Velta Vikmanis is the new executive director of Liverpool’s Astor Theatre. (Rick Conrad)

Liverpool’s Astor Theatre has a new executive director.

Velta Vikmanis took over the job on Oct. 1, part of a new management team at the historic theatre.

“As a practising artist myself, I know the significance and the importance of the Astor,” she said in an interview Thursday.

“It carries a tremendous history in the community. 
And having had a show here myself, and then having the pleasure of stepping onto the board earlier this year, it just seemed like my skill sets from health-care administration and operations experience really lends itself to what the Astor needs in this moment. And so I was happy to step up and just say, ‘Yeah, I’m willing to give it a go.’”

Lori Smyth, who had been the Astor’s box office manager, will take on a new role as theatre manager.

Joe Lyndon will look after the theatre’s technical needs, including light and sound for shows.

Vikmanis moved to Liverpool with her husband in 2021 and has been actively involved in the community since. She is a volunteer and former board member at QCCR, and a volunteer at Queens Manor. Before she took the job as the Astor’s executive director, she was a member of the Astor Theatre Society board.

She also had an exhibition of her work at the theatre in May 2024.

“Right now, we have a great synergy between the board and the staff here at the Astor, and we’re really hoping to capitalize on that momentum as we move forward, so that we can just continue building and moving the Astor forward into the next decades.”

Katy Hopkins had been the theatre’s manager of operations for many years until she resigned in September.

In a news release announcing Vikmanis’s appointment, chairman Eric Goulden thanked Hopkins for her “dedication and support for the Astor”.

“My first main priority,” Vikmanis says, “is to continue with all of the variety of programming that Katie Hopkins, the previous general manager, had put into place and making sure that all of those artists are honoured, their contracts are honoured and that patrons can continue to come into the theatre uninterrupted.”

Vikmanis said she wants to continue the entertainment mix that the Astor has been offering, from popular tribute band shows to movies to live theatre. And she wants to continue to welcome community groups to use the Astor space, and expand on some of the things happening there now.

She said she wants to explore showing a livestream on the theatre’s big screen of some performances from New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

And she’d like to give new artists more opportunities to exhibit at the Astor.

“I really do feel like I have put my best foot forward in the community. Ever since I arrived here, I’m really committed to being a resource and a support within our community. 
So the relationships that I’ve already established throughout the community, I hope will help and support all that’s going on within the theatre and just further enhance that momentum that we seem to have going right now.”

Goulden also announced on the news release that Easton Goodwin, who has appeared in various Astor productions, has been hired as a theatre staff member.

The Astor is close to launching its new website. And it’s been working with the Region of Queens, which owns the building, to improve the building’s accessibility.

In April, the theatre secured a five-year, $500,000 funding commitment from the J&W Murphy Foundation to help beef up its programs and promotion.

CURRENT ASTOR THEATRE SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Eric Goulden, Chair
• Lynn Cochrane, Vice-Chair
• Loris Azzano, Treasurer
• Star Donovan, Director
• Patricia Simms, Director
• Dan Williams, Director

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QCCR hosted a session on Thursdy to generate ideas for events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere. (Rick Conrad)

A food truck festival, a chili cookoff and Movies on the Mersey were among the dozens of ideas for Liverpool’s Privateer Park tossed around Wednesday evening at Queens Place Emera Centre.

QCCR hosted a community meeting to generate ideas for more events on the Liverpool waterfront and elsewhere in Queens County.

Station manager Norm Amirault said he wanted to hold the session after seeing some comments on Facebook about people wanting more to do in Privateer Park.

“And honestly, I’d felt that way myself,” he said in an interview. “You have this beautiful park, and you wonder why there aren’t more activities going on there. 
I always thought if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. … And based on the feedback tonight, there’s a ton of good ideas out there that people really do want to see more activities there.”

About 20 people discussed ideas for a more vibrant waterfront, like holding more seasonal festivals similar to last March’s Light Up Queens Winter Night Festival, more events targeted toward youth, encouraging more performing arts besides music in the park. And there was even talk of a Beatles festival.

Min Smale is the secretary-treasurer of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. She’s also the chair of the Privateer Days committee, which holds the popular annual festival in the park every June.

She was impressed with people’s ideas.

“I think they’re fantastic, and I think it’s really going to revitalize both the waterfront or Privateer Park as well as some of the smaller, lesser-known venues across Queens.

“I think it was great to see the younger folks come in here and enjoy the conversation. They need to be involved in the music and the entertainment scene here.”

