Campaign News

‘Audrey May Mitchener’
Coat Check Lobby

November 10, 2008

Dear Peter:

I am writing this letter to seek consideration from the Theatre for the naming of the coat check lobby of the Theatre in remembrance of my mother, Audrey May Mitchener.

As you know, I spent two years in the Loyal True Blue and Orange Home in Richmond HillOntario and was adopted in 1953 when I was 10 years old. Shortly thereafter my adoptive parents were divorced and this left my mother with the sole responsibility for raising two pre­teen age sons - my brother Jack and I.

As a single parent, our mother had very limited financial resources. Because circumstances at the time demanded sacrifices, Mom, despite physical handicaps from the polio she endured when she was a child, took on jobs which many would consider menial. One of those jobs was that of a "coat check girl" - a job which my brother and I now know, but did not fully appreciate at the time, was extremely physically demanding on her. This was not the only job of this nature she took on and her willingness to do these jobs and the sacrifices she made to do them, speaks volumes about her sense of responsibility and commitment, not just to us but to others.

Those same qualities are also reflected in the unselfishness of the volunteers who staff the coat check for the benefit of all of the Theatre's patrons. Hopefully they are also reflected in the way my brother and I have conducted our lives.

My brother Jack and I would consider it an honour to acknowledge our mother's sacrifices and unwavering sense of responsibility through the naming of the “coat check lobby” after her.

Respectfully,
Don A. Mitchener, FCA

Don Mitchener and his wife Jane are retired and live comfortably on Darlings Island. 

Life wasn’t always like that for Don and his brother Jack, as you can read from the letter to the left.  His family grew up and lived in the Toronto area.  Their mother, Audrey Mitchener, lived there in her modest brick home until she passed away in 1999 at 89 years of age.

Despite their modest upbringing, Audrey’s sons had successful careers - Don as a Tax Accountant and Jack as a Commercial Printer in Toronto. 

Don and Jane have lived in the greater Saint John area only since 1997, moving here from Toronto, but Saint John is now home.

Their connection to Imperial Theatre began with the first piece of mail received at their new address - it was a season brochure for Imperial Theatre!  Don and Jane thought season tickets would be a good way to meet people and get out throughout the year, and the rest is history . . .

Don has been a volunteer Board Member for Imperial Theatre since 1999 including roles as President and Treasurer, beginning when he was a tax partner at Deloitte.  He is now Treasury Chair of Imperial Theatre’s Capital Campaign and made a significant personal donation to the Campaign.  In recognition of his contribution to Imperial Theatre, both as a donor and volunteer, we have named the ‘Coat Check Lobby’ after Don and Jack’s mother, Audrey May Mitchener.

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