Canada – The Canadian theatre community is mourning the loss of Matthew “Matt” MacInnis, a highly respected stage manager whose professionalism, warmth, and quiet leadership left a lasting mark on productions and people from coast to coast.
Festival Antigonish, where MacInnis began his career, shared the news of his passing this week, describing him as “exceptional, calm, wryly funny, endlessly prepared, warm and humble.” The company recalled his early days as a St. Francis Xavier University student under Production Manager Ingrid Risk, noting that even then, “it was clear he was something special.”
Over the years, MacInnis became a trusted presence in rehearsal halls and backstage corridors across Canada. He worked with institutions including Neptune Theatre, Music of the Night, and the Confederation Centre of the Arts, where his reliability and humor became as celebrated as his technical skill.
“Stage managers don’t often publicly receive their flowers,” Neptune Theatre wrote in a heartfelt tribute. “Because when they’re excellent at their job, you don’t even notice they’re doing it. And Matthew was one of the best in the business.”
Friends and colleagues described him as a steadying force — the kind of person who kept productions grounded while uplifting everyone around him. Fellow theatre professional David Light shared, “He was a fighter. He is a legend. Not only was he incredible at his job, he made coming to work a joy. I am crushed to lose our bitch and gossip sessions. But I know a cute little Butch was waiting for him on the other side.”
MacInnis’s passing has sparked a wave of grief and reflection across Canada’s arts community, underscoring how essential stage managers are to the success of live performance — and how rarely they are publicly recognized for their contributions.
In an industry defined by collaboration, MacInnis exemplified what it means to lead quietly yet powerfully. As one tribute poignantly summed it up: “He made every show better, and every person he worked with stronger.”
His colleagues, students, and friends now remember not just a professional at the top of his craft, but a man whose humor, empathy, and grace set a standard behind the scenes that will long be felt on Canada’s stages.
