Canadian Theatre Celebrates Outstanding Leadership with the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award

June 1, 2024

Toronto, Ontario. (June 1, 2024) – The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) is thrilled to announce Lyndee Hansen, Producer of the Grand Theatre (London, ON) as the 2024 recipient of the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award, recognizing her outstanding administrative and managerial leadership within the Canadian Theatre community. Hansen has chosen Christine Gruenbauer, Grand Theatre Company Manager as her protégé.

PACT also awarded two Lifetime Honorary Memberships to Bonnie Green, retired Stratford Festival Associate Producer and Nancy Webster, outgoing Young People’s Theatre Executive Director.  

Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award Recipient 

“Lyndee’s superpower is to bring people together on a common cause,” says nominator and Manitoba Theatre Centre's outgoing Executive Director Camilla Holland. “Throughout her career and in each of the four cities she has worked, I have witnessed her build bridges in four cities across the country, quickly making herself an indispensable part of the theatre community and beyond”. 

“I am honoured and humbled to be receiving this award. When I was starting in this business Mallory was a cornerstone of Canadian Theatre and I feel privileged to be associated with her legacy” says Lyndee Hansen, “I am flattered to be counted alongside the incredible past winners of this award, all of whom are exceptional leaders in Canadian Theatre and many of whom I have been lucky enough to work with and be mentored by over the course of my career”.

Hansen is an arts leader and mentor with over 24 years of experience in the theatre sector, working for organizations across the country. Hansen is currently Producer for the Grand Theatre. Past roles include Production Manager (Grand Theatre), General Manager (Geordie Theatre), Business Manager (Alberta Theatre Projects), and General Manager (Crow’s Theatre). Hansen served for 10 years on the PACT board, as well as on the board for the Calgary Professional Arts Alliance. She also has served on several PACT negotiation teams, including as Team Member for the 2024 Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) with the Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA), Chair for the 2023 negotiations with the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), Team Member 2019 CTA, Co-Chair of the 2012 CTA, and a Team Member for the 2017 negotiations with the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada (PGC). Hansen is working on a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from Fanshawe College and holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Toronto Metropolitan University. 

"Many people, myself included, have succeeded in this business becasue someone saw a spark and provided opportunities. I know I would not be here if it wasn't for the people who believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow and lead, while also providing support in the background to help ensure my continued success," says Hansen.  

Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award Protégé

“Christine is an incredibly talented theatre producer and administrator. I have worked with Christine since 2019 and have always been impressed with her professionalism, thoughtfulness, attention to detail and passion for the work,” says Hansen “The London and Canadian theatre communities are lucky to have a rising star like Christine. While she is my mentee for this award, she mentors me as much as I mentor her and for that, I am very grateful.”

“I am deeply honoured to have been selected as Lyndee’s protégé. Having Lyndee Hansen as a mentor is truly like winning the lottery - she is an empathetic and honest leader who is always willing to share her wealth of knowledge with others, and her impact on the industry cannot be understated, says Christine Gruenbauer “Her friendship and guidance has been a constant source of light for the past five years, and I’m sure many more years to come.”

Gruenbauer is an arts manager and independent theatre producer from London, ON. She is the current Company Manager of the Grand Theatre, having started as the Administration Associate in 2019. Gruenbaue began her career as the Associate Producer of the London Fringe Festival for two seasons and has worked at the Stratford Festival. She is a champion of community theatre, having co-founded London's Allswell Productions, an award-winning independent company that focuses on contemporary musical theatre. Gruenbauer also sits on the Board of Directors for London's Musical Theatre Productions as Treasurer and was the Secretary for the Brickenden Awards, London's former independent theatre awards, from 2016 - 2021.

Honorary Lifetime Membership Recipients

Nancy Webster, the outgoing Executive Director for Young Peoples’ Theatre is a senor administrator and producer who has given her time, energy, and intellect to the Canadian theatre community for nearly 40 years. Webster has received several awards in recognition of her leadership. In addition to serving for 13 years on the Executive of PACT, including as President, Webster has been Producer of the Toronto Fringe Festival, Managing Director of Factory Theatre, and grants officer for the Trillium Foundation. She has served as a consultant to the George Cedric Metcalf Foundation and as a member of the Cultural Strategic Advisory for the provincial Minister of Culture.

Bonnie Green is an arts leader, playwright, and mentor, who spent over 16 years working at the Stratford Festival. Since 2017, Green was the Associate Producer and she managed Stratford Festival’s The Birmingham Conservatory for actors and Langham Directors’ Workshop in addition to her work on the main season. Prior to joining the Stratford Festival, Green was Associate Producer for Canadian Stage, where she focused on new works development. An active playwright, Green’s works have been produced across Canada. Works include “Meet My Sister” and “Dock Spider”. Green served as chair of PACT’s Advocacy Committee from 2016-2019.

About the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award

Launched to mark PACT’s 30^th anniversary, the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award has recognized 16 recipients, and 19 protégés. The Award is named in honour of Mallory Gilbert. Gilbert was General Manager of Tarragon Theatre for 34 years, a founder of PACT, 20-year serving PACT Board Member and mentor to countless aspiring arts administrators. 

We thank the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award Selection Committee for their time and dedication. We also thank all the nominators for showcasing the breadth of amazing leadership in the Canadian Theatre Community.  

About PACT 

PACT is the collective voice of professional Canadian theatres, a leader in the performing arts community, and a devoted advocate of the value of live performance. PACT represents over 160 professional English-speaking theatre companies operating in communities across the country, ranging from the largest performing arts organizations in Canada, to smaller theatre companies that serve their audiences in a wide variety of communities; from rural to urban, commercial to independent, theatre for young audiences to culturally specific, and everything else in between.

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Media Contact:

Ainslee Jessiman

Membership & Communications Manager, PACT

ainsleej@pact.ca

416-595-6455 ext. 1519

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