Theatre Georgian Bay’s Bard on the Bay is heading into the rehearsal stage ahead of its presentation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at Collingwood's Shipyards Amphitheatre this summer.
“We tend to focus on Shakespeare’s comedies… just given our daytime performance,” says Nadia Hovan, president and one of the co-founders of Theatre Georgian Bay. “We tend to keep it as light and as fun and funny as possible.”
The plays, both the content and presentation, are designed to be accessible. So instead of the full three-to-four-hour Shakespeare treatment, the Bard on the Bay productions are generally in the 90-minute range. They tend to also be quite physical, which helps audiences follow the play’s storyline and sentiment.
The amphitheatre at the foot of Maple Street has handrails and the grounds are regularly groomed for easier movement for those in wheelchairs and pushing strollers.
“Our actors utilize the full space and they run in and around the audience, so there’s really not a bad seat in the house,” says Hovan. “The amphitheatre is like a stage, so the backdrop is Georgian Bay, it’s really beautiful.”
The outdoor productions run rain or shine, with seagulls occasionally joining the performance and Georgian Bay providing a picturesque background setting. Although productions can be paused if there are periods of heavy rain or can be interrupted by severe weather, with any updates posted on social media.
The natural setting along the boardwalk often piques the interests of passersby, who are encouraged to pull up a spot on the grounds to catch the show. The suggested admission is $20 but it’s a pay-what-you-can model – allowing for a more diverse audience and often brings people out a second time, with audiences numbering 80 people or more.
“We definitely encourage people to bring whatever they need to make the experience enjoyable,” adds Hovan. That could include umbrellas, water, a comfortable chair or blanket, sunscreen, bug spray, a hat, water and snacks. “We also have the Collingwood Ice Cream Company in regular attendance. They have their truck pull up to the top of the hill on sunny days.”
Theatre Georgian Bay serves as the umbrella company overseeing the Bard on the Bay productions. It was co-founded in 2016 by three Simcoe County residents who wanted to bring more professional theatre to the Southern Georgian Bay area.
What they’ve done is created a hybrid of sorts. The collective consists of a group of seven theatre professionals. The productions include both professionals and community members. It operates as a profit-sharing collective so while no one is paid, members do receive a portion of the proceeds, which amounts to a sort of honorarium. Their goal is to inspire and help train local talent.
Hovan is a theatre school grad and professional actor who also worked in television and film. She currently works as a writer and script developer for Hallmark. For Much Ado, this year, she is helping produce and is serving as assistant director.
As a double love story, she says Much Ado is the closest Shakespeare comes to a Hallmark movie. “It’s like the Hallmark movie of Shakespeare plays,” she says.
While the company is nine years old, Much Ado is its seventh in-person presentation. There was a break during the pandemic and an online production of Romeo and Juliet, which they dubbed, Stay at Homeo and Juliet. The company is considering exploring some of Shakespeare’s more famous tragedies in the future.
Previous productions have included Twelfth Night A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest.
The nonprofit is supported by grants and sponsors and admission contributions with the ongoing support of the Town of Collingwood and Experience Simcoe County providing a grant this year.
Much Ado About Nothing is being presented Thursday to Mon, July 25 to Aug. 5 with a 6 p.m. start time. There are additional shows at 2 p.m. on the Saturdays and Sundays.
For more info visit www.theatregeorgianbay.ca.
