The National Theatre School and Sun Life Financial partnering to raisecurtain on the Scène Financière Sun Life du Monument-National

MONTREAL, QC, March 16 /CNW/ - The National Theatre School of Canada and Sun Life Financial today announced a three-year partnership agreement to spotlight a new stage at the Monument-National called La Scène Financière Sun Life. There are two components to the sponsorship agreement: support for operating this new performance space and support for a program of French-language concerts by singers from Montreal and across Quebec. The curtain goes up today on the Scène Financière Sun Life.

Located on the ground floor, window-filled area of the Monument-National, the Scène Financière Sun Life is a versatile performance venue in a warm and intimate setting. From entertainment to business meetings to dialogue between performers and the public, the Scène Financière Sun Life can be adapted to meet event and programming needs and can host gatherings before and after performances on other Monument-National stages.

"Through our partnership with Sun Life we are providing new opportunities for up-and-coming French-language singer-songwriters in one of Montreal's most prestigious cultural buildings, in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles," said Simon Brault, CEO of the National Theatre School, which is the owner of the Monument-National and its main performance entity.

"Our partnership with the National Theatre School and the Monument-National reflects our shared commitment to the dynamic arts and culture scene in Montreal and throughout Quebec. The Scène Financière Sun Life du Monument-National will be a new showcase for artistic creativity in a warm and relaxed setting. We are a proud supporter of arts and culture, with a special focus on accessibility," said Isabelle Hudon, President, Sun Life Financial, Quebec.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of wealth accumulation and protection products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Chartered in 1865, Sun Life Financial and its partners today have operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2010, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of CDN$464 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under ticker symbol SLF.

About the National Theatre School

For 50 years now, the NTS has shaped some of the greatest talent in this country, be they actors, playwrights, directors, set and costume designers, production managers, lighting and sound designers, technical directors, and stage managers. Their reach is wide, touching the fields of dance, theatre, opera, film, television, radio, digital arts, literature, and the circus. Over 1,900 artists have graduated from NTS's English and French sections since its inception in 1960. For half a century, the School has been true to its mission, which is to contribute to the appreciation, reach and advancement of theatre and its related arts in Canadian society by training artists and artisans in all the theatrical disciplines at an arts-oriented school that is both national in scope and open to the world. For more information, please go to www.ent-nts.ca.