Carousel Theatre

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Carousel Theatre
Carouseloutside.jpg
Carousel Theatre's administrative offices on Granville Island, Vancouver
Name Carousel Theatre
Formed 1974
Location(s) Vancouver, Canada
Artistic director(s) Carole Higgins
Website http://www.carouseltheatre.ca
Genre(s) Children's theatre
Theatre for young audiences
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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] The company stages plays for young people, families and educators at the Waterfront Theatre and Performance Works on Granville Island and tours to elementary schools across British Columbia[3] and Canada.[4] It was also the first Canadian theatre company to offer signing during its performances for the hearing impaired.[4] Carousel Theatre is a member of PACT, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres[5].

Contents

[edit] History and productions

Carousel was founded in 1974 by Elizabeth Ball, who served as its artistic director until 2001,[6][7][8] when she stepped down and was replaced by Carole Higgins.[2] 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] In about 1993, it relocated to Granville Island, where it has administrative offices and two rehearsal halls; as well, it is across the street from the Waterfront Theatre, where it mounts many of its productions.[2]

Carousel has mounted premieres of several productions, some of which it had commissioned and developed.[2][2] Notable Canadian plays that premiered at Carousel Theatre include A Christmas Carol - The Musical by Mavor Moore (in 1998)[9], Dying to be Thin by Linda A. Carson (in 1992),[10] 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.[11] Other Carousel productions have included Seussical[12] and Kim Selody's adaptation of The Hobbit[13].

Many notable Canadian theatre artists, including Roy Surette[14], Teryl Rothery[15], and Anna Cummer [16] have worked for Carousel Theatre in the decades since it was founded.

[edit] Other activities

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, culminating in a production staged by the teen actors.[2]

[edit] Awards

Carousel Theatre and its artists have been honoured with a number of awards.

[edit] "Jessie" Awards

Over the years, Carousel theatre received numerous Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and nominations,[17][18][19][20] 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

[edit] References

  1. ^ Swortzell, Lowell (1990). International Guide to Children's Theatre and Educational Theatre. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313248818. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Centaur Theatre Company". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Carousel%20Theatre. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
  3. ^ "Artstarts in Schools". Artstarts. Archived from the original on 2008-04-20. http://web.archive.org/web/20080420080234/http://artstarts.com/directory/perfresult.asp. Retrieved 2008-06-02. 
  4. ^ a b "Carousel offers theatre for families - What's Going On: Theatre". Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada (Fall 1993). September 22, 1993. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1319/is_n3_v28/ai_15172364. Retrieved 2008-06-02. [dead link]
  5. ^ "Professional Association of Canadian Theatres - Who's Who". www.pact.ca. http://www.pact.ca/who.cfm. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  6. ^ "Councillor Elizabeth Ball". City of Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2008-07-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080712080023/http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/ctyclerk/councillors/ball.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-02. 
  7. ^ Robinson, Red (August 20, 2007). "B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame". Vancouver Sun. 
  8. ^ "Local candidates schooled in silver screen", The Georgia Straight, November 17, 2005
  9. ^ "Mavor Moore". Canadian Encyclopedia. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0002441. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
  10. ^ "Linda A. Carson". The Plawrights Database. http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/carson-linda-a.html. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
  11. ^ Electric Company
  12. ^ Birnie, Peter (2007-12-05). "Kids will love this colourful Seussical". Vancouver Sun. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html?id=b0a39cdf-4e1d-4ba9-8358-e52c91656db3. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  13. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (2008-04-10). "Hobbit: Baggins, dragons and all". The Province. http://www.canada.com/cityguides/vancouver/story.html?id=84b62aeb-4287-4ec1-b763-02c5b6aa0b87&k=94624. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  14. ^ "Centaur Theatre Company". www.centaurtheatre.com. http://www.centaurtheatre.com/the_director.html. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  15. ^ "The Official Teryl Rothery Website". www.terylrothery.com. http://www.terylrothery.com/indexb.html. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  16. ^ "Touchstone Theatre". www.touchstonetheatre.com. http://www.touchstonetheatre.com/company/bio.php. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  17. ^ Vancouver Sun
  18. ^ "Seussical big winner at Vancouver's Jessie Awards", CBC News
  19. ^ "The Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Winners and Nominations since 1982". Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Society. http://www.jessies.ca/archives.html. Retrieved 2011-06-26. 
  20. ^ "Arts Club, Carousel Theatre, Pacific Theatre win big at the 2011 Jessie Awards", The Georgia Straight

[edit] External links

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