Homeowner at heart of Shakespeare spat accused of charging for an unauthorized day camp

OTTAWA -- Act Two of the Shakespeare drama over a student play in an Old Ottawa South backyard has reached its climax, with Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services giving the local theatre troupe less than a week to cease operations, and making a dramatic allegation that the homeowner was running an unauthorized day camp and charging performers a membership fee.

The Company of Adventurers co-founder Paul Keen tells CTV Morning Live that he was told Ottawa Bylaw officers would be visiting his home to inspect the makeshift stage set up in his back yard.

The Ottawa youth theatre troupe has been fighting to continue performing Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” on the stage set up in the yard at Keen’s home after Bylaw officers initially shut down the play last week due to a zoning issue.

• WATCH: Theatre troupe fighting to keep backyard performance

The troupe was allowed to perform the play on Sunday for family members, but when and where the next showing happens is up in the air.

In a statement to CTV News, Director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services Roger Chapman said officers ordered Keen to cease using his property for live theatrical performances.

"The [notice of violation] was issued as a direct result of an on-site meeting with the property owner Monday morning, where it became apparent the owner did not intend to adhere to a verbal agreement which would have seen the play proceed at nearby Windsor Park," Chapman's statement said.

Chapman also claimed that Keen was charging the participants of the performances money.

"Investigations revealed that not only was the theatre still in operation, but a week-long day camp was also being operated on the premise. This is also a non-permitted use of an R3 residential property. Investigations also revealed that a $500 membership fee was being paid by the participants of the theatrical performances," Chapman said.

The drama over the summer production started last Thursday, when Ottawa Bylaw says it responded to a complaint in regards to a theatre company that was being operated out of a residential backyard in Old Ottawa South in contravention of the Zoning Bylaw. An Bylaw officer issued a verbal warning that the play is not permitted on residential property.

The troupe was seeking to raise money for the Ottawa Food Bank with their shows this September.

However, Chapman said this was the homeowner's second verbal warning for this issue, as a previous warning was issued last year.

"Furthermore, the property owner had previously received a verbal warning in 2019 that it was not permitted to operate a theatre out of this location. At the time, the Officer in charge of the file informed the property owner that it would be possible to continue holding the plays provided that a suitable venue, for example a park, was utilized," Chapman said.

Mayor Jim Watson said staff offered the use of Windsor Park free of charge for the performances, but Keen said the logistics of moving the play somewhere else wouldn’t work because of the set.

Keen told CTV Morning Live on Monday that the challenges of Windsor Park include no stage and change rooms for costume changes. Keen says they had offers to use other places in Ottawa for the play, but timing didn’t work out.

“Chapman reacted to our explanation that we cannot just up and shift to Windsor Park because we have a stage set by demanding to know if we have a building permit,” said Keen in an email on Sunday to CTV Morning Live.

“We’re concerned that this had nothing at all to do with the original complaint, so Bylaw is just looking for ways to escalate this.”

Speaking on CTV Morning Live Monday morning, Keen expressed frustration with the process for putting on a summer play in his backyard with students.

“When we explained to (city staff) because we have a set we couldn’t easily move to Windsor Park, they said ‘do you have a building permit for that set? We better come and inspect that.’ So, one more thing,” said Keen.

Chapman says the offer to use Windsor Park stands, but if the homeowner chooses not to accept, the curtain will fall on Friday.

"While [Ottawa Bylaw] supports the arts and giving back to the community, it is important to note that this enforcement action is the direct result of complaints," Chapman said.

"The property owner has been given until September 4th to cease operation of the theatre in the backyard. The park permit remains available for the theatre company to use should they choose to proceed with the performances in Windsor Park."

CTV News has reached out to Keen for his response.