Taking a Bow

Photo by M.V. Jantzen from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.

Good news from the lovely, no-longer-precarious Theatre Passe Muraille. They—unlike a government or bank near you—have a surplus. It isn’t much (just under forty thousand dollars for the 2007/2008 fiscal year), but given that the theatre seemed in serious financial trouble when the city purchased their building only a year and a half ago, this is a heartening turning-of-the-corner. Against the backdrop of a precarious economy and cutbacks at other arts organizations, we are especially glad to learn that TPM is back on its feet.

Theatre Passe Muraille was founded in 1968 as Toronto’s first alternative theatre, and since its inception it has built a reputation for cultivating some of our best young talent. In order to celebrate its new-found financial stability, TPM is making some of that young talent more accessible than ever. All remaining tickets to their current production (them & us, by Second City alumna Tracy Dawson) have been reduced to $15. As an added bonus, the performance on January 27 is straight-up free—the second year in a row Theatre Passe Muraille has offered a night of complimentary theatre. Artistic director Andy McKim expressed his gratitude to the theatre’s supporters in a statement released yesterday, saying: “The people of Toronto helped make our recent season a financial success. We honour their achievement while celebrating their support.”