The Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts is a facility that includes the 598 seat Imperial Theatre, two fully licensed bars, the Nova Room - which is available for small functions, the Theatre Box Office, the R.W.Lawton Gallery, rehearsal halls, wardrobe, workshops and administrative offices.
Theatre Sarnia is the legal owner and operator of the Imperial Theatre with business and artistic direction under the guidance of an elected Board of Directors from within it's membership. Theatre Sarnia is one of the oldest operating Community Theatre groups in Canada with it's roots in the Sarnia Drama Club formed in 1927.
The Imperial Theatre receives no operational funding from City, County or Provincial Governments. Ticket sales, Rentals, Donations and Sponsorships provide the major sources of operating revenue. The City of Sarnia provided an interest free mortgage during the rebuilding of the Theatre in 1996 and the required annual repayment has been made on time each year back to the City.
The Imperial Theatre has the following distinct revenue streams from events held on stage :
(1) Community Theatre productions by Theatre Sarnia . Some five or six productions each season generate revenue from Ticket Sales and Box Office service charges.
(2) Theatre Rentals . Revenue is generated by renting the Theatre to Community Groups for local productions and to promoters representing Professional artists on tour . In addition, the theatre generates revenue from the Box Office service charges and Technical charges associated with these rentals.
(3) Imperial Presents . These concerts are financially backed by the Imperial Theatre and are intended to generate in-house revenue.
(4) Starbright Summer Festival . These six weeks of Musical theatre during July and August are a collaboration between D2 Entertainment and Theatre Sarnia. This professional theatre company operates under contract with the Imperial Theatre providing a defined revenue to the theatre for the period of the Summer Festival.
The Imperial Theatre has four salary employees to run the daily operations of the theatre and is grateful for the many hours of volunteer activity without which the Theatre simply could not operate.
Theatre Sarnia has the following theatre brands :
Following the 2009 Annual General Meeting of the membership, the following comprise the Board of Directors of Theatre Sarnia for 2009 - 2010 :
- Carol Kennedy - President
- Godfrey Stevens - Vice President
- Joe Simon - Treasurer
- Andrea Hughes - Secretary
- Steve Chitovas
- Georgina Ford
- Charmaine Jacklin
- John L'Heureux
- Murray Rempel
- Ron Pask
- Graham Hill - Community Director
- Scott Palko - Community Director
