As the 30th anniversary of New Stages, Peterborough’s professional theatre company, approaches in 2027–28, Artistic Director Mark Wallace is looking ahead to the organization’s 2026–27 season.
The personable and articulate artistic leader spoke over coffee at Peterborough’s Canadian Canoe Museum, where he discussed the company’s history, programming and future direction.
A York University English and Drama graduate, Wallace says planning is already underway for the 30th season: “The company started in the summer of 1997, and we’ve been looking back at some special memories from over the years.”
Wallace points to Randy Read, New Stages’ original Artistic Director, as central to the company’s early longevity. “Randy led the organization through its first 25 years,” Wallace says, “and remains pleased that New Stages continues to operate and grow.” Mark believes there is no pressure surrounding the 30th anniversary, but he hopes the milestone will offer an opportunity to welcome some artists back to the Peterborough community, including those who have since worked in Toronto, Stratford and television:
“Because New Stages employs short contracts for the artists, they really enjoy working here, which is always nice to hear. We try to give them the space to do their work as artists. We break bread and eat together in communal meals. Randy was also focused on hospitality as well.”
Wallace says hospitality is important for both artists and audiences. “We want to create a space that feels warm, special and a unique theatre experience each visit.” He says audiences have responded strongly to New Stages’ mix of visiting professional actors and local performers, whether in staged readings or full productions.
Staged readings remain a defining part of the company’s programming, and Wallace says the format will continue to be part of New Stages’ work:
“We have 250 people leaning in to hear a reading,” he says, “which is so unusual for professional actors who are used to smaller rooms, sometimes sitting behind a table…we try to bring in different elements like sound design, a sense of costumes and props…in the end, when you put the reading in the hands of gifted actors, and give them time in the room beforehand, it’s magical. While it’s a hybrid form, the staged reading allows actors and New Stages to do work that we could not afford to do.”
Wallace also acknowledges audience interest in longer-running productions. Since 2023, the company has typically presented one full production each year under his artistic direction, but he says the 2026–27 season signals a shift.
“Our ambition is to continue growing where we can afford to do full productions also because it’s important for the artists to have longer contracts…I want to continue bringing in new directors so they can try their own approaches. We will be doing more of that this year. We want to keep building a bigger table here to include more new artists and new visions.”
The theme of New Stages’ 2026–27 season is Family — whether blood-related or chosen. Wallace says the plays were selected first, with the theme becoming apparent afterward.
The 2026–27 lineup is available at newstages.ca. The season includes full productions in December 2026 and April 2027 and a touring production of MONKS in January 2027 with the original Toronto Fringe cast. Wallace says he expects the programming to prompt audience discussion, which he considers an important part of the theatre experience.
All eight of the plays are by Canadian writers. Audience members are encouraged to read the website synopses and contact info@newstages.ca with questions or comments if necessary.
The conversation also turned to the place of Canadian theatre within a broader political and cultural climate, including American tariffs and renewed public discussion about Canada–U.S. relations. Asked whether the selection of Canadian plays was intentional, Wallace framed the season as the result of artistic choice rather than a quota.
Mark says he is pleased that the coming season includes eight Canadian stories. He also emphasizes the importance of regional work that speaks to Peterborough and surrounding communities, along with themes that are relevant to contemporary audiences. Featuring profound work by playwrights in Canada and elsewhere, he says, remains part of that broader mandate.
On the question of national focus, Wallace says:
“I am not opposed to programming American playwrights or playwrights from other countries. We want to bring the best of contemporary theatre that speaks to our region of the world. That means we are programming Canadian plays because they are world-class, not because we have an exclusively Canadian mandate.”
New Stages is bringing to the region the work of Kat Sandler, Nick Green, Drew Hayden Taylor, Erin Shields, Matt Murray and Marcus Youssef, along with the madcap phenomenon that is MONKS, and an astonishing home-grown fusion of puppetry, physical theatre, dance and original music based on the work of Edward Lear called The Nonsense Club by Dreda Blow and Brad Breckinridge.
As New Stages grows, Wallace says artistic leadership continues to require balancing audience expectations, artist needs and the realities of producing theatre in a mid-sized community. Asked where he sees his strengths as a leader, he points first to his experience as a working actor.
Wallace says his years as an actor, in and out of work, shaped his understanding of the profession and his sympathy for the people who work within it.
“I love actors. Actors will tell you that not all directors may feel the same way. I do. I love working with actors.”
He says he brings gratitude to the role, both for the audiences who attend and for the artists who make it happen. Wallace worked in Toronto for years, including as the Artistic Director of The Children’s Peace Theatre, before moving to Peterborough, marrying and raising two children. After arriving in the city, he spent a period away from acting while working to afford a house and establishing a life in the community. Wallace credits Randy Read and New Stages with helping him stay connected to theatre. Over the past 15 years, Wallace worked with Read in various capacities, including as an actor and director. When Read retired as Artistic Director, Wallace saw further potential for New Stages and for the role itself.
When Wallace first began working as Artistic Director in 2023, approximately 700 people attended its shows in a season. Today, attendance is more than 4,000 per year. New Stages began as an entirely volunteer-led organization; Wallace says the goal now is to make the company more sustainable, including at least two paid full-time positions. He attributes that growth to audience support and to the quality of work being done by local and out-of-town artists.
Wallace says further work remains.
The position has come with challenges. The pandemic disrupted the sector, and cuts to the arts have been under threat at the local level. Building strong connections with the City of Peterborough has required sustained effort, but those efforts are bearing fruit. He also points to arts funding cuts across Canada as part of the broader context in which the company operates.
Still, Wallace says New Stages continues to strengthen its place in the region’s cultural landscape.
“New Stages is growing to become a regional hub for professional theatre and a strong voice for the arts in the Peterborough and surrounding communities. We meet regularly with local arts organizations to raise the profile of the performing arts with government at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.”
For Wallace, a strong arts community is also tied to the future of Peterborough and the surrounding area, including its ability to attract residents who want to settle there.
More information about New Stages is available at newstages.ca. Questions may be directed to info@newstages.ca.
