It is with heavy hearts that the Borelians mourn the passing of our dear friend Jan Taylor on the afternoon of January 9th, 2018, peacefully and with her family by her side.
For years, Jan has been a steadfast supporter of Borelians Community Theatre.
As an active board member, Jan saw the group through many seasons; her feisty spirit and loving nature were reflected in the dramas she urged us to stage, her sense of humour and gentle wit at the surface of every comedy she encouraged us to perform. Whether it was at breakfast board meetings in her basement or pot-luck AGMs, Jan helped to guide our theatre group through some of its most successful years.
Jan could be seen onstage in the details of many of our shows. As the props-master for over a dozen productions, Jan’s quest to find the perfect set-pieces took her on adventures all across Ontario. Antique refrigerators, Victorian chaise lounges, decorative statuettes from any era; each set she worked on was a character that lived and breathed because of her attention and respect to detail. Her tireless efforts to place the perfect prop in the hands of every actor will be cherished by everyone that worked with her. Jan’s exceptional work on August: Osage County, Having Hope at Home, The Drawer Boy, Wait Until Dark, A Streetcar Named Desire, Drama at Inish, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to name a few, will always be remembered.
In 2015, Jan produced the Norm Foster comedy, Office Hours, which was an audience favourite in recent Borelians seasons, and in 2016, Jan stepped onstage to act for the first time, representing Borelians Community Theatre in their production of All Together Now at Durham Minifest. Jan also particularly enjoyed taking part in all of our staged readings including War of the Worlds, The Twilight Zone, and It’s a Wonderful Life.
The Borelians would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Jan’s loving family and her many, many, many friends. A celebration of life will be organized for springtime, the details of which will be posted at a later date.
Thank you, Jan, for the many years of joy, inspiration, and unwavering passion.
We love you and will carry you in our hearts whenever we step on stage.
May your light shine brightly on us from above.