The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts celebrated its grand opening Feb. 28 with a concert headlined by award-winning Canadian stage actress and star of Broadway’s Mamma Mia, Louise Pitre

The  facility, situated on 1.5 acres of land in Richmond Hill’s downtown core at Yonge and Wright streets, includes a 631-seat main auditorium – the largest theatre-seating capacity in York Region. The centre also includes a rehearsal hall seating 150, lobby art galleries and an outdoor piazza for large-scale art exhibits and open-air presentations and productions.

“The building was built on the premise that it would serve the multicultural makeup of Richmond Hill and York Region,” says Eli Lukawitz, the centre’s marketing and development co-ordinator.

“It is an extremely diverse community. The Jewish population of Richmond Hill makes up about seven per cent, then when you look to our neighbour Thornhill, the Jewish demographic is huge,” Lukawitz, 37, a longtime resident of York Region, said.

Audiences at the opening witnessed the debut performance of the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra. Community groups, including the more than 100 voice Bayview Secondary School Choir, were also represented. Local thespians presented ensemble performances as well.

Lukawitz says that the artists he plans to book will reflect the cultures of the community.  

“I think the Jewish community will play an extremely large role on how we see Richmond Hill going forward,” he says. “In terms of patronage, I see the Jewish community, which has always embraced the arts, embracing this building.   That is why we have been sensitive to make Jewish programming a valid piece of our puzzle.”

On March 31, Toronto jazz singer Sophie Milman, who was born in Russia and raised in Israel, will perform. The first programming at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts was to have been Holocaust Education Week events last year, but they were cancelled due to the centre’s construction delays. Lukawitz says he hopes the centre will be involved with Holocaust Education Week in some way this year.

Upcoming performers at the centre include Chantal Kreviazuk, Arlo Guthrie and Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy.

There are also preliminary talks going on with the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company, with an eye to staging future theatrical presentations, Lukawitz says. He also hopes to bring in internationally known Jewish singers, musicians and comedians.

Lukawitz is the co-artistic director of the theatre company Tribal Productions, but the company is on hold while his new responsibilities at the centre take precedence.

He took the position at the centre because it is a way for him to lay down roots in the community and stay close to his young family,  something the national touring schedule of Tribal Productions didn’t allow for, Lukawitz says. He is married to actress Lisa Messinger and has two children, Jason, 4 and Jamie, 2.

For more information about upcoming performances at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, visit www.richmondhill.ca.