The Sanderson Centre: A Theatre for all Seasons

“All the world’s a stage and one theatre in its time plays many parts”. Borrowing rather liberally from the Bard, such is true of our very own Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts. Cast in many roles throughout her ninety year career, she has endured, evolved and played a leading part in the story of our hometown and many of our own lives.

At the official anniversary celebration last December, I was asked to help out by leading backstage tours. It was a wonderful experience, with many people sharing their own real life stories of drama, tragedy and comedy all set in the theatre. Fond memories that after all these years came immediately back and rekindled personal connections to one of Brantford’s greatest treasures.

There were many stories of first-time performances on stage in dance competitions, plays and concerts. There were many more of proud parents, in turn, watching their own children perform on the very same stage. One notable tale recounted a concert performance by Duke Ellington Music, during which there was a complete power outage mid-show. Both the band and the audience sat in the darkness waiting for the lights to come back on and when they didn’t, the band struck up and played in the dark, with everyone enjoying an impromptu jam session.

Over the years, the theatre has hosted many great performances and performers, including immortal stars such as Red Buttons. Yet the immortal performances that garner the most discussion seem to be those of the ghosts. There are many accounts of strange noises and moving furniture in the lighting booth at the back of the theatre, so be sure to look up and behind you next time you visit to see if you can catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary!

For my own part, my connection with the theatre spans most of my life. In 1978 I sat front-row centre in the balcony at the then-Capitol theatre for Star Wars. For a five-year-old boy, it was an incredibly exciting and life-altering moment! Twelve years later and only a few seats away in the newly renovated Sanderson Centre, I saw the Second City Players perform, on my first date with a very pretty young lady who is now my wife. More fond memories of New Year’s Eve parties, the Northern Pikes, Colin James, Blue Rodeo, Camelot, the Brantford Memorial Concert Band (with one of my best friends playing trumpet) –and, of course, the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi come easily to mind, as well.

My most memorable performance, though, was that of HMS Pinafore. The cast and crew crossed into Canada during a border guard strike and made it though without incident; however, the props and costumes did not. The show must go on, of course, and therefore the production was staged with everything improvised. The officers wore umbrellas as swords and the admiral even donned an Admiral’s Sub hat to distinguish himself. The professionalism and extra creativity of the actors certainly made the evening very enjoyable and memorable for those in attendance.

The new season of Sanderson Centre performances is now upon us, with something for everyone on the playbill, available online at www.sandersoncentre.ca. If you haven’t been out to the theatre in years, why not take the opportunity to get reacquainted? Or if you’ve never been, then why not become formally introduced to the Sanderson Centre?

Treat yourself to some old memories and create some new ones! I’m certain that you will find it, as you like it!

Kevin Magee is Vice Chairman of the Sanderson Centre Management Board and a member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2772993

Venture Philanthropy: Investing in a better world

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Let’s face it the adage is a little dated and overused but as a philanthropic philosophy it has persisted because there is value in it.

What happens though if you’re like me and want to help but have no idea how to fish? I figure our aspiring fisherman could probably use new and better equipment or working capital to start a fishing business more than a fishing lesson anyway.  He or she may still need a “hand up, not a hand out” but perhaps the adage needs to be updated with the times to: “Give a woman a fish you feed her for a day, help her start a fishing business and you change her life”. A few months ago I did just that.

For the past two years Juanilyn Bacala, a 20 year old single mother, has owned and operated a successful fish selling business in the village of Bitibut in the Philippines.  The profits however have not been enough to grow her business sufficiently to provide for her family. She needed $225 in working capital to expand and along with 7 other investors worldwide I loaned her the money to make it happen.

I may not know how to fish, but I know a thing or two about investing and running a business. Juanilyn is a driven hands-on proprietor with a track record of success. She knows her business and has a solid plan to expand into a growing market. The opportunity had a low risk / high reward ratio and that’s why I invested in her. Doesn’t sound like traditional charity? It’s not and that’s why I like it.

I get the most satisfaction out of working with a charity or not-for-profit when my values are in sync with theirs and when I feel I’m investing my time and money, not just giving it away. I’ve had amazing life changing experiences with local organizations; however, I wanted to find a way to use my skills and expertise to do something bigger and with global impact. Luckily I found a way to do it. I found Kiva.

Kiva (www.kiva.org/lender/kevinmagee) is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates microfinance loans directly to entrepreneurs in developing nations. Generally the loans are small however the impact they make has remarkable potential to change a person’s life and a community’s future.

In Microfinance lending individual lenders, not banks, each contribute a small portion of the total loan which is made to the entrepreneur directly. The loan is then repaid over a set term and the interest collected funds the in-country lending organizations. While I don’t get a tax credit, when the loan is repaid I have the opportunity to re-invest the same $25 again and again in new entrepreneurs or even withdraw the money.

So far I’ve had unprecedented success with Kiva. I’ve made over 60 loans worldwide with no defaults to date. I think this is because I take the time to really qualify each investment that I make. It’s not all work though, I greatly enjoy reading the business plans and personal stories and really come to know the people that I have helped. As a bonus, I’ve also learned a great deal about other countries and cultures.

If you have $25, an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to better the world why not invest it directly in someone’s future? Over time, you may find you’ll get a greater return on investment than you can possibly imagine.

Kevin Magee is a 2.0 Citizen, Capitalist, Community Builder and member of the Expositor’s Community Editorial Board. You can find him online at www.kevinmagee.com or on Twitter @kevinamagee

Republished from the Brantford Expositor: http://brantfordexpositor.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2743312