From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
To pursue work in the arts and theatre, people usually travel to a larger city like Toronto and not the other way around, but that’s exactly what Steve Ballantine did. Born in 1952 near Toronto, Ballantine moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 1988, but before that, he had acted and directed across Canada, Europe, and the United States.
Ballantine held a degree from the University of Windsor and was a scholarship student at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London England. He was also a student at the Tukak Theatre in Denmark and in 2000 received a Master’s in Applied Theatre from the University of Manchester.
Ballantine first came to Sault Ste. Marie in 1986 when he was a guest director for Stage North’s production of No Sex Please We’re British Soldiers and the Sault Opera Society’s Guys and Dolls. Ballantine was an avid outdoorsman and fell in love with the Sault and Algoma regions prompting his move.
When he arrived, he started as the general manager and artistic director of Sault Summer Youth Theatre. When he moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 1988, he was mentored by Arno Ambel of the Sault Opera Society. The two collaborated on several stage performances including Billy Bishop Goes to War, Rock and Roll, 18 Wheels, and Little Shop of Horrors.
Ballantine’s work with the Sault Youth Theatre was to create a training program for youth through the winter and summer. These productions would tour communities throughout the north. Ballantine also worked with other theatre groups like Algoma University Theatre for their production of Eurydice.
He was active in the Sault’s theatre and art community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie, the Rapids community planning process, the Cultural Advisory Board, and the Community Theatre Centre Management Board.
In 1992 he established Soothfest, which was a high school-level theatre competition.
Ballantine worked tirelessly to further art and theatre in the Sault Ste. Marie community, believing that great theatre doesn’t need to come from cities like Toronto or New York but can come from anywhere with hard work. Steve Ballantine passed away in 2007 at the age of 55.
Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.