Peter Mannering

[Denis Johnston]

I've been advised by a friend of mine in Victoria that Peter Mannering
passed away last weekend, of pancreatic cancer.

Peter grew up in North Vancouver, performed in the early years of
Theatre Under the Stars and the Frederic Wood Theatre, founded a
short-lived opera company in Vancouver, and was a key member of the
Totem Theatre, a Vancouver contemporary of Ottawa's Canadian Repertory
Theatre.  After working for Stratford and the MTC in their early years,
Peter founded Bastion Theatre in Victoria and was its artistic director
for a decade or so. (I don't have my OxCompCdnTh handy.) He later
founded another company in Victoria, Four Seasons Musical Theatre, and I
had the pleasure of working with him there one season.

He was made a Life Member of TRIC the year the Learneds were at UVic.
Besides the accomplishments listed above, he will be remembered for
launching many careers in professional theatre, and for being a kindly
mentor to many aspiring artists.