Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Carousel Theatre
View on WikipediaKey Information
.svg){kind=small}
Carousel Theatre (also known as Carousel Theatre For Young People) is a professional theatre company for young audiences located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1][2][3] The company stages plays for young people,[4][5] families and educators at the Waterfront Theatre and Performance Works on Granville Island and tours to elementary schools across British Columbia and Canada.[6] It was also the first Canadian theatre company to offer signing during its performances for the hearing impaired.[6] Carousel Theatre is a member of PACT, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres.[7]
History and productions
[edit]Carousel was founded in 1974 by Elizabeth Ball, who served as Artistic Director until 2001,[3][8][9][10] when she stepped down and was replaced by Chris McGregor, who departed in 2006, and Carole Higgins until her departure from the company in July 2020.[2] Currently, the company is under significant artistic leadership changes and board reform. In its early years, Carousel garnered attention for its adaptations of Shakespeare in modern dress.[2] Later, it shifted its focus to adaptations of classical stories and new works by Canadian playwrights.[2] Carousel first mounted its productions in Vancouver playhouses such as the Arts Club Theatre Company's old Seymour Street theatre and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre.[2][3] In about 1993, it relocated to Granville Island, where it has administrative offices and three rehearsal halls.[3] Its administrative and rehearsal space is located across the street from the Waterfront Theatre, which Carousel helped to build and is where it mounts many of its productions.[2][3] When Higgins took over as Artistic Director, Carousel Theatre rebranded itself as Carousel Theatre for Young People, in order to signify its focus on children and youth.[3]
Carousel has mounted premieres of several productions, some of which it had commissioned and developed.[2] Currently, a typical mainstage season for Carousel consists of four or five productions.[3] It offers public performances on weekends and matinees, primarily for schools, during the week.[3]
Canadian plays that premiered at Carousel Theatre include A Christmas Carol - The Musical by Mavor Moore (in 1998),[11] Dying to be Thin by Linda A. Carson (in 1992), and Basically Good Kids by Mark Leiren-Young (in 1993). Carousel also mounted an original production of Pierre Berton's fable The Secret World of Og, adapted under commission by Governor General's Award-winning playwright Kevin Kerr. Other Carousel productions have included Seussical[12] and Kim Selody's adaptation of The Hobbit.[13] Many Canadian theatre artists, including Roy Surette, and Anna Cummer have worked for Carousel Theatre in the decades since it was founded.
In July 2020, following a petition alleging the theatre company had a toxic workplace, Carousel Theatre parted ways with longtime Artistic Director Carole Higgins.[14]
Other activities
[edit]In addition to producing and staging theatrical performances, Carousel operates a theatre school for young people from the ages of 3 to 17 years old.[2] The company also operates a "Teen Shakespeare Program" for young people aged 13 to 17 during the months of July and August,[15] culminating in a production staged by the teen actors.[2][3]
Awards
[edit]Carousel Theatre and its artists have been honoured with a number of awards.
"Jessie" Awards
[edit]Over the years, Carousel theatre received numerous Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and nominations,[16][17][18][19] including:
- 2011
- Outstanding Design, Theatre for Young Audiences - Heidi Wilkinson, Bird Brain
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences – Carole Higgins, Bird Brain
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, Bird Brain
- Significant Artistic Achievement, Theatre for Young Audiences, Design Team, Pharaoh Serket & The Lost Stone of Fire
- 2010
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, A Year with Frog & Toad
- Outstanding Performance, Theatre for Young Audiences, A Year with Frog & Toad
- Outstanding Design, Theatre for Young Audiences - Heidi Wilkinson
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences - Gordon Roberts (Musical Direction) A Year with Frog & Toad
- 2008
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, Seussical (awarded with the Canada Council Prize for Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences)
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences - Steven Greenfield, Musical Direction, Seussical
- Outstanding Performance, Theatre for Young Audiences - Allan Zinyk, Seussical
- 2007
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, The Odyssey (awarded with the Canada Council Prize for Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences)
- 2006
- Carole Higgins, Outstanding Artistic Creation (direction), The Big League
- Alexa Dubreuil, Josh Dickson, Nathan Schwartz, Chris Van Hyfte, Significant Artistic Achievement (acting ensemble), The Big League
References
[edit]- ^ Swortzell, Lowell (1990). International Guide to Children's Theatre and Educational Theatre. Greenwood Press. p. 35. ISBN 0-313-24881-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Centaur Theatre Company". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lederman, Marsha (2012-12-21). "Carousel Theatre: So magical it will even make kids sit still". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
- ^ "The Velveteen Rabbit brings storybook bunny to life at Carousel Theatre". Georgia Straight, February 28th, 2018
- ^ "Carousel Theatre's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe lives up to the magic of the first Narnia book". Georgia Straight, by Kathleen Oliver on November 27th, 2017
- ^ a b "Carousel offers theatre for families - What's Going On: Theatre". Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada (Fall 1993). September 22, 1993. Retrieved 2008-06-02. [dead link]
- ^ "Professional Association of Canadian Theatres - Who's Who". www.pact.ca. Archived from the original on 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
- ^ "Councillor Elizabeth Ball". City of Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- ^ Robinson, Red (August 20, 2007). "B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame". Vancouver Sun.
- ^ "Local candidates schooled in silver screen", The Georgia Straight, November 17, 2005
- ^ "Mavor Moore". Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
- ^ Birnie, Peter (2007-12-05). "Kids will love this colourful Seussical". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
- ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (2008-04-10). "Hobbit: Baggins, dragons and all". The Province. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
- ^ "Carousel Theatre Society parts ways with artistic director Carole Higgins, noting that "change needs to happen"". The Georgia Straight. 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
- ^ "Carousel Theatre rocks Shakespeare". Vancouver Sun, Shawn Conner, 07.22.2015
- ^ Vancouver Sun[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Seussical big winner at Vancouver's Jessie Awards", CBC News
- ^ "The Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Winners and Nominations since 1982". Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Society. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ^ "Arts Club, Carousel Theatre, Pacific Theatre win big at the 2011 Jessie Awards", The Georgia Straight
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
