June 24, 2024

Nanaimo’s TheatreOne has announced that current Executive Director, Michael Cade, will be transitioning to the new position of Artistic and Managing Director, taking the reins from David Mann who has held the position of Artistic Director for 15 seasons.

Cade moved to Nanaimo in 2023 and has been instrumental in restructuring TheatreOne’s activity to help lead the company through the post-pandemic recovery.  With more than 35 years of experience in professional theatre and theatre venue management, he brings a lifetime of knowledge with him to this new hybrid position that merges Artistic Director and Executive Director.

Cade has held the same title at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre and the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, and has been the manager of the Sagebrush Theatre, Pavilion Theatre, Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre, Marie Flemming Hall, Rotary Hall, and the Hub International Theatre.  During his career, he has put almost 700 shows on stage as an actor, front of house manager, technician, scenic designer, production manager and presenter.  He was selected by the British Columbia Touring Council as their presenter of the year, and later went on to sit as the chair of that organization’s Board of Directors.

“Returning to the Island has been a truly amazing experience for me,” Cade said. “It is so invigorating to be part of such a terrific theatre community and to be able to work with other top professional arts organizations such as Crimson Coast, the Port Theatre, the Vancouver Island Symphony, and the Nanaimo Art Gallery.  Having the opportunity to work with the fantastic work/learn student technicians from Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre has been the icing on the cake.  Nanaimo residents should be very proud of what the local arts community has built here, and I am so very honoured to be able to be a part of it.”

Born and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia, Cade has a theatre degree from the University of Victoria where he focused on technical theatre and scenic design, and has lived and worked as a theatre professional in Kamloops, Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Regina, Vernon, Chilliwack, and now Nanaimo.

“We are delighted that Michael has agreed to take on the new role of Artistic and Managing Director,” said Graham Pike, TheatreOne’s President. In addition to his extensive experience in arts administration, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the production and presentation of professional theatre across British Columbia. The Nanaimo community can look forward to a vibrant and enlightening suite of programs under his direction in the upcoming seasons.”

“We are hugely indebted to former Artistic Director, David Mann, for his artistic leadership of TheatreOne over so many years. Generations of Nanaimo residents have been entertained, informed and inspired by the theatre performances, play readings and films that David has brought to our community. His contribution to TheatreOne for more than a third of its 40 year existence has been enormous and we are truly grateful to have benefited from his artistic vision,” said Pike.