Barry Perry, president and chief executive officer of Fortis Inc., enthusiastically announced in Corner Brook Friday morning that the company will contribute $500,000 to support the construction of a new performing arts centre for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival in the Northern Peninsula town of Cow Head. Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, which operates the festival, is in the midst of a Set the Stage Capital Campaign to raise $2.5 million of the $8.5 million needed to finish the arts complex scheduled to open next June.
Former Cow Head Mayor Adrian Payne says the economic impact the Gros Morne Theatre Festival has had on his town has been immense and will flourish even more after a new theatre arts complex currently under construction is opened next summer.
Musician Daniel Payne entertained the crowd before and after Fortis Inc.’s announcement in Corner Brook Friday that it will be providing $500,000 to help build a new theatre complex for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival in Payne’s hometown of Cow Head on the Northern Peninsula.
Sharing a laugh during Friday’s news conference in Corner Brook announcing a $500,000 commitment from Fortis Inc. to the Set the Stage campaign to help build a new theatre complex for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival in Cow Head were from left: John Risley, a member of the Set the Stage campaign cabinet; Barry Perry, president and chief executive officer of Fortis Inc. and also a campaign cabinet member; and Premier Dwight Ball.
There were smiles all around as Fortis Inc. announced its contribution of $500,000 to the Set the Stage Capital Campaign to help build a new theatre complex for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival in Cow Head, which is scheduled to open in June. On hand for the announcement in Corner Brook Friday morning were, from left, Katrina Basha, chair of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s board of directors; Gary White, executive vice-president with Fortis Inc.; Gudie Hutchings, the Liberal Commons member for Long Range Mountains; John Risley, a member of the Set the Stage campaign cabinet; Barry Perry, president and chief executive officer of Fortis Inc. and also a campaign cabinet member; Premier Dwight Ball; former Cow Head Mayor Adrian Payne; and Peter Alteen, president and chief executive officer of Newfoundland Power, a Fortis Inc. company.