One of those young people was Easton Goodwin. He and some of his high school bandmates were at the event.

“I’m glad I came out tonight. 
Usually, not a lot of people like me come out to this kind of thing. And it’s such a great opportunity, you know? There’s a lot of voices in Queens County that really need to be heard.”

“We definitely do have some highlights, such as the Astor Theatre, a lot to explore there, but also, you know, a group of teens want to hang out Friday night, where do they go? 
So, some spots for people to just explore, hang out with friends, and more opportunities for the youth.”

A couple of roadblocks exist in turning the ideas into reality — finding enough funding and volunteers. 

Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton told the group that while the municipality can’t fund everything, there could be some money available for certain events.

Amirault said he’ll collect the ideas into some common themes, and then approach some local groups like the chamber to try to get things going.

“Maybe as we talked about bite sized pieces, partnerships, and focus on a few things and do them well. Maybe that’s a reasonable first step.”

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Easton Goodwin and Desmond Smyth tied for the People’s Choice Award at the Atlantic International Film Festival’s youth film competition. (Rick Conrad)

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Two young filmmakers from Liverpool have won the People’s Choice Award at this year’s Atlantic International Film Festival youth film competition.

The short films by Easton Goodwin and Desmond Smyth tied for the award, which was decided by a round of online voting. Their films were among 16 finalists out of 40 submissions.

Desmond, 16, says he’s happy that he and Easton are sharing the award. 

“I got an email that said I had been selected for the People’s Choice Award but there were two really great films that tied for the category. And I was like, man, if there is one person that should have gotten this award it was Easton. So I texted him to see if he got anything and it ended up he did.

“It’s a very cool experience and I’m glad that Easton got the award because he really does deserve it. He put a lot of time and effort and he put all of his heart into the film.”

Desmond’s film November Moon is an homage to David Lynch’s movies. It follows a teenager who has visions of creatures haunting him.

Easton’s film Past Echoes is a more personal look at a young boy dealing with depression, anxiety and bullying at school.

“I couldn’t believe it honestly,” Easton, 17, said Wednesday in an interview.

“Growing up, film was one of my biggest dreams and to get to share this award with one of your best friends, it really is a pleasure. I loved Desmond’s film so much and so much work was put into it, it was great and I loved it. I think it’s awesome that we get to share it.”

The two students at Liverpool Regional High School have collaborated before on a short that also got attention at the Atlantic film festival’s youth competition. Last year, they and some friends made The Absence, which was the runner-up in the people’s choice vote.

Desmond and Easton are members of the Astor Theatre’s filmmaking club, which began in September. More than a dozen youth meet every week to work on their own projects and collaborate on bigger ones.

The club is overseen by three adult mentors, Desmond’s parents Kyle and Lori, and Dan Williams.

“There’s a lot of really, really talented kids at the film club,” Desmond says. “They certainly helped me with my film. They’re very supportive of the whole thing, which I think is awesome.”

Easton says that being part of the film club has helped him hone his filmmaking.

“The film club we can’t thank them enough, they were really helpful. They all have talent and they really did help our (pictures).”

The club wraps up for the year when school’s out for the summer. But Easton says more kids should join when the club starts up again in September.

“If you have children who might be interested in film tell them to come out because we have a great group of people and they’re all so welcoming.”

In the meantime, Easton and Desmond say they’re going to keep working on their own projects and help spread the word about the film club and the Astor’s stop-motion animation club, which will also get going again in September.

“I guess keep making films and hope for the best,” Easton says. “The best advice I ever got is to just making films, keep writing, keep filming every day and eventually it will improve and then hopefully I’ll be in the industry at some point.”

To see all the finalist films in the Atlantic International Film Festival’s youth competition this year, go to the festival’s YouTube channel.

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Kaleb Whynott, Desmond Smyth and Thomas Lenco edit parts of The Movbee, one of the films that will be featured at the Astor Academy Film Festival on Friday. (Rick Conrad)

A small group of young filmmakers in Liverpool is already making a splash on the big screen.

Two members of the Astor Theatre Academy’s film club were finalists in the Atlantic International Film Festival’s youth film competition in Halifax last weekend.

Easton Goodwin’s five-minute short Past Echoes and Desmond Smyth’s four-minute November Moon made the final cut from about 40 submissions.

Now, movie lovers in their hometown will be able to watch those two short films and others produced by the club at the Astor Academy Film Festival on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Astor.

