Company History

Peter Mandia & Stephen Newman, founding artistic team, September 1991 at The ribbon cutting ceremony for Theatre Aquarius’ new home

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.

Other key milestones:

1988

• The School Board liaison program was instituted, which grew to serve more than 16,000 students annually.

1997

• Theatre Aquarius received a Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Business Excellence in the Arts.

2005

• Theatre Aquarius received the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Business Achievement Award

2008

• Theatre Aquarius received Tourism Hamilton’s Arts & Entertainment Ambassador Award.

2008

• Ron Ulrich was appointed Artistic Director.

2009

• Tuesdays with Morrie starring Jamie Farr sets the record for the highest grossing box office for a non-musical play at Theatre Aquarius.

2010

• The Rocky Horror Show starring Cameron MacDuffee becomes the highest grossing Theatre Aquarius show of all time.

2011

• Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, starring Hamilton’s own Jeff Giles shatters the box-office record set the year earlier, to become the highest-grossing, best-attended Theatre Aquarius production yet.

2014

• Mary Poppins With a SOLD-OUT RUN eclipses all previous record holders to become the highest-grossing, best-attended Theatre Aquarius production in 42 years.

2016

• Beauty and the Beast With another SOLD-OUT RUN crushes the previous record holders to become the highest-grossing, best-attended Theatre Aquarius production in 44 seasons.

Past Seasons