Erin Knowles will don a new cap in 2027 as the artistic director of the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts – New Providence’s only community theater. Knowles, 36, will be responsible for the direction of the organization’s overall vision and programming, including Ringplay Productions and Shakespeare in Paradise.
For Knowles, that means collaborating and “standing on the shoulders” of those people who came before her.
She will take over from Philip Burrows, director, on January 1, 2027. That will go along with her role as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) project manager.
As project manager, she gets to put together programs that reflect excellence and maintain the standard of productions.
“I’m not saying our standard is the best, but I can say I haven’t seen anything better. And it’s so important we share the knowledge we have,” she said.
UNESCO and IFCD gave the Dundas a $100,000 grant for a project to professionalize The Bahamas’ theater industry. The grant made it possible for the first time in the Dundas’ history for cast and crew to earn a satisfactory wage, and for the theater to generate a profit, according to Knowles.
She is determined to prove that a full-time career in the arts is possible in The Bahamas, with the right funding.
“Although the grant did not completely fund the production [of Richard III], it gave us an investment that helped us to start the financing of the production. And we were able to…either through grants, ticket sales, donations from corporate entities, pay all our cast and crew, and retain a profit, so that we can pour into the next production [Gun Boys Rhapsody]. So, Richard III was our first real success using a model that we were developing as a result of this UNESCO and Dundas grant.”
The first thing on her agenda as project manager is a summer intensive program. This year’s session, which runs from June 15 to August 1, will offer courses, over a period of six weeks, to anyone over age 16 interested in learning about theater — writing, directing, acting, choreography, lighting, sound and stage management.
The 14-year theater volunteer turned employee said her project manager role has been rewarding.
“Last year, the summer intensive program really set the bar for top-tier work in productions. We had the likes of Dr. Ian Strachan teaching students how to write their plays. We had Arthellia Isaacs helping us to frame ‘Short Tales’ productions. We had Candi Rigby, who is a phenomenal actor, sharing her knowledge on the audition process. We had Philip Burrows sharing his knowledge on directing. We had Jason Evans talking about set design. I taught a lesson on lighting and sound. Jared Rigby taught a vocal lesson. So, it’s so much about supporting creativity in a way that we want to continue growing.”
Knowles got to witness firsthand how the participants were able to put into practice what they had learned. She said being able to sit at the table and help create the framework towards establishing a thriving performing arts industry has been a remarkable experience that proves Bahamians can have full-time careers in the arts.
“We just need the funding for it. We don’t need you to give us all the money to make the production happen. We just need you to give us something, so that we could have that capital to start, and we promise we’re going to build on that and be able to keep theater alive in a way that it remains culturally relevant, excellent, and a form of entertainment that is different from what we’re used to.”
Knowles, who began volunteering at the Dundas in 2012, said the goal has always been for everyone involved with the performing arts to do something better than before.
“There are so many talented young people and older ones who are appearing at auditions and just asking what can we do. That tells me that although my job is going to be difficult, albeit an important one, I’ll have the people behind me and in front of me that will ensure that theater never dies in this country.”
The artistic director said she is excited about planning a repertory season that will require an intense few months of productions. She will be working with Shakespeare in Paradise, specifically “Short Tales”, helping people write their plays, learn how to direct, and learn more of the ins and outs of theater.
“One thing I hope I’m able to carry over as artistic director from our UNESCO-Dundas project is the summer intensive program, because we have built a community of individuals specifically dedicated to doing theater in the best way we can, at a standard that continues to impress our audiences.
“And so much of what I am able to do now and will be able to do in the future will depend on the relationships I build, the creative teams I’m able to put together, and the support I’m able to get from people who are just as devoted to this craft that I am.”
Knowles said what keeps her excited about theater is watching performers transform into characters that stretch beyond what they ever thought they could be.
“Seeing productions move from the page to the stage, and seeing performers have so much fun embodying characters outside of who they are, really developing, stretching, taking risks to put together a holistic piece that’s enjoyable to an audience.”
She said she wants to see theater in The Bahamas change to where companies, individuals, and the viewing audience see the value of investing in it.
“Over the last five years, we have grown in a way where we have established a new audience, coupled with our regular theater goers. I want people to begin viewing us as quality and worth the money. That’s the change I really want to see,” said Knowles.
The former decade-long educator said because she taught for so many years, one of the things she always did with her students was take them to Shakespeare in Paradise. When she sees former students stepping into roles in the theater, she said it’s a full-circle moment for her, because she made a difference academically and culturally.
Knowles most recently directed Junkanoo in Paradise in 2023, and adjudicated drama for the 2026 E. Clement Bethel National Arts Festival. She will direct “The Merry Wives of Windsor” for Shakespeare in Paradise.