About a dozen youth from 13 to 17 years old meet every Monday at the Astor Theatre to learn the craft of filmmaking. It’s the first year for the club, overseen by three adult mentors: Kyle and Lori Smyth and Dan Williams.

Members of the film club have created their own projects and have collaborated on a bigger film.

The shorts and the longer film will premiere at the film festival on Friday. 

QCCR dropped in on the club this week to talk to some of the members while they put the finishing touches on their group project, The Movbee.

You can also vote for Easton’s and Desmond’s films for the People’s Choice Award in the Atlantic International Film Festival’s youth film competition by going to the AIFF YouTube channel.

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Jerri Southcott with a small-scale model of the set for Seussical, the first production from the Astor Theatre’s Astor Academy. (Rick Conrad)

The Astor Theatre in Liverpool is launching a new theatre education program for youth with a production set to open in June.

The Astor Academy is designed to give youth aged 8 to 18 access to high-quality performing arts training. Its first production is Seussical, a musical comedy based on the works of Dr. Seuss.

Jerri Southcott is the Astor’s executive director. She said the Astor Academy was the “brainchild” of former interim executive director Jean Robinson-Dexter and some members of the Astor board.

The idea is to give kids and youth some training in the arts at little or no cost.

“The draw really is access to arts education, a creative and safe space to work with theatre professionals, musical theatre, and summer camps, dance and vocals and music at no cost,” Southcott said in an interview Tuesday.

“Too often, families are left in a position where they can’t afford to have private music lessons or private dance classes. We are trying to make it as a accessible as possible to allow everyone in rural Nova Scotia no matter what their economic situation is to this great opportunity.”

Preparation for Seussical is well underway, with up to 18 young cast members from Queens County and other areas of the South Shore. It’s being helmed by a production team of adults experienced in community and professional theatre. 

Southcott’s brother Shane is the director, Malcolm Freeman is the assistant director, Kim Umphrey is vocal director, Kristopher Snarby and Michelle Riley are vocal coaches, Kerenza Verburg is choreographer and Cynthia Walker is stage manager.

It will open on June 20 and run until June 23, with two evening shows and two matinees.

“It’s about friendship, it’s about relationships, it’s about community and about treating people with love and respect.”

Southcott says they’re still looking for anybody who might be interested in joining the show. The cast is basically set, but they’re looking to fill some spots in the production crew, including costumes and set building.

“I have experienced and seen the benefits of what this kind of involvement in productions and the camaraderies and teamwork and everything can have on a person. Too often, it’s not just economics, it’s feeling excluded, feeling isolated, not feeling popular enough, not knowing the talent they have inside and creating an environment where they feel welcome and they feel accepted. … We have people who have never been on stage, and we’ve seen some hidden talents.”

Southcott says the Astor will soon announce summer theatre camps offered through the Astor Academy. She said there will be a small fee to help pay the instructors. The Astor has scholarships available for those camps.

The productions through the academy are mostly free with a $20 fee for registration and show T-shirt, though that fee can be waived.

“I do think it’s important for the Astor to offer this opportunity for youth in the area,” Southcott says. “I would love to see more kids come out. We are wide open to anybody who would like to come and see what it’s all about.”

Malcolm Freeman is the assistant director of Seussical and Easton Goodwin plays Cat in the Hat in the musical. It opens at the Astor Theatre on June 20. (Rick Conrad)

Easton Goodwin is playing Cat in the Hat in Seussical. He is a Grade 11 student at Liverpool Regional Regional High School. He’s been involved in other productions at the Astor, including the recent musical Follies, as well as Into the Woods and Peter Pan Jr., all directed by former associate artistic director Ashley-Rose Goodwin.

“Seussical is such a fun musical and it’s so entertaining, especially for younger ones too. I’ve always wanted to play a crazy fun character that moves around a lot. I just love musical theatre so much.”

Malcolm Freeman of Liverpool is the assistant director of Seussical. He has appeared in numerous Astor productions, including Follies. This is his first time behind the scenes.

“It’s fun being on this side of things and getting to learn the ropes on that (side of) the spectrum. I wanted to get involved with this because I’ve never worked with youth and I’ve never actually been a part of making the decisions and bringing a stage production to life. It broadens your horizon on your own skills and your own acting and singing abilities.

“It’s coming together so well. We have a fantastic cast, the kids and the youth are great and we really couldn’t have asked for a better group of people.”

Tickets for Seussical are on sale now through Ticketpro.

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