for Unrinetown: The Musical, and two Favourite Director awards for 2006, and 2004; two Critic’s Choice Spotlight Awards for best direction for When We Were Singing and for Best Overall Production for Flying Blind; and eight Jessie Richardson Awards: Outstanding direction for Unless, Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction for Lilies, Outstanding Production for The Number 14, Community Recognition for Direction for Lion In The Streets, Outstanding Direction for Homework & Curtains, Outstanding Direction for El Crocodor and Outstanding Production for Alice: AWonderland.

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