Adding the management, promotion, production and execution of a theatrical production to the already demanding workload of the HBA program is anything but trivial.
However, these are the conditions in which London’s Trivial Theatre thrives. Ivey students Nicholas Harrison and Kevin Liang, alongside Western student Aravind Pillai, have combined their passion for the arts with their business know-how to become entrepreneurs in the local theatre scene. In January, Trivial Theatre wrapped up its first production, The Monument by Colleen Wagner, at the ARTS Project.
Harrison, the company’s Artistic Director, says the idea came to him while working on his Pre-Ivey feasibility project. Although his group had opted for the fashion industry, he was personally involved in the theatre scene as an actor and noted the potential for a business venture. Once he got talking with co-founder Pillai, they realized they were onto more than just an idea. They had found a real project that could work into their busy schedules as full time students.
“I wanted a way to stay involved with theatre while I got busier with HBA1. I knew I wasn't going to be able to commit to performing in a show, but producing was something that, if not easier, at least allowed me to bend around my other schedules.”
After convincing Liang to join himself and Pillai, the three young men began plotting for success, using their expanding business knowledge to their advantage.
“I think that the case preparation teaching method has been fundamental in determining our success with the business,” says Liang. “Having those conversations and debates in class also helped us bounce ideas off each other and come up with a strategy that we thought would work for us.”
“We were able to approach [The Monument] as a business problem and break it down into its basic elements, and that saved us from a world of pain as we grew closer to the show,” adds Harrison.
Recipient of the Governor General’s Award in 1996, The Monument is a deep and complex anti-war story that many would consider a more challenging task than the more widely known and popularized scripts student groups tend to perform. Fortunately, sound marketing efforts combined with strong performances led to not only ticket sales but local media coverage and positive reviews.
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“Being able to see your work out in the real world - whether it's seeing the show on stage or seeing the posters around the city - has got to be the best part of the experience.” Harrison says.
“Both Nicholas and I are incredibly proud of what the actors and crew were able to pull off, and seeing the audience enjoy the show—something tangible that we had helped create—was one of the best feelings of the semester, for sure,” adds Liang.
So what’s next for London’s newest theatre company?
Taking time to breathe, solve cases, and get through Ivey’s recruitment season. And maybe a little bit of planning, but nothing serious until mid-March at the earliest, says Harrison.
“This was a great first step, we've learned the basics, and when we're ready, we'll gear up and swing for the fences.”
