The Courthouse Stage Vision
Possibility becomes reality
“Unlike the rest of Canada, our performing arts scene relies on imports - we need a space to manufacture theatre made right here at home. That’s why we’re creating the Courthouse Stage as a creative home for Atlantic Repertory Company artists.”
The Courthouse Stage is the next step in the cultural development of the region.
Before ARC, Saint John was the largest city in Canada without a professional theatre. Likewise, nearly every major municipality in Atlantic Canada also has a professional mid-sized venue. But not Saint John.
That’s why we constantly export our talent and lose cultural activity before it can even begin. Now, we’re building a culture creation factory, a home base for ARC. The Courthouse Stage will become the manufacturing floor where New Brunswick theatre gets built.
Local artists will produce high-quality, professional theatre, made here, for here, such as our 2025 Come From Away, with Rogue Productions, created by an entirely made-in-NB team.
The talent is here. Now we need the facility to train it, refine it, and produce more made-in-NB theatre —built locally, performed locally, and owned by the community it serves.
-Stephen Tobias, Executive Director