Theatre life

Robert Tsonos’ first foray into the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico was as an actor in 2014. He recently celebrated 10 years as its Artistic Director. With his extensive theatre experience, robust leadership skills and methodical approaches, Robert continues to cultivate a vibrant community at the Watermark. “We are committed to creating consistent quality productions that people have come to know and expect from us.”

One of the major shifts under Robert’s leadership is that the Watermark Theatre now offers programming throughout the year, not just during the summer season. They have both adult and children’s theatre, an art gallery, community theatre, and mentorship programming. “We currently have a playwright-in-residence program, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support a local playwright in this way.”

A self-proclaimed theatre guy, Robert loves all facets of theatre, and he has experience in nearly all parts of the art form. He is an actor, playwright, and director with an impressive background, and his credits are too numerous to list. Among the many highlights of his career is spending time working in various locations around the world, including Venezuela, Japan, and Hong Kong (where he played Macbeth). “It was such a rewarding experience to get to learn how the industry works in other places.”

Regardless of the job he has in a particular production, Robert enjoys the process of bringing the play from the page to the stage. “I love being in the rehearsal hall to be part of and witness the creative process and artistic decisions.” 

Though he doesn’t spend as much time traveling internationally these days, Robert still spends a lot of time in the air as he splits his time living between PEI and Montreal. While it may seem that the bustling Montreal metropolis and rural PEI don’t have a lot in common, Robert made an astute observation about one important similarity that stands out for him: “Everyone is an artist in both places!” Living in such creative environments provides Robert with endless inspiration as he immerses himself in the arts and culture offered in both places he calls home. Whether it’s watching an opera, walking through art galleries, or catching a sunset, Robert is keenly engrossed in all things creative. “I spend a lot of time exploring and engaging with the creative community and with nature.”

Robert is hands-on in his approach to theatre and enjoys being able to meet with various people who are involved in bringing stories to life on stage. He is keen to bring as many local people into the Watermark productions as possible. “We start on the Island, then look more broadly in the Atlantic region before deciding to branch out into wider areas if needed. When possible, we amplify local actors.”

“I get to choose what goes on the stage and I spent a lot of time contemplating which productions we will undertake each season.” With two major productions happening simultaneously at the Watermark, the actors need to be similar enough in age, gender, and other demographics to be able to be in both plays, and the plays need to be different enough not to be redundant. “The plays have to complement each other, and it can be a fun puzzle to find the right fit for each season.”

Growing up as an anglophone in Montreal, there were not a lot of acting opportunities after high school, so Robert decided to pursue a business degree at university before his worldwide acting career began. Demonstrating that all our experiences contribute to our current circumstance, Robert notes that the business degree “comes in handy in my current role and I get to really use both my left brain and right brain.” 

Robert’s lifelong love of theatre can be traced back to high school drama class. “My teacher’s love of the arts and drama were contagious.” He was active in high school drama and enjoyed the ways in which performing requires the performer to be present, alert, and energized. “There was an adrenaline rush that came with making people laugh while I was performing skits and I was hooked on that feeling of connection with the audience.”