Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador (TNL) will support several Gros Morne Theatre Festival activities thanks to a joint investment of $375,000 by the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

The funding was announced today by the Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), on behalf of the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence (DND) and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. It will enable the production of a number of plays, enhance marketing, help to expand the youth theatre camp and include a workshop and reading series.

"The Gros Morne Theatre Festival has attracted capacity audiences for over 10 years and has helped generate a wide range of tourism activity in the area," said Minister Hearn.  "This project will contribute to the growth of self-sustaining economic activity within the cultural industries sector and assist with job growth, private sector investment and expansion of the region's economic base."

Minister Jackman said the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to continue its support for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival.

"The festival has developed a very strong community partnership model which has been instrumental in its success to date," Minister Jackman said. "This support will enable the festival to develop new productions; create employment and professional development opportunities for provincial artists; and showcase to residents and visitors alike the diversity of talent which exists within Newfoundland and Labrador."

"This funding will allow us to expand our operation over three years, provide opportunities for young actors and continue to spread the word about our unique theatre festival," said Gaylene Buckle, general manager, Gros Morne Theatre Festival.  "This initiative is in keeping with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador�s goal of developing the performing arts sector, as well as the cultural tourism sector, in the province by hiring the province�s professional artists to develop their craft and create new work."

Theatre Newfoundland Labrador (TNL) is an incorporated not-for-profit professional theatre company.  Founded in 1979 by the late Maxim Mazumdar, TNL provides youth theatre programming, main stage productions, courses in theatre instruction and touring productions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, the rest of Canada, and the world.  Over the past five years, TNL has increased its national and international profile by developing and touring plays like Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe, which has played to more than 50,000 people throughout Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and Australia. This past summer saw the world premiere of its first international co-production of the double-bill production of New Found Lands (Winter by Neil Leyshon and One Foot Wet by Robert Chafe). Co-developed and produced with Forest Forge Theatre Company of Ringwood, England, New Found Lands played for three weeks at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival in August before embarking on a six-week tour of southeast England.

The Government of Canada�s investment of $320,000 for this project is provided by ACOA, over a three-year period, through its Innovative Communities Fund which focuses on investments that lead to long-term employment and economic capacity building in rural communities.  The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s investment of $55,000 is provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation through the 2007-08 Cultural Economic Development Program (CEDP). Provincial support through CEDP is reviewed on an annual basis.

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