empl ated ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁theatre ▁festival . ▁During ▁a ▁theatre ▁conference ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁N AC ▁staff ▁discovered ▁that ▁other ▁theatre ▁profession als ▁were ▁considering ▁the ▁same ▁idea , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁movement ▁to ▁organ ize ▁such ▁an ▁annual ▁festival . ▁As ▁the ▁national ▁theatre ▁community ▁had ▁little ▁desire ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁festival ▁to ▁be ▁" owned " ▁by ▁the ▁N AC ▁or ▁ent rench ed ▁in ▁Ott awa , ▁organiz ers ▁settled ▁on ▁having ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁festival ▁altern ating ▁with ▁Ott awa . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Theatre ▁Festival ▁Society ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁operating ▁the ▁festival ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁N AC . ▁Mary ▁V ing oe ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁festival ' s ▁first ▁art istic ▁director . ▁The ▁society ' s ▁mand ate ▁was ▁to ▁produce ▁and ▁promote ▁contemporary ▁English ▁language ▁theatre ▁in ▁Canada ▁of ▁high ▁art istic ▁standards ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁scope . ▁Prom oted ▁as ▁" Can ada ' s ▁National ▁Festival ▁of ▁Contempor ary ▁Canadian ▁Theatre ▁in ▁English ", ▁the ▁first ▁Mag net ic ▁North ▁Theatre ▁Festival ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Ott awa ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁a ▁present ing ▁a ▁sl ate ▁of ▁the atr ical ▁performances , ▁the ▁festival ▁holds ▁lect ures , ▁work sh ops , ▁sym pos ia , ▁discussion ▁pan els , ▁and ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁perform ers ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁produ ctions ▁as