Business Women Awards 2022
Industry Leader Creative Services Jennifer Canole, Trinity Repertory Company
If there’s one thing that Jennifer Canole has learned over the past two years, it’s the importance of being flexible.
The theater industry was hit hard when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and venues were closed almost overnight beginning in March 2020. No one involved in the arts was sure what the future held, whether they were on Broadway or a regional theater such as Trinity Repertory Company, where Canole is interim executive director and director of development.
Two years later, the storied theater company in Providence appears to have survived and the organization is ready for its comeback. But the journey wasn’t easy.
“We had to make some tough decisions,” Canole said. “We got very small in staff size. It was difficult but it helped us weather the storm.”
She recognizes the unprecedented support the theater received during the trying period when no one was sure when live performances would be staged again.
“People supported the theater knowing that they would return,” she said. “It gave them hope through those dark days, which we all remember. Even during the worst part of the pandemic, we received a record number of donations.”
Trinity has faced other challenges and struggles since its founding in 1963 but nothing like the sudden, unexpected uncertainty brought on by COVID-19.
As the theater continues to ramp back up, the industry is waiting to see how audiences will respond. There have been other significant changes at Trinity Rep.
During the shutdown, the team at Trinity decided to grapple with its role in a society struggling with issues of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Historically, the stories told in the theater were those of white people and that was reflected in the audiences that attended. But Trinity made the decision to become more open and welcoming for everyone, especially those who rarely or never see people like themselves on stage.
“I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done figuring out how to be an antiracist organization,” Canole said. “We decided to intentionally produce theater presenting voices that haven’t been given space before.”
The work is new and fresh, but it’s also different and that can be scary and uncertain.
“This season is a reintroduction to our community,” she said. “We’ve been having some great conversations about the work we’re doing.”
She explains that the theater may not truly be back to normal for another year or so, as audiences begin to slowly venture out and new sources of funding open up.
“The funding that was available during the pandemic went away,” Canole said. “We were fortunate to benefit from programs [such as] the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant to keep us afloat. But now we need to rely on new sources for long-term support.”
Trinity recently announced that it has found a new executive director, Kate Liberman, who will take the reins in the fall.
Canole is excited about helping to transition to new leadership and she’s looking forward to returning to her work in development and fundraising, particularly during this critical time in the theater’s history.
“Over the past year, I’ve gotten to understand my colleagues in deep and meaningful and important ways that will help us move the organization ahead,” she said.
In her role as director of development, she has been responsible for securing, maintaining and increasing funding for Trinity’s various arts programs, including the Young Actors Studio, providing young people with after-school and summer programs; Project Discovery Plus, offering students opportunities to attend performances; Trinity Rep Active Imagination Network, delivering programs for those with autism, cognitive and psychiatric disabilities; and Open Access Theater, creating an environment that is accessible to all.
It’s been a long road since she started as an intern back in 1999.
“I was the first woman in this position and that’s a point of pride for me,” Canole said. “I never could have imagined that I would be doing what I’m doing today.”