Mission Statement
Prologue to the Performing Arts is a charitable, not for profit arts organization dedicated to enriching the lives of young people by connecting them to high quality live performing arts.
Prologue Values
Prologue to the Performing Arts believes that the performing arts play a vital role in the development of healthy, creative and responsible members of a diverse society. We believe that…
- Experiencing live performing arts is essential to a fuller and richer appreciation and understanding of the arts and of humanity.
- Exposure to the performing arts enhances the development of self-expression, critical and imaginative thinking and communication skills.
- The professional artists’ contribution is crucial and should be recognized, honoured and supported by structures that allow them to grow artistically.
- All Canadian young people and families are entitled to equal access to the performing arts.
Our History
For more than 40 years, Prologue to the Performing Arts has been broadening the horizons of students in Ontario by introducing them to the world of the performing arts.
It all started in 1966 around a lunch table, when five young mothers shared their dream about giving access to the best in the performing arts to ALL the students in Ontario. As volunteers with different arts organizations, including Young Peoples Theatre, the Canadian Opera Company and The National Ballet of Canada, these dedicated women founded one of Ontario’s most important resources in arts and education. In that first year, Prologue placed 81 performances in Ontario schools, reaching over 24,000 students; in the second year, those numbers doubled.
More than 40 years later, Prologue places over 3,000 performances each season reaching almost 1 million young people every year!
Board of Directors
IAN ARMSTRONG, Educator, Mississauga
BARB BRYDEN, Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Toronto
DOUG DEWELL, Businessman, Port Hope
TEODORO DRAGONIERI, Educator/Artist, Toronto
NAOMI HORROX, Lawyer, Toronto
MEL HURST, Musician/Conductor, Toronto
YVETTE MARTIN, Stage Manager, Artist/Educator, Toronto
PATRICIA MCCARTHY, Arts Education Consultant, Toronto
EDGARDO MORENO, Performer/Musician, Prologue Artist Representative, Toronto
BRAM MORRISON, Performer/Musician, Toronto
RUTH PRESTON, Director, Global Middle Office, RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Toronto
NATHALIE PRÉZEAU, Publisher of Toronto Fun Places, Journalist, Toronto
GLENN SERNYK, Arts Consultant & Producer, Toronto
JOSEPH TOTARO, Educator, Sebringville
LAURIE WILHELM, Business Consultant, Toronto
JANET JOY WILSON, Sales Director, Mississauga
Honourary Board Members
FRANK AUGUSTYN, Producer, Former Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Canada
JANE BISHOP, Founder, Prologue to the Performing Arts
MARTHA BURNS, Actor, Founding Member, Soulpepper Theatre Company
JOAN MCCORDIC, Founder, Prologue to the Performing Arts
MARY MINGIE, Founder, Prologue to the Performing Arts
ERIC NAGLER, Performer/Musician
JOAN OSLER, Founder, Prologue to the Performing Arts
WALTER PITMAN, Writer/Educator
JAN RUBES, Actor/Singer
SUSAN RUBES, Founder, Prologue to the Performing Arts
Life Members
PAULA BUTTERFIELD, Parent, Toronto
SUE DANIEL, Arts Education Consultant, Educator, Toronto
A special thanks go to David & Paula Butterfield for their extraordinary contribution to our Endowment Fund.
Prologue is also grateful to the talented artists and companies on our roster, our individual donors, our volunteers and our committed staff and Board of Directors.
Thank you to all our clients who continue to support and encourage the performing arts as an essential part of education.