Halifax theatre company axes new play due to finances

Halifax-based theatre company Eastern Front has averted a financial meltdown by cancelling the imminent production of a new play.

The theatre, which was founded in 1993, was developing Boom Baby with Calgary-based academic and playwright Natalie Meisner. Rehearsals were scheduled to begin in early April with a theatrical run from April 23 to May 3rd at Neptune Theatre's Scotiabank Stage in Halifax.

But Eastern Front board member Karen Gross said a poor financial outlook made that impossible. 

"It's just been in the past month or so, as we've been working on updating the budget for the current season, that we really had all the information that we needed to clearly understand that it wasn't going to be feasible to produce Boom Baby at this time," she said. 

The challenges included overly optimistic projections about both fundraising and ticket sales.   

"It's not like one particular thing that has caused the issue ... it's more of an ongoing planning issue," she said. 

Ongoing deficits

She said Eastern Front ran a deficit of $38,000 last year on an operating budget of $338,000. 

If the Boom Baby production had gone ahead, she said it would have triggered a deficit of $20,000. 

"We voted unanimously. We were all on the same page that there just wasn't a feasible way forward with the production, and in order to make sure that the company could keep operating," Gross said. 

Financial hardship for artists

Gross said the decision to cancel the play was heartwrenching, because of the financial hardship it will cause the artists involved.

"Obviously it's challenging, especially people who are working contract to contract who depend on that income," she said. "That's definitely something that we took really seriously when we were making this decision."

Gross said cast members who signed Canadian Actors' Equity contracts were paid the $1,500 cancellation fee mandated by the Canadian Theatre Agreement. But she said all actors were offered compensation.

"We made individual offers to all artists to make sure that everyone had something, whether they had signed a contract or not," she said. 

The Canadian Actors' Equity Association, which negotiates and administers collective agreements for performers, directors, choreographers and stage managers, is checking with its members to ensure the rules were followed.

"I confirm that there are artists under an equity contract for this production, and that we have initiated followup with these artists," said Lynn McQueen, communications director with the Canadian Actors' Equity Association. 

2 resignations

Eastern Front's artistic director and board chair both resigned last week. Artistic director Sam Rosenthal stepped down on Feb. 2, the same day the board cancelled Boom Baby. 

"I believe fervently that this company has an important role to play in providing fertile ground for new Atlantic stories to flourish," Rosenthal wrote in a Facebook post.

"I also believe that EFT will make even greater gains by engaging an Artistic Producer who brings new energy and determination, and who can implement the necessary structural changes that I have been so proud to help carve out."

Board chair Cheryl Ball resigned later that week, citing workload as she starts a new business. 

Gross said Eastern Front's board will elect a new chair at its next meeting. But the process to hire a new artistic director will take longer.

"We're just trying not to rush that process. But in the coming months we will be putting out a call," she said. 

Meanwhile, Gross said Eastern Front's Stages festival is not affected by the company's financial challenges and will proceed as planned May 18 to 31 in Halifax.

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