Theatre Aquarius is a hub for creative conversation that celebrates possibility, engages community, fosters innovation, and ignites future voices. We’re your gathering place to share stories that provoke, delight, inspire, and transform.
For 50 seasons, we have been recognized as a leader in Canadian Theatre, producing work of the highest quality, premiering new plays, developing the skills of professional artists, and investing in youth and families in the Hamilton region and beyond.
We are guided by our Strategic Actions that are rooted in excellence, collaboration, audience engagement, inclusivity and sustainability.
Theatre Aquarius is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and proudly engages artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA) and stage technicians who are members of IATSE Locals 129 and 828.
Seasons as Hamilton’s Professional Theatre
Performances annually
Visitors attracted to the theatre annually
Theatre Aquarius is an anchor for revitalization in Downtown Hamilton, welcoming more than 100,000 visitors per year. Located in Hamilton’s International Village, we’re centrally located, giving our patrons the opportunity to visit the city’s many unique and interesting restaurants and shops. In fact, they spend more than $4 million annually dining, parking and shopping during their visits to Theatre Aquarius.
“When we have a successful show, Downtown has a successful experience.”— Theatre Aquarius Artistic Director Mary Francis Moore, as told to CHCH
Together with the economic activity of more than 100 person-years of employment per season, and the commitment of our production teams to purchasing materials from local vendors wherever possible, Theatre Aquarius is proud to contribute direct economic benefits to Hamilton of more than $12 million dollars each year!
Parking Fees paid annually by patrons to private and city lots (source: 2016 patron survey)
Materials and construction supplies purchased from local vendors annually
87.4% of patrons dine locally when attending (Source: 2016 Patron Survey)
Economic activity generated annually including approx. 100 person-years of employment (Source: Ontario Arts Council – Assessing the Local Impact of the Arts)
Direct economic benefits to our city
Theatre Aquarius owns and manages the Dofasco Centre for the Arts which houses the fully equipped 700 seat, proscenium style, Irving Zucker Auditorium and the 125 seat Norman and Louise Haac Studio Theatre which doubles as the Rehearsal Hall. The Dofasco Centre for the Arts also features the stunning two-storey glass and steel encased Ron and Donna Patterson Lobby, as well as the upscale Michael and Jane Schwenger Director’s Lounge which is used exclusively by Director’s Circle Members on performance dates.
At its inception under Founding Artistic Director Peter Mandia in 1973, Theatre Aquarius performed primarily at the Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place. The demand for Professional Theatre within the city proved to be tremendous, and it rapidly became apparent that the needs of the company necessitated a larger venue. Thanks to a tremendous effort of many committed believers and the generosity of businesses, private donors and government agencies, in 1991, Theatre Aquarius opened the doors of its own theatre centre, now known as the Dofasco Centre for the Arts.
Theatre Aquarius launched the Performing Arts Programme, a theatre school for ages 8 and up in 1976. The Programme has run continuously, providing thousands of young people throughout the region with a chance to participate in the theatre arts at a high level, launching many to professional careers in the arts and providing many more with new confidence that helped them reach their dreams, and helping to instill a lifelong love of theatre.
Theatre Aquarius 3-Year Strategic Plan was developed through community consultations as well as feedback from staff, board, artists, funders and stakeholders. The plan outlines our commitment to the greater Hamilton region to pursue theatrical excellence in the creation of outstanding, accessible, professional productions that engages community, fosters innovation, and ignites future voices. We are guided by our Strategic Actions that are rooted in excellence, collaboration, audience engagement, inclusivity and sustainability.