Hub Staff

Saugeen Shores Council “green-lit” a three-year contract with Bruce County Playhouse and Performing Arts of Saugeen Shores (PASS) to operate and continue performing within the Southampton Town Hall.

During the March 13 Committee of the Whole meeting in Council Chambers, Councillor Cheryl Grace, who supported the theatre company, debated its need to be the sole occupant during rehearsal times, as Southampton Summer Music was denied the space because of the Playhouse’s rehearsal schedule.

Grace, who sits on the Southampton Town Hall Adhoc Committee expressed a need to be more flexible and make the Town Hall more diverse.

Vice Deputy Mayor Diane Huber is also a member of the Adhoc Committee and seconded Grace’s view, adding that the committee wants to create a multi-use facility.

Director of Community Services Jayne Jagelewski said that 2016 was the Town’s “pilot” year with the theatre company and that staff had added an additional clause to the 2017-2019 agreement. The Clause states: “if the Landlord receives a request for a paid facility rental on a rehearsal date, the Landlord will work with the Tenant to relocate the production rehearsal to the Green Room in the Southampton Coliseum for the duration of the paid booking.”

The fees per Town Hall rental for Bruce County Playhouse are: $42.94 plus tax per rehearsal date, $128.83 per unlicensed performance and $145.11 per licensed performance.

Huber said she believed that the rental cost for rehearsal dates would not cover the cost for cleaning and lighting the facility and didn’t think she could support the three year agreement “the way that it’s written and playing out.”

Council voted 6-2 for the three year agreement with Grace and Huber being the votes against.

The Bruce County Playhouse, now its second year, will feature three productions this summer season and will hold a Murder Mystery event at the Southampton Town Hall on April 1.