Program Advisory Committee
The Program Advisory Committee is composed of volunteers who have expertise and/or great interest in the performing arts. They will assist the Market Hall in determining the overall direction and vision of Market Hall’s programming. This committee will help to further develop Market Hall’s mission to develop, nurture and sustain the performing arts in Peterborough's historic Market Hall.
The Committee’s role is to develop a rich program that covers a full range of cultural and artistic expression – thereby creating a broad appeal for all age groups and interests.
Charles Werger
Charles Werger is a founding member of Market Hall Performing Arts. He has been active in its operation since 1997. He has done custodial work to programming and promotions; has been interim general manager to bar manager; has been advocate to cheerleader; and has been a Board of Director most years, including years, including years as president and vive-president, and continues as a Director today.
Charles is a retire high school teacher of Dramatic Arts and English and various extracurricular activities over a career of thirty-one years. He has a B.A. and M.A. in English with a Specialist in Dramatic Arts. In his teaching years, he spearheaded a school newspaper, poetry publications and entertainment events. He organized a poetry festival and concerts, directed drama, and helped write grade 12 curriculum for the province. He coached cross country running, soccer, and basketball.
Charles has traveled in Western and Eastern Europe, Northern Africa, the South Pacific, throughout the USA, the Caribbean and Central and Eastern Canada giving him a good view of different cultures and wide perspective.
He and his wife moved to Peterborough in 1974. While raising three children, they have put down deep roots in the community and continue to be active, especially in support of the arts.
Wyatt Lamoureux
Passionate about theatre and telling stories that reflect who we are as individuals and as a society, Wyatt has been acting, directing, teaching, and writing for theatre for 40 years, working in Ontario and BC. In Peterborough he is a regular feature of the 24Hour Theatre Projects, and performs often with the Peterborough Theatre Guild. He most recently directed Art, by Yazmina Reza, for PTG, winning 3 EODL awards. Wyatt has also worked for 4th Line Theatre, as an actor (Welcome Death, 2009), and stage manager (2000, 2001).
As a writer, Wyatt was accepted for Summerworks Festival in Toronto in 2004 with his play, Privilege. In 2005, he received the coveted third prize in the Canadian National One-Act Playwriting Competition for his play, Shakespeare vs The Merchants of Venom (currently in pre-production). He continues to write and is working on several scripts.
While on Vancouver Island in the ‘90s he operated the Very Small Theatre Company, producing Canadian and original shows, teaching summer classes in theatre for children and a 14-session adult theatre class for North Island Community College, working as a resource for the local school board, and acting with the local community players. Further in the past, Wyatt toured BC with Theatre Energy, and was director/manager for touring summer children’s theatre in eastern Ontario.
Wyatt works with youth as a supervisor and case manager at Youth Emergency Shelter of Peterborough. Favourite theatre quote: “Say your lines, hit your marks, and don’t trip over the furniture”.
Rob Steinman
Rob’s love of theatre began with his entrance into his home town youth theatre, The Kalamazoo Junior Civic Players, in grade 6. After moving to the Bancroft area in 1971, while earning a living as a crafts person/woodworker, he was involved as an actor, director, set designer and executive officer with the Bancroft Little Theatre.
In 1989 after obtaining a B.Ed. from Queen’s University in Drama and Art, he moved to Peterborough to accept a job at Crestwood Secondary School. Over the next decade and a half he continued his theatrical association with the village of Bancroft through his involvement, as an actor and director, with Theatrics Summer Playhouse. At Crestwood he served as Drama teacher and later Head of Arts for 22 years.
In the fall of 1997 he became involved the campaign to ‘Save Market Hall’ from becoming bingo parlour and has served on its Board of Directors since its transformation into a performing arts centre.
Recently retired he is looking forward to devoting more time involved in acting and directing in local productions.
Patricia Young
Patricia has spent her life devoted to some sort of ‘theatre’. As a young child, along with another sister, she performed Sunday evening concerts for the family. With a mother who did not believe in having a television, this made for children who were actively involved in ‘life’, using their imaginations.
After receiving a diploma in Fine Arts from Sir Sandford Fleming College, she went to pursue an education in acting from the University of Waterloo, eventually transferring to Trent University for an Arts degree, followed by a Bachelors of Education from the University of Toronto.
Together with a friend, Patricia opened and ran one of the first training schools for drama in Peterborough for young people, outside of the school system. Pegasus School of the Arts operated for three years.
Teaching was the perfect career to blend Patricia’s love of theatre with young people. After teaching 5 years of elementary level for the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland, Clarington Catholic School Board, she was asked to join the staff at St. Peter’s to help build the Drama Program. There, along with writing curriculum, she has written and directed too many shows to mention. It was a vocation which she loved and connected her to many remarkable and talented young people. Her last few years there, she held the position of Chair of the Arts. February 2012 Patricia Retired after 32 years teaching, 26 of those at St.Peter’s.
Teaching and directing are not only Patricia’s passions. She is often seen acting on stage locally. This summer of 2012 Patricia is acting with a lively cast at The Homestead Theatre in Ennismore. Now with more time on her hands, she would like to eventually direct plays for the local community, as well as sink her teeth into more acting roles.
Travelling is another pursuit of Patricia’s. During her career she took many teacher Funded Leaves, allowing her the opportunity to travel and often do volunteer work in other countries.
Patricia looks forward to what lies ahead in this new chapter of life during retirement. Being in-active is not an option. She is delighted to start volunteering with this team of creative people at Market Hall, in a theatre which she has always cherished.