Lighting system removed from Granite Ridge Education Centre by Little Theatre

Jeff Green | Feb 26, 2020

It was the most glaring example yet of the schism that has developed since September between North Frontenac Little Theatre (NFLT) and the Limestone District School Board.

The digitally controlled lighting system, which was purchased by the theatre company for $33,000 in 2005, was removed from the cafetorium at Granite Ridge last Wednesday (February 19th). The system included banks of lights on the ceiling in the centre of the room, and lights that were installed on the stage as well, 2 in all. They have been placed in storage and some of them will be used at the Oso Hall in Sharbot lake for the upcoming spring production of an award-winning original play, Ciara’s Coming Home, by Glenys O’Connell of Henderson.

Most of the money for the purchase of the lights came from the Trillium Foundation grant ($28,100) but the Limestone Board chipped in $500.

The lights were installed in the cafetorium at Sharbot Lake High School in 2005, just in time for the NFLT production of Guys and Dolls, and were re-installed at Granite Ridge Education Centre (GREC) when it opened in 2014. They were a physical symbol of the tight relationship between the theatre company and the school, a relationship that goes back to the founding of the company in 1979, mostly by teachers from what was then the Frontenac District School Board.

Here is an excerpt from a Frontenac News article published on April 11, 2005.

“The announcement was attended by Don Clark, a member of the Trillium Foundation’s grant review team, MPP Leona Dombrowsky, Central Frontenac Mayor Bill MacDonald, and Sharbot Lake High School Principal Tom Taylor, along with the drama class at the school.

“The relationship between the Little Theatre and the High School was highlighted. The High School has hosted the productions over the years, and students from the school have been involved with many of the productions, both on stage and behind the scenes. Tom Taylor also pointed out that the new lighting system will be set up in the High School and will be available for use by the High School as well.”

Last September, in line with ministry directives, the board began charging rental fees to NFLT for rehearsal on weeknights, and productions on weeknights and weekends. Until then, NFLT had free use of the facility.

The NFLT fall production of “A Christmas Story” went up in early December at GREC.