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Our History

Since 1970, MAT has been a powerhouse in the realm of community theatre and is tightly woven in Orillia’s cultural tapestry. After over 50 years, 180 productions, and 300 Film Nights, MAT has proven to be a thriving and vital member of the arts community. We invite you to learn some more about our history below!

Mariposa Arts Theatre: 50 Years

A lecture by Chris Newton for OMAH's History Speaker Series about the history of MAT, from its humble beginnings over 50 years ago to the present. (1 hr)

The Beginning

In the late 1960s, the Orillia Opera House, one of Orillia’s most iconic structures, was suffering. The building was in a state of disrepair and disuse, hosting a mere ten events a year. When the Orillia Opera House had first opened its doors in 1895, it was reputed to be the finest of its kind

anywhere north of Toronto. The state it found itself in by the 1960s was unacceptable. Don  Shave, the recently hired director of the Orillia Recreation Commission arranged a meeting to encourage the local arts community to innovate and make use of the Orillia Opera House. This congregation of actors, dancers, musicians and artists became the Orillia Council of Arts.

 

Inspired by the Orillia Council of Arts, a group of about 25 individuals led by Jackson Spear (one of MAT’s founders) met at the Orillia Opera House on June 8, 1970 to discuss the formation of a local theatre company. This was the birth of Mariposa Arts Theatre (MAT). The company quickly assembled to begin production on their first show, and to restore the Orillia Opera House to a presentable state.

 

On October 17, 1970, “On Monday Next”, a play aptly about the challenges facing a theatre group leading into a production, debuted at the Orillia Opera House. Mariposa Arts Theatre’s first show ran for three nights, charging $1.50 for admission. Since that debut, MAT has put on over 180 performances here in Orillia.

Oh Really, Orillia?

In 1987, several members of Mariposa Arts Theatre developed a spring revue under the title “Oh Really, Orillia?” The production was a variety show that included serious musical numbers, as well as satirical sketches which, in the tradition of Stephen Leacock’s “Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town”, poked fun at people and events both local and abroad. The revue provided a platform for MAT members to gain experience writing, performing and directing an original production. The show was both a critical and a financial success that ran for an additional fifteen seasons.

MAT Film Nights

One of MAT’s most successful programs has been our Film Nights, spearheaded in 1997 by Phil Hull, then president of MAT. Film Nights brings movies from the Toronto International Film Circuit to the local theatre to provide an alternative choice for movie-goers. To date over 300 films have been screened at Galaxy Cinemas Orillia (located in Westridge) for Film Nights. With profits from ticket sales going to MAT from these screenings.

 

Film Nights has been a reliable source of funding in leaner years, and has also enabled the company to construct our own facility.

The MAT Centre

In 2005, Mariposa Arts Theatre opened “A Home of Our Own,” a spectacular 5,000 square foot facility on Brammer Drive in Orillia, now called The MAT Centre. The project was made possible thanks to funds raised through a dedicated campaign, and in large part through MAT Film Nights as well. The building was an answer to a struggle to find rehearsal space and storage that had plagued the group since their earliest days.

 

The MAT Centre contains storage for props and costumes, a workshop for building sets, and a large space for rehearsals. The rehearsal stage matches the dimensions of both the large and the small stage at the Orillia Opera House,  meaning that actors can practise in an accurately sized area. Each year MAT hosts one show at the MAT Centre, and continues to share the space with the Orillia Opera House during the summer months. From practices to performances, and set building to costume design, the MAT Centre makes it all possible.

50 Years of Mariposa Arts Theatre

A brief visual overview of our 50th anniversary celebrations!

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Celebrations

In 2020, MAT celebrated its 50th anniversary, an event which passed with limited fanfare as the occasion was overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, MAT was finally able to celebrate this milestone anniversary with a variety of events that were held throughout the season. 

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Celebrations commenced in September with a lecture entitled “Mariposa Arts Theatre: 50 Years”, given by long-time member Chris Newton, as part of OMAH’s History Speaker Series highlighting their 50 years in the community. From September 23, 2023 – January 6, 2024, an exhibition titled “50 Years of Mariposa Arts Theatre” ran at the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH), displaying costumes, props, playbills, and historical anecdotes. November saw an anniversary celebration held at The MAT Centre and the opening of their 50th Anniversary Musical Revue, a retrospective which featured over twenty performers of all ages. On opening night, Mayor Don McIsaac proclaimed November 9th, 2023 as Mariposa Arts Theatre Day in the City of Orillia.

Here's to another 50 years!

Today, MAT is a mighty group of local performers and volunteers, entertaining thousands of spectators in four shows each year: three at the Orillia Opera House, and one at the MAT Centre. The company dabbles in comedies, musicals, and dramas, regularly debuting an impressive cast of local talent both on and off the stage. 

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MAT remains a steadfast supporter of the Orillia community and of Canadian theatre. With a dedicated board of directors, a dynamic volunteer team, and a wealth of local talent, Mariposa Arts Theatre is primed for another incredible 50 years.

Acknowledgements

This text, presented in the 50th Anniversary Exhibition, was researched and compiled thanks to the efforts of the following: Susan Canfield, Vicki Anderson, Susan Mitchell, Dianne Richardson, Chris Newton, Wendy Fairbairn & Tom Rose. Edited for the website by Stephanie Lamb.

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