All the World's a Stage: Motyer-Fancy Theatre (2014-present)

Motyer-Fancy Theatre (2014-present)

The Motyer-Fancy Theatre opened in 2014 in the new Purdy Crawford Centre for the Arts. As with Windsor Theatre, which it replaced, the term Motyer-Fancy Theatre is generally used to refer to both the physical space and the troupe of players who mount productions there. However, it is understood that the Drama Studies students, faculty, and professional staff produces most of the major plays staged there. 

The theatre was named in honour of Dr. Arthur Motyer and Prof. Alex Fancy, both alumni and professors emeriti of Drama at Mount Allison University.

The Motyer-Fancy Theatre's inaugural show, which opened on 29 October 2014, was She Stoops to Conquer, written by Oliver Goldsmith and directed by Glen Nichols.

Arthur John Motyer 

Arthur Motyer was born on 15 December 1925 in Hamilton, Bermuda, the son of W. Ernest P. and Edith (Brunning) Motyer. He attended Saltus Grammar School in Bermuda and received his Bachelor of Arts from Mount Allison University in 1945. He went on to attend the University of Oxford as Mount Allison’s 24th Rhodes Scholar.

After teaching at the University of Manitoba (1948-1950) and Bishop’s University (1950-1970) he returned to Mount Allison in 1970 as the first Purvis Professor of English and associate dean. In 1972, he became dean of Arts and went on to be vice-president (academic). He later returned to teaching and served as Mount Allison’s first director of drama. He was a member of the Order of New Brunswick and the Sackville Arts Wall and was a charter member of the Debut Atlantic Society in Halifax, Nova Scotia, serving as chair of the Board of Directors for nearly thirty years. He served as a founding co-chair of Live Bait Theatre and wrote two books, the novel What’s Remembered and a memoir The Staircase Letters.

He married Janet (Speid) Motyer, with whom he had children Michael and Gillian. He was subsequently in a longtime partnership with Alasdair MacLean. He died on 23 June 2011 at his home in Sackville, New Brunswick. He was posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bermuda Arts Council. The Motyer-Fancy Theatre at Mount Allison University was opened in his honour in 2014.

Alex Fancy 

Alexander Boyd Fancy was born at Lochbroom, Nova Scotia, the son of Leeland and Lillian (Ross) Fancy. He completed high school in New Glasgow, N.S., before entering Mount Allison where he graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) in French. In 1962 he travelled to Paris, France, to study for a year at the University of Paris and earned a certificate d’études pratiques de pronunciation française. Upon returning to Canada, he resumed his studies at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, and received an M.A. in French from the Department of Romance Languages in 1964.

In 1965, he returned to Mount Allison as assistant professor in the French department. He was appointed associate professor in 1971 and professor 1977. He was acting head of the Department in 1969 and head from 1971 – 1975. Fancy served as the secretary of the Senate from 1971 – 1973 and held the administrative positions of dean of Arts and Sciences, 1975 – 1978, and dean of the Faculty, 1978 – 1981. In addition, he has served on numerous university committees.

Fancy’s professional activities have concentrated on the areas of second language education and drama. He established the Summer Language program at Mount Allison and served as its director from 1971 to 1975. In May 1986, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Theatre Acadie. Over the years Fancy has produced numerous academic papers, conducted many workshops, and given speeches which promote biculturalism and bilingualism as well as extol the virtues of theatre as an educational tool for second language instruction. He has been recognized as one of the best university teachers in Canada, receiving the prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellowship in 1988, as well as being named the first recipient of both Mount Allison’s Herbert and Leota Tucker Teaching Award and the Association of Atlantic Universities Distinguished Teacher Award.

Tintamarre, Mount Allison’s semi-professional bilingual theatre troupe, was founded by Fancy in 1974. He is still heavily involved as director of its productions in 2021. Over the years he has written countless dramatic works and produced them as well as interpreting the works of others. He particularly enjoys satirizing the educational system through the medium of drama.

Fancy is married to Margaret Boulet, and the couple has two children, David and Rachel.

Set and Costume Designs

Below you will find a selection of set and costume designs created by Decima Mitchell for the Motyer-Fancy Theatre. Use the arrows on each side of the image to navigate the collection.

Visit the Motyer-Fancy Theatre for more information.