The Joseph H. Shoctor
Endowment Fund and Award

Joe Shoctor’s passion for the arts was unquestionable. Perhaps the best way to honour his memory is to preserve and promote his passion. To that end, the Board of Governors and the Board of Directors of the Citadel, acting with the Edmonton Community Foundation, have created the Joseph H. Shoctor Endowment Fund.

The goal of this endowment fund is to foster the education, development, training and exposure of people seeking to pursue a career in the theatre.

The fund will be managed by the Edmonton Community Foundation. At least once per year a portion of the net income from the endowment will be disbursed to the Citadel’s Board of Governors. The Board will then disburse and award the funds to worthy applicants.

Joe Shoctor was a touchstone, a point from which the spark of so much creativity was generated. The legacy of his passion lives on through the endowment fund which will forever tie his name to the cultural future of this City and this Province.

Edmontonian James MacDonald recipient of
Joseph H. Shoctor Award

January 18, 2006
EDMONTON — The Citadel Theatre is pleased to announce the recipient of a new award endowed in the memory of our founder, Joe Shoctor. In 2006 Edmonton actor and director James MacDonald will participate in a comprehensive director’s internship at the Citadel. The money for the award comes from the Joseph H. Shoctor Endowment Fund, created with proceeds of the Tribute to Mr. Shoctor held in 2001.

The inspiration for the award came from the Citadel Theatre Board of Governors, inspired by Mr. Shoctor’s desire to encourage young people. David Bentley is the Past Chair of the Citadel Theatre Board of Governors. “Joe was fully committed to the development of theatre talent in Edmonton”, says David. “He would be proud to have his name associated with this award.”

James will participate in new play development, audience development, budget and season planning, community outreach, publicity and promotions and attend Board meetings. He will also be assisting Citadel Theatre Director Bob Baker on Peter Pan, running April 29–June 4, 2006.

The internship provides an opportunity to experience first-hand the day-to-day functions undertaken by the artistic director of a large, unionized, regional theatre by observing, shadowing and participating in the activities of the Citadel’s Artistic Director and members of our senior management team.

“We have always strived to nurture and develop theatre artists through our theatre school, our play development program and by providing positions for assistants to designers, apprentice stage managers and theatre production,” says Artistic Director Bob Baker. “This award is an important and necessary step towards artist development in every aspect of theatre and I am pleased that James MacDonald will intern at the Citadel Theatre.”

James MacDonald is directing the Citadel’s presentation of I Am My Own Wife, starring John Ullyatt and designed by Bretta Gerecke. At the Citadel, James has previously directed Stones in His Pockets (2003-2004 Season) and was Assistant Director for To Kill A Mockingbird (2000-2001 Season) under current Theatre Calgary Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum. James’ acting credits at the Citadel include, Measure for Measure; Amadeus; Einstein’s Gift; Wit; To Kill a Mockingbird; The Importance of Being Earnest; Othello and Of Mice and Men.

James’ other recent directing credits include Much Ado about Nothing and As You Like It at CanStage (Toronto) and the premiere of The Myth of Summer at Alberta Theatre Projects (Calgary). Other recent acting credits include performing in The Leisure Society at Theatre Network and Omnium Gatherum at CanStage.

Elsewhere, James’ directing credits include The Old Ladies and Black ‘ell for the Shaw Festival and The Merry Wives of Windsor; King Lear; Julius Caesar and The Taming of the Shrew at the River City Shakespeare Festival (Edmonton), where he was Artistic Director for five years. James has received two Sterling Awards for performances at the Citadel in Einstein’s Gift and Of Mice and Men.

A native Edmontonian, James is a graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA Acting program and was also a student at the Citadel Theatre School.

“Joe was a tremendous supporter of theatre in Edmonton and it is an honour to be the first recipient of the Joseph H. Shoctor Award,” says James. “Having worked across the country, I'm excited to return home to be at the Citadel, one of the finest theatres in Canada. I’m looking forward to working in an energetic and creative environment with this incredible team.”

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