Is there space for amateurs in a new Tom Patterson theatre in Stratford?

As Stratford Festival mulls a major overhaul to the riverside Tom Patterson Theatre, the amateur theatre community hopes there might be space for them when renovations are complete. 

• Timing right to replace Tom Patterson Theatre
• Remembering Stratford Festival founder Tom Patterson

Right now, the primary performance space for community groups is the City Hall auditorium said Ron Dodson, who has directed on the stage twice.

"From an audience perspective, the sightlines are very difficult, particularly in the balcony," explained Dodson.

"From a performer's point of view, it's even worse. There's a very inadequate, tiny stage. There's one entrance to that stage through a kind of tunnel. The lighting is terrible and it just goes on and on and on."

There are other places for community groups to perform, but they're limited to local high schools and churches. 

Amateurs meet with Stratford Festival

Dodson, and other community members met with Stratford Festival on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of involving amateur theatre on the new incarnation of the Tom Patterson stage in the off season. 

But union requirements make that a challenge, and Dodson is now less optimistic it will happen. 

"As a professional theatre, there are certain contracts, agreements and so on that make it difficult for community groups to work in professional spaces and those agreements have to be respected, there's no way around it," said Dodson in an interview with The Morning Edition host Craig Norris on Wednesday. 

"It's important to note though, there is no impediments being put up by the festival itself for any kind of community use, so that's really important from our point of view." 

Instead, Dodson says they're now looking at other options that would suit the needs of the broader arts community, including music, dance and theatre.

"It's important that whatever space we end up finding or building, or whatever, meets all those needs and meets them in the way that it's not a building that's multi-use and therefore no one is happy with it," said Dodson.

Last week, Stratford city council passed a motion to investigate a community hub at a location not connected with the Stratford Festival.