The Kawartha Small Business Podcast · The Kawartha Small Business Podcast

178: Nicole Mitchell- The Grove Theatre

·46 min·2 clips

Nicole says The Grove moved from four actors in The 39 Steps to ten next season.

Brian Rump and Matt Gearty record from Thrive Podcast Studio at Thrive Coworking Community in downtown Lindsay. Nicole joins them as the general manager of the Grove Theatre. She introduces herself with the kind of hesitation that comes from being put on the spot. She says she moved to the area with her family in 2021, when the Grove was still just getting going. She lives in Cameron. She says she has only ever worked in non-profit theatre. The hosts lean into theatre language and tease out the culture of the place. Nicole explains that the Grove has its own vocabulary and its own way of doing things. The conversation shifts into what the theatre feels like in practice. Outdoor performances change the rhythm of the night. Weather can shape the whole experience. Some setups give artists cover while the audience sits through the conditions and stays with it anyway. That makes each night feel a little different. It also makes the event feel memorable. Nicole and the hosts talk about how those evenings turn into something special rather than just another show. The conversation also returns to the audience reaction to the space itself. Brian describes arriving at the Grove and being taken by the walk up to the top of the hill. He says the place felt magical before he even saw the performance. He also admits he did not always follow the show itself, especially during Comedy of Errors, but still loved the experience. The discussion keeps the focus on how the Grove lands emotionally, not just artistically. Nicole and the hosts remember earlier conversations, previous visits, and the feeling of not wanting to miss what is happening there. The talk drifts into side jokes about who knows whose phone number and how local networks hold together. That leads into a playful stretch about getting Tim and Chris involved in every possible form of transport, from cab to bus to shuttle. The episode closes with Nicole admitting she was nervous at the start. The hosts answer with the kind of joking reassurance that keeps the whole thing loose. What remains is a picture of the Grove as a community place, a theatre, and a small-business story all at once.

As heard by us

A candid look at how the Grove Theatre's day-to-day realities shape the night.

The Grove Theatre comes across as a working local business first and an arts venue second, with Nicole Mitchell speaking plainly about her role as general manager, her move to the area in 2021, and a career shaped by nonprofit theater.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Listen if you want the real business behind a theatre that lives outdoors and turns weather into part of the night.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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