TheatreOne, a fixture in the live theatre scene in Nanaimo since the early 1890's, has shuttered operations. (Pixabay)

By Ian Holmes

curtains closed

Nanaimo’s TheatreOne shuts down amid funding crunch

Oct 15, 2025 | 12:06 PM

NANAIMO — Serving as the mid-Island’s only professional theatre company for 42 years, TheatreOne has been forced to fold effective immediately.

Theatre One’s membership formally voted to dissolve the organization at a Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting.

A late fundraising bid attempted to secure enough funding to make it through the rest of TheatreOne’s season after a pair of grants amounting to over $20,000 didn’t materialize.

Graham Pike, TheatreOne president, said it was an emotional final meeting at the Harbourfront library branch on Commercial St.

“There’s still lots of good theatre in Nanaimo, but we were able to bring in some really good professional performances, so that’s a void,” Pike said. “We certainly hope that maybe somebody will pick up the torch and run with it in the future.”

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Over the past few weeks notable funding pledges were made, along with many more messages of support, but Pike said there simply wasn’t enough money to warrant carrying on.

“However when we totaled everything up it really wasn’t enough to keep us going, so that is why we had to make the rather painful decision.”

Pike said had a pair of performances gone ahead this month they’d likely sink further into debt.

In the coming weeks Pike said TheatreOne will sell off the few assets it has as the society concludes over four decades of entertaining audiences throughout the mid-Island region.

He said while Tuesday evening’s meeting was a difficult one, he said their membership, supporters and past board members shared stories about the vast positive impacts TheatreOne had on Nanaimo’s arts and culture scene.

“It has brought a lot of entertainment, joy and enlightenment to the Nanaimo community and we shouldn’t forget that,” Pike concluded.

Late last month TheatreOne, which provides roughly half a dozen shows annually at several Nanaimo venues, issued a plea for financial support in order to save its season.

A pair of pending TheatreOne offerings to be staged at Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre were cancelled, prior to the organization being permanently closed.

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