30 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday June 23, 2006 Final Week! (SEE FLYER IN TODAY'S PAPER) Festival of Classics cancelled "It's frustrating and it's often demoralizing, but this is the The RBC Festival of Classics is no nature of theatre. Outdoor more. theatre shows get shut down After a decade of staging criticallyacclaimed, professional Shakespeare pro- all the time." ductions in Coronation Park, the board of directors announced Wednesday it's ceasing operations effective immediately because of "an insurmountable accumulated deficit." "This was a difficult decision, but it was the responsible decision," said Chris Carnovale, who resigned Tuesday with the board. "In a sense, the show has been pushed into bankruptcy." Despite efforts of sponsors, supporters, board members and the Town of Oakville, the festival has been in the red for several years the exact deficit is still being tabulated and the board didn't see staging another month-long production at a cost of $350,000 - $450,000 as a possibility. The Merchant of Venice, scheduled to open Aug. 3, is cancelled. Last year's tenth anniversary production of A Midsummer Night's Dream was the festival's last. "Oakville has lost a real gem," said Carnovale, who was a member of the eight-person volunteer board for three years. "The festival was one of its crown jewels." But with increasing production costs to cover professional performer salaries, sets, costumes and lighting, and fewer people attending the shows, the festival's deficit kept growing. "There are many issues that compound the problem when you look at the big picture," he said. "The costs mount every Chris Carnovale, former board member, Festival of Classics By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Chef Training · COOK BASIC DIPLOMA · PERSONAL CHEF DIPLOMA · HOURS COUNT TOWARDS YOUR RED SEAL · SMALL PERSONAL CLASSES · NEXT START DATE AUGUST 2006 · FINANCING AVAILABLE FOR AS LOW AS $75/MONTH O.A.C. OAKVILLE CAMPUS NOW OPEN! 339 Kerr Street CALL NOW: (905) 842-4336 EMAIL NOW: oakville@chefcollege.ca For information visit www.chefcollege.ca www.oakvillebeaver.com year, but there's only so much funding." Finding sponsors to support the arts isn't easy. "The money is out there. I know it is. But do people care?" said Carnovale. One problem may have been the perception the festival of Classics "was amateur because it's outside," he added. "This is legitimate, professional theatre, but some people didn't seem to understand that. It didn't ring true to the majority of people this was a real show. It wasn't amateur actors or students." Another problem, Carnovale noted, was whether people knew about the Festival of Classics. "People go to Stratford all the time, but do they know this existed right here in their own backyard?" While many may not have, others came from as far as upstate New York. "I'm sure a lot of people will be very, very, upset about this," said Carnovale. "We had people that sort of made this their destination." As the deficit was mounting, the board tried to generate more hype for the festival by staging a second, nonShakespearean production last season, but still found itself in the hole financially. "Last year was supposed to be a year of reparation," said Carnovale. "I didn't think that was going to be the last show, though." The board chose The Merchant of Venice a popular Shakespearean play to try to "re-hit things with a bang," this year, he added, but the interest didn't seem to be there. It also didn't help that ticket sales flatlined last summer after the renowned willow tree the production has been staged around cracked mid-festival. Major fundraisers, like the RBC Festival of Classics' Bard's Ball, helped bring the festival closer to the plus side, but there was never a surplus. "It's frustrating and it's often demoralizing, but this is the nature of theatre," said Carnovale. "Outdoor theatre shows get shut down all the time." If an outdoor show were to resurface in Oakville, he added, it would require a fulltime staff and not just seasonal cash flow, but a constant influx of funding. "It's something that could be done, but we'd need one hell of a group of people out there with a lot of spirit and energy, and they'd have to be really plugged into the community." A permanent structure in which to stage the production and host other arts events may also be needed to boost sales and preclude weather as a factor. The board thanks sponsors Sunveil Sunwear, Guardian Group of Funds, Jelinek Cork and title sponsor, RBC, which invested the most and "did more than their fair share," said Carnovale. It also extends gratitude to Oakville Hydro, CH Television, The Oakville Beaver, Oakville Today, West of the City magazine, volunteers, in-kind sponsors, donors and all past patrons. The decision to close the Festival of Classics also means the recently-launched Shakespeare in the School's program and Shakespeare Summer Camp planned for this summer are cancelled. Krissie Rutherford can be reached at krutherford@oakvillebeaver.com. Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival presents The legendary Brian Auger's Oblivion Express featuring the famed B3 and keyboard player, has created a distinct voice that combines jazz, rock, soul and funk. Brian has accumulated a Grammy nomination, 10 albums charting in the top 100, a #1 single and the title of "The Godfather of Acid Jazz". Add in legendary guitar player, Larry Coryell who has recorded on more then 70 albums, hailed by his legion of fans as one of "the guitar gods" and dubbed "The Godfather of Fusion", these special nights will see sparks fly as two masters perform individually and together for the first time in thirty years! For tickets call 905-815-2021 or order on-line at www.oakvillecentre.ca. For more information, please visit www.oakvillejazz.com THE SPIRIT OF NATURE PHOTOGRAPHIC GROUP BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS With special guest LARRY CORYELL paws Gardens in The Enjoy a visit to Royal Botanical Gardens with "man's best friend" for a pawsitively great time! · Doggie fashion show · Hamilton Police Canine and Search and Rescue Unit demonstrations · Plus fun, food and festivities for fido and the whole family SPONSORED BY Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hendrie Park Gardens 680 Plains Road West, Hamilton/Burlington Admission applies RBG members FREE TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Wednesday, August 9th & Thursday, August 10th at 8:00 pm at The Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts · 905-815-2021 www.dodocrew.com 905.527.1158 events@rbg.ca