▁well ▁as ▁prominent ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁the atr ical ▁community . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁target ing ▁the ▁general ▁public , ▁the ▁festival ' s ▁offer ings ▁include ▁events ▁c ater ing ▁to ▁working ▁profession als ▁in ▁the ▁theatre , ▁which ▁include ▁networking ▁and ▁community - building ▁activities . ▁ ▁Total ▁festival ▁attend ance ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁was ▁over ▁ 9 , 0 0 0 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁festival ▁featured ▁ 5 3 ▁performances , ▁involving ▁ 1 0 ▁works ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁program ▁at ▁eight ▁ven ues , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁" Mag net ic ▁Enc oun ters " ▁artist ▁talk ▁series ▁and ▁the ▁industry ▁networking ▁event , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁public ▁events ▁to ▁over ▁ 8 0 . ▁ ▁Ken ▁Camer on ▁succeeded ▁V ing oe ▁as ▁art istic ▁director ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁position ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁The ▁festival ' s ▁current ▁art istic ▁director ▁is ▁Br end an ▁He aly , ▁who ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Mag net ic ▁North ▁Theatre ▁Festival ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁can cell ing ▁its ▁up coming ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁and ▁would ▁be ▁perman ently ▁can cell ing ▁the ▁festival . ▁The ▁festival ▁stated ▁that ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁festival ' s ▁accum ulated ▁deb t ,