In 1981, Greg Wanless returned home from a number of successful seasons at Stratford with the dream of reestablishing a theatre in Gananoque.  

For a short time, from 19687-1968, Gananoque had been home to the St. Lawrence Summer Playhouse, located in a tent in the parking lot of the Blinkbonnie Hotel. The theatre was extremely popular with locals and tourists alike, featuring a mix of Broadway musicals and American and British comedies.  But despite its success, it was soon moved to Kingston where it continued running until 1976.  

Greg’s desire to bring theatre back to Gananoque was met with considerable support from the community, which had deeply missed the activity and excitement generated by the previous Playhouse. Under Greg’s leadership, and with the help of the community and a close group of artists and actors, the Thousand Islands Playhouse presented its first show on June 25, 1982.  

The local Rotary Club sold the Gananoque Canoe Club to the Playhouse, community members donated money to renovate the building, and tradespeople generously gave of their time and expertise. That first season it was not unusual to come across a local businessman working alongside an actor building a deck, or a plumber teaching people how to install a toilet. Community members often dropped by after work to check on the progress of the building, and hosted dinners for hungry performers or production staff.  

After such passionate community involvement in the theatre’s beginnings, it seemed natural that the Playhouse’s mission statement include an acknowledgment of our commitment to community life. Thirty years later, the Playhouse remains an important part of life in Gananoque and our commitment to the community continues to guide our artistic vision.  

Mission Statement

Like all not-for-profit cultural institutions in Canada, the Thousand Islands Playhouse is legally required to have an artistic mission statement which provides a framework and context for all of our artistic decisions.  

Behind all of our activities is the desire to help develop a creative, dynamic and compassionate community by encouraging participation in arts activities. This goal acts as a guiding philosophy in all that we do as we feel a deep responsibility to enriching and contributing to the community in which we work and the Canadian theatre community as a whole.  

To enrich the global village by operating a professional theatre company that
1) produces a diversity of vital works from the Canadian and world repertoire with a unique Canadian perspective
2) actively develops new creative voices
3) mentors a new generation of theatre professionals
4) inspires community participation in artistic activities  

Playhouse Facts

The Playhouse:  

• Was founded in 1982 by Greg Wanless, a graduate of the National Theatre School and Queen’s University, former Stratford actor and now a Queen’s University professor.
• Operates two fully-renovated historic venues side by side on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Gananoque—the 360 seat Springer Theatre and the 140 seat Firehall Theatre .
• Produces 80-90% of the 7-10 productions presented annually, using professional talent (designers, directors, scenic artists and performers) from across the country.
• Spends the majority of our annual operating budget ‘onstage’, earning us a reputation for producing works with very high production value.
• Annually attracts more than 40,000 tourists and area residents.
• Is one of the top five summer festivals in Ontario, along with the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, Soulpepper and Drayton Entertainment. It is the most active theatre in Eastern Ontario.
• Provides theatre education and outreach through the Thousand Islands Playhouse Young Company, which not only brings theatre to children throughout Eastern Ontario, but also provides training opportunities for aspiring professionals.
• Has a regional economic impact of $20 million annually.
• By the end of 2011, will have presented 189 productions including 24 world premieres.
• Has been a major supporter of Canadian content since 1982, with approximately 80% of its programming now created by Canadian writers.
• Has been praised in national and international media such as VARIETY Magazine, NCPR radio, the Globe and Mail, and called “the most charming theatre in the country” by CBC radio.

The Thousand Islands Playhouse is a registered not for profit organization, charitable tax number 88815 6247 RR0001.