WCT announces new managing director

Apr 5, 2018 | 2:06 PM

KAMLOOPS — Evan Klassen has been hired as Western Canada Theatre’s new managing director.

Originally from Winnipeg, Klassen was most recently the director of artistic operations at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and succeeds outgoing Executive Director Lori Marchand.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be accepting this post at Western Canada Theatre. I’m really excited to be moving to Kamloops and getting to know the city and everything the region has to offer,” he told CFJC Today.

Klassen added his extensive background, which also includes a strong background in theatre administration and as a stage manager, should come in handy.

“I’ve had the chance to visit many different communities over the course of my career and certainly bring that respect for the art, for the storytelling that is so important,” he said. “And marrying that with a good sense of business and wanting to ensure that the organization is well run and well led into the future.”

Why the move to a small market?

“You know, for me it wasn’t necessarily about moving from a larger centre to a smaller centre. It was really about seeing the kind of work that Western Canada Theatre has been doing in recent years both under James MacDonald, current artistic director, and outgoing Executive Director Lori Marchand.”

Klassen will start his new job May 2, 2018. The position opened up after Marchand announced in December she is moving to Ottawa to take a position with the National Arts Centre.