Support Vancouver Theatre This Season

Over the last year or so I’ve had the opportunity to check out more theatrical productions around Vancouver than I have in the last ten years or so. From the back of Havana to the Stanley’s stage and Bard’s towering tents, I’ve experienced musicals to shocking thrillers. With arts funding getting slashed in BC, It’s now more important than ever to support these productions no matter how big or small.

Photo credit: ourhero on Flickr

A few days ago I received an email blast from the Artistic Executive Director of the Pacific Theatre, Ron Reed. He noted the importance of subscribing to their program for the 2009-2010 season, and thanked their loyal followers. I realized that this makes a ton of sense since for many companies as they rely on subscriptions so that they can get an idea and outlook of their season’s revenue goals. Reed ended the email with this practical plea: “How can you help? Come and see shows. That’s all we ask. But don’t leave it until halfway through the run of something that may or may not be written up in the newspaper to make your decision: if you subscribe now, our shows will be in your calendar now. And… Pacific Theatre will know in advance that we have the funds we’ll need to make it all possible.”

After receiving this note and many emails from theatre companies across the city about their wonderful upcoming productions I thought I would be proactive and compile a list of each company, a link to their website, and highlight a few of their upcoming performances this season.

The bad news is that I didn’t have time to put this ultimate master list together all by myself. The good news is that I was able to call upon Rebecca Coleman (publicist and theatre blogger) for a hand with the links. Below I have a list of theatre companies and venues and I have added some notes as well as Twitter accounts for those I could find. You’ll find notes similar Reed’s on many of the sites listed below as well.

Arts Club Theatre Company – @TheArtsClub
Mom’s the Word until November 7th, then White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life November – December

Axis Theatre Company
November and December feature Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny school theatre productions.

Bard on the Beach

Blackbird Theatre
Presenting Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf this December.

The Beaumont Studios

Carousel Theatre – @CarouselTheatre
Axis’ Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny, followed by The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood November – January.

Itsazoo

Electric Company Theatre – @TheElectrics

Fight Chance Productions
Until October 24th, One Good Marriage by Sean Reycraft

Firehall Arts
Presenting October 21st – 31st Oh Winnipeg by John Pippus.

Fight Like a Girl Productions
Art by Yasmina Reza at the Inlet Theatre in Port Moody November 19th – 28th.

Gateway Theatre
The Foursome by Norm Foster on stage until October 24th.

Green Thumb

Headlines Theatre

Hoarse Raven

Solo Collective Theatre – @SoloCollective
The Project at Performance Works, Granville Island November 4th – 15th.

DRS Productions
Evil Dead… The Musical at the Norman Rothstein Theatre October 29th – November 7th.

New World Theatre

Pacific Theatre
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot ending tonight. Then, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from November – January.

PAL Vancouver

Pi Theatre
After the Quake, November 19th – December 5th.

Playwrights Theatre

Pound of Flesh
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Presentation House Theatre
A Picasso, Third Street Theatre Series October 15th – 31st.

Ruby Slippers
A Beautiful View December 5-13 at Performance Works.

Rumble
November 19th – December 5th, After the Quake by Haruki Murakami.

Spectral Theatre

Theatre Terrific

VECC – The Cultch

Vancouver Playhouse
Until October 31st, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson.

Tooba

Touchstone Theatre
Demon Voice by Shawn Macdonald, November 19th – 28th at Performance Works.

United Players
November 13th – December 6th, The Vertical Hour by David Hare.

Vancouver Fringe – @VancouverFringe

Vancouver Theatre Sports League – @VanTheatreSports

Schools
Capilano University
Romeo and Juliet November 19th – 28th.

Langara College
The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare November 19th – December 13th.

SFU School for the Contemporary Arts
Dances on the Hill: Finale, the last faculty dance show November 26th – 28th.

Theatre UBC
The Master Builder October 28 – November 7, and upcoming, The Laramie Project November 19 – 28th.

Should you have any listings to add, please feel free to contact me.

Todd Talbot and Sara-Jeanne Hosie in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s
production of White Christmas. Photo by David Cooper.

Even after you have clicked through to see more from each of these — and incredibly you find that you are still not interested in attending a performance — there are still a few options for support. Theatre tickets make lovely gifts for birthdays or the upcoming holiday season and many of the production companies above have some great things in the works for this winter and spring.

You may have also noticed that on many of these websites there is a “donate” button or CanadaHelps badge. If you would like to see these companies appear on my 2010/2011 list, please consider a donation as an option as well.

I would like to encourage every Vancouverite to take in at least one live theatre performance this fall, winter, or spring. The shows are affordable, include many stunning sets and feature talented actors & actresses. Once you go, you’ll realize that a night of theatre in Vancouver is an incredibly enjoyable experience.