Creating a stage for all ages

Jon Grosz, Production Manager at Theatre Sheridan and a 2012 graduate of Sheridan's Technical Production for the Performing Arts program, has built a career across nearly every corner of the entertainment industry, including film, television, commercials, advertising, immersive art and live theatre. Some of his most notable production credits include being an on-set dresser for Murdoch Mysteries, a prop builder for dozens of Broadway and Disney musicals including Aladdin and a set design assistant at the Shaw Festival.

Today, he brings that breadth of expertise to his role at Theatre Sheridan, where he is supporting research that aims to make the performing arts more inclusive and community driven.

Grosz is a key contributor to the project ‘A Stage for All Ages: Building Inclusive Volunteer Communities in the Performing Arts’, a collaborative initiative exploring how to create more accessible and equitable volunteer opportunities for older adults. Developed in partnership with Generator at Sheridan’s Centre for Elder Research and Community Development Halton, a capacity-building organization focused on supporting nonprofits and voluntary-sector organizations in Halton Region, the project responds to a significant decline in volunteer participation among older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a co-design approach, the research examines both systemic and internal barriers that may prevent older adults from engaging in volunteer roles within arts and culture spaces.

Working alongside CER researcher Dr. Karen Slonim and Theatre Sheridan team members Chris Scholey and Laura Grandfield, Grosz plays a key role in organizing the project’s logistics, ensuring its many moving parts come together seamlessly and contributing to its overall success. His efforts include identifying and engaging student assistants, coordinating feedback meetings witholder adult volunteers and sourcing materials essential to the initiative, including usher apparel. His work ensures that the day-to-day delivery of the project runs smoothly while creating a welcoming and well supported environment for participants.

Grosz’s decision to get involved was driven by a career-long focus on innovation in the arts. “I’ve always wanted to see more sustainable practices brought into every level of theatre,” he explains. “That includes not just the financial side of running a venue, but how we engage with our communities in meaningful ways.”

This project reflects that vision by focusing on building volunteer programs that are not only effective, but inclusive, dignified and responsive to the needs of older adults.

Through interviews, participant observation and ongoing feedback, the research team is working to better understand the experiences of older adult volunteers, particularly those who participated as ushers during Theatre Sheridan’s most recent season. The findings will inform best practices for inclusive recruitment, onboarding and long-term engagement, while also supporting stronger intergenerational collaboration.

Grosz has already begun applying insights from the project into future planning. Throughout Theatre Sheridan’s next season, participants’ feedback and research findings will help identify opportunities to expand the program and deepen community engagement.

Reflecting on the experience, Grosz emphasizes the value of collaboration and institutional support. “The ongoing support from the Centre for Elder Research has been incredible,” he said. “Having access to that level of expertise made a huge difference, not just in getting the project started, but in ensuring we were engaging the community in a meaningful way.”

By combining operational leadership with a commitment to inclusive practice, Grosz is helping to ensure that Theatre Sheridan’s impact extends beyond the stage, creating space for broader community connection and participation across generations.

Interested in learning more about how to get involved as a faculty or staff member in research, innovation and entrepreneurship at Sheridan? Visit sheridancollege.ca/generator.