The Rose Theatre was excited to invite the new executive artistic director, Steven Schipper, to their team this past June. With 30 years of invaluable experience at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Steven was there before the theatre had received its royal designation. Along with such, he welcomed famed actor Keanu Reeves to act in a production of Hamlet, attracting a worldwide audience, and aided in the growth of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. However, he humbly stated that “though my experience at the Royal MTC was fabulous, the truth is that it’s only experience and we have to prove ourselves all over again here for the good people of Brampton”.
Though he could not add much to the current schedule due to his late arrival, he has much planned for the 2020-2021 calendar. He even hinted at a “major international star coming to the Rose in 2020 in the fall”, which will be sure to Bramptonians excited for the event! In addition to this work, he plans on creating more initiatives to engage young Bramptonians in the performing arts at the Rose. Apart from just celebrating the talent found in our city, he also wants a way to ensure that the legacy of the theatre is carried to future generations.
“Our vision really is our venues full, our city teeming with artists and audiences sharing in the act of imagining” he stated. By finding people to express and share this creativity on-stage, Steven hopes to build bridges and connect Bramptonians regardless of the barriers that separate us.
Edited by: Hiral Patel
