The 4th Line Theatre is a Canadian theatre company located near the small town of Millbrook, Ontario in the township of Cavan Monaghan. It is dedicated to producing and developing original Canadian theatre, from small-town stories to broad national sagas – written by and about Canadians 4th Line Theatre is a not-for-profit, cultural, charitable organization that heavily relies on monetary donations, ticket sales, government funding, advertising and sponsorship support to ensure our success year after year.
History
Founded by Robert Winslow in 1992, after his mother's passing left him with the 150-acre farm property that has been in his family for 150 years, Robert launched the theatre with his original and classic The Cavan Blazers. Based on the story of the 19th-century Orangemen in Millbrook, ON who violently tried to drive out Catholics who attempted to settle in the area.[1]
Winslow has directed and written many of the plays. Some of the more recent productions have been directed by the Managing Artistic Director, Kim Blackwell.
In 2014, Winslow’s long time collaborator Kim Blackwell took on the role of Managing Artistic Director as Winslow transitioned out of his position as Artistic Director. Blackwell has been instrumental in defining the 4th Line aesthetic and works tirelessly to give audiences one of the finest theatrical experiences in the country.
Values
As a company focused on the values of imagination, integrity, collaboration, empowerment, and sustainability in all they do, 4th Line Theatre is committed to creating positive and healthy workspaces for our artists and communities, no matter their background.
Community Involvement
4th Line relies on community involvement in many aspects of the company. The majority of 4th Line’s production’s are cast to promote diversity and community connection. Due to the company’s location, audience demographic, and mandate, they cast professional, semi-professional, and volunteer actors both locally and across the province.
Aside from volunteering in the plays themselves, the community plays a role in the development of the plays.4th Line holds community reminiscences for the Playwrights to meet with community members to work through potential play ideas. This gives people who have stories and experiences with a local historical event and inspire the Playwright to write their play with true community experiences. [2]
