Centre Stage with Aubrey Dan of Dancap Productions

First impressions mean everything to Canadian impresario Aubrey Dan. It’s all about foreshadowing – priming the audience for an unforgettable experience – even if it means asking your staff to find palm trees in the middle of a harsh Canadian winter so they can feel the warm rays of the sun long before the first act of South Pacific. “That emotional connection is critical,” says the eccentric president of Dancap Productions Inc.

As he strides into an empty boardroom on the 17th floor of his company’s North York headquarters, he proves that the cardinal rule of first impressions doesn’t just apply to theatre. Extending his arm for a firm handshake, he carefully presents his business card that features the brand’s trademark fedora logo, a silhouette nearly identical to the real-life wide-brimmed Borsalino version he’s wearing today. Read more