Thea Borlase, née Theodora May Mitchell (1921 - 2015) was a Canadian theatre administrator, who was a prominent figure in the arts community of Moncton, New Brunswick."Décès de Thea Borlase, une grande dame des arts et de la culture de Moncton". Ici Radio-Canada Nouveau-Brunswick, September 25, 2015.
Born in London, England, and raised on the Isle of Wight,Rhonda Whittaker, "Shades of gold At 76, Moncton's Capitol Theatre is a bejewelled lady in the prime of life". Times & Transcript, May 11, 1998. she served in the Women's Royal Naval Service during World War II, and moved to Canada after marrying Canadian soldier James Borlase in 1946. The couple settled in Moncton, where she began her long association with the city's theatre scene by joining the amateur theatre company Stage Door '56 as an actor.Charles Foster, "From England to Moncton's theatre district". Times & Transcript, September 16, 1999.
She was later a cofounder of the Moncton District Drama Council, and served as president of the New Brunswick Drama League, the provincial chapter of the Dominion Drama Festival. She also worked in radio as a book and theatre critic for the city's CBC Radio station.
From 1982 to 1992 she served as Atlantic regional officer for the Canada Council.Salem Alaton, "Halifax dance troupe faces money problem". The Globe and Mail, March 22, 1985. Beginning in 1992 she became involved in the restoration of the city's historic Capitol Theatre, serving on its board of directors for many years thereafter.
In 2001 she was a recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Arts from the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards,"Plummer, Max Ferguson among those receiving Gov-Gen. awards". Nanaimo Daily News, September 29, 2001. and in 2007 she was inducted as a Member of the Order of Canada."A host of new faces joins the Order". The Globe and Mail, December 29, 2007.
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