When it comes to theatre, George Pothitos has done it all. During the 1980s into the mid 90s, the Neptune Theatre artistic director worked as an actor in an array of Canadian cities before developing a pallet for stage and artistic directing. In 2000, he landed a gig as artistic director of the Sudbury Theatre Centre in Ontario. After nine years in northern central Canada, Pothitos set course for the East Coast and Neptune Theatre.
What is the one play you haven’t done that you would like to do?
“I think it might be Hamlet. I think because it’s Shakespeare, of course, and it’s a terrific use of language. But I think also it lends itself to modern actors and the psychology that goes behind it. There’s a certain modern take that you can certainly intertwine with a classical language and it works really well.”
What has been your favourite moment as artistic director thus far?
“I think kids are terrific, and they’re so accepting and so uninhibited about their reaction. I love the kid’s reaction when they see something on stage that just blows their mind. We had one kid in Peter Pan … where he flies out into the audience and one kid screamed ‘it’s in 3D!’ That’s the kind of stuff I live for.”
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
“The most challenging part of my job is to create a balanced season of plays that will attract a variety of people in our community. Obviously you can’t please everybody, but to find enough plays that are interesting and are varied that will touch different elements of our community so they all feel included in our productions.”
What do you like most about Halifax?
“The people, actually. There’s a lovely, gentle quality about it. I love it when I go into a shop and a store and people say hello, even when you don’t know them, or in an elevator. I love that civility that comes with living here. It’s very welcoming and it’s very refreshing.”
