The Gladstone is a centrepiece of Ottawa’s art community.
Steve Martin didn’t quite “steal the stage” – he spent $1.3 million rebuilding it, making his new acquisition at 910 Gladstone Avenue into one of Little Italy’s biggest commercial draws.
“Everything, essentially, in this building has changed,” Martin says, entertaining questions in the newly-tiled lobby during a Sunday matinee performance.
Dreaming of a unique business opportunity and a world-class theatre experience within Ottawa, Martin took control of the building in October 2007. The former home of the Great Canadian Theatre Company received several months’ worth of interior and exterior renovations including a classic Broadway-style marquee sign, stucco façade across the outer walls and insulated drywall on the interior, crystal light fixtures, and roughly $85,000 of wiring and electrical upgrades.
“The Gladstone is now an iconic piece of Ottawa,” says theatre manager John Collins. “The artistic community and the business community are both really excited about this.”
The completely redone theatre was unveiled earlier this month, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening performance to usher in a new season and a new name for the theatre: The Gladstone. The opening performance of Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy How the Other Half Loves followed the ceremony, attracting a sold-out audience and rave reviews from local media.
Lori Mellor, executive director of the Preston Street Business Improvement Association, called the new renovations “absolutely beautiful,” and was impressed by the glamourous feel of the new theatre.
“They’ve had a real eye for the art, the architecture, and the detail, and it really comes across,” Mellor says. “Even the soap dispenser in the women’s washroom is very chi-chi.”
Beyond her personal first impressions, Mellor believes the theatre is going to have a tremendous positive impact on the local business community.
“Theatre nights create a dinner trade for our restaurants,” she says, adding that the association has been focusing on diversifying services offered on Preston to include retail. “The more things we have in the area, the more of an attraction we are.”
John Collins, Gladstone’s manager, says the restaurants are already “doing back-flips.”
“They’re not just pleased that there’s a theatre back,” he says. “They’re ecstatic, because there’s a theatre generating four times the traffic.”
The Gladstone boasts the unique claim of being Ottawa’s first purely commercial theatre. The operation is financed by Martin with help from corporate sponsors and not a cent of public funding – a system Martin hopes will allow the theatre greater profit potential.
Peter Honeywell, executive director of Ottawa’s Council for the Arts, says having a theatre in that area is an important step for the arts community. He adds that, like any new business approach, the theatre's commercial nature will have to prove itself over time.
“I do believe that the owner is very aware of the limitations within the not-for profit community,” Honeywell says, adding that maintaining their initial success is crucial for The Gladstone. “He does need to keep it booked.”
Mellor and the Business Improvement Association are encouraging Preston’s business community to get involved with the theatre through sponsorship and patronage.
“We have no doubt that it’s a great addition to the community,” says Mellor. “Our wish is that the community returns the favour and supports them, because it’s tough. If you’re not relying on government funding then you need to sell tickets.”
Collins adds that the two biggest challenges have been overbooking, and complaints about leg room. The Gladstone staff hopes to have the latter issue – a legacy of the old building – fixed by their second season.
Until then, the cup is half full for the ambitious new proprietors.
“If our worst problem is that there are too many people trying to get into our theatre,” Collins said, “Then that’s not so bad.”