Neptune Theatre has been the cornerstone of the Nova Scotian theatre community since the early 1960’s.
Neptune Theatre, 1593 Argyle Street, Halifax NS
The current artistic vision is mindful of the theatre’s fiscal situation and its role and responsibility as a regional theatre. The goal is to firmly place Neptune Theatre at the heart of artistic energy for the region, while beating in tandem with professional theatre on the national stage.
Neptune Theatre wants to reaffirm the theatre’s position on the national stage; celebrate, collaborate and contribute to the development of Canadian work while nurturing and advancing the talent of local artists.
Neptune aspires to be a regional cultural cornerstone, valued for stimulating artistic, cultural and economic well-being. In order to do so, Neptune Theatre must throw open its doors and warmly welcome audiences, sponsors, donors, and the theatre community.
Neptune Theatre will become a leader in the areas of inclusion, diversity and in the growth and nurturing of Atlantic Canadian artists. With a subtle shift in focus, Neptune will fully embrace its role as a regional theatre by developing, celebrating and elevating to the national stage, the region’s artists and their work.
Artistic Directors from Independant Theatres across Nova Scotia join Jeremy at the Neptune General Auditions
Neptune Theatre has made a fantastic start in supporting emerging theatre companies with programs like Open Stages. Now, Neptune is participating in the development and nurturing of the next generation of creators and artistic producers.
Participants in the RBC CHRYSALIS PROJECT are currently working alongside the Neptune team during the Season, in the second year of the mentorship program. In 2018-19 there were ten Chrysalis participants, in the current 2019-20 season there are eleven.
Neptune Theatre has reported record attendance, enhanced community engagement and a modest surplus for the second year in a row.
Over 105,000 patrons came to Neptune during the 2018-19 season, a 25 per cent increase over the previous year. Much of the increase was due to the success of Cinderella, which attracted more than 24,000 patrons, becoming the highest grossing holiday production in Neptune’s history, and attendance from summer programming.
Jeremy Webb (12th Artistic Director), Leon Major (1st Artistic Director), George Pothitos (11th Artistic Director)
Neptune presented over 450 performances in the 2018-2019 Season. The playbill featured a strong lineup of Canadian and Atlantic Canadian content, including the premiere of The Bridge, produced by 2b theatre company and written by Halifax playwright and author Shauntay Grant. Neptune also partnered with Eastern Front Theatre to premiere KAMP written by Halifax playwright Jamie Bradley and composer GaRRy Williams. The poignant production garnered critical acclaim and became the highest grossing production in the history of Neptune’s Scotiabank Stage. The season concluded with the Canadian regional premier of the musical The Color Purple, drawing large crowds and rave reviews from patrons.
“I am very proud of what we have accomplished during my first full season as artistic director,” said Jeremy Webb. “I committed to opening Neptune’s doors to the broader community; to elevating and celebrating the work of local artists and supporting the growth and development of the regional theatre community. Neptune made progress on all of these goals that season.”