Firehall Arts Centre

Canada has become a beacon for refugees leaving war torn countries, poverty and oppression to find a safe refuge for their families. As numbers of refugees crossing the border increase in this era of actions by the current U.S. President, we need to consider how we, as Canadians, respond to this need. How do we show our support while creating a balance? Our goal is to make this production of REFUGE available to students across the lower mainland and we need your help to make this happen!

The Firehall Arts Centre has set a goal of $6000 in order to offer subsidized  tickets to high school, college, and university students who have limited funds to access the arts. It is important that students are exposed to and included in discussions regarding the social, cultural, political, and economic integration of refugees.

Click below to support this initiative!

We hope you can share our campaign with others. Share the link, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter; whichever social channel you prefer. Help us spread the word!

Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval, a French nobleman fits the description of what someone whose name shall go unnamed would label a “nasty woman”. She was abandoned by her uncle, who had set out to Canada to help colonize it, on a remote island off the coast of Newfoundland, for her sexual indiscretions in a shipboard romance. Elle survived two winters before finally being rescued. She was then taken back to France where she lived out her life with the memory of her uncle’s cruel judgment haunting her.

This story became a legend. When Severn Thompson discovered the Governor-General Award winning novel Elle, written by Douglas Glover, she was determined to bring it to the stage. “His exploration of this story was so inventive and the character itself that he created – there was something about her humor, and the fact that she was written as quite a misfit …She’s not perfect by any means, but her imperfection makes her quite human and relatable”, Thompson said in a recent Georgia Straight interview with Andrea Warner. Thompson plays the role of Marguerite in her Dora Mavor Moore award-winning stage adaptation of Elle, currently playing at the Firehall. In the play, Thompson explores Glover’s text with passion, humor and physical nuance. In this re-telling she is supported by Jonathan Fisher as Itsik, an indigenous man who discovers her as he is seeking his own redemption and an evocative production design by Jennifer Goodman.

It seems alarming now that someone would have been punished so harshly for engaging in consensual sex and yet “We’re still going through that, “Thompson says connecting the puritanical values of the 1500’s to today.  “What I love about her is she can’t help herself.  She does have some sense of guilt for religious reasons, but she has such a strong drive to live and to explore her sexuality and everything.  She’s very impulsive and it’s interesting to see somebody like that. That’s kind of coded as a headstrong girl, which is still the case, right?  Well, ‘headstrong’ is the nicest label, but still, there’s all these labels that women get, you know. ‘She’s so opinionated, she’s so …’ People are very quick to label, dismiss and destroy if they can.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate this NASTY WOMEN –  ELLE playing at the Firehall until February 18^th, 2017.

Following its debut at the 2016 Vancouver Fringe Festival, The Nether continues to receive high critical praise on the Firehall Arts Centre stage.

“Don’t be daunted by The Nether’s subject matter. See it. But brace yourself: Haley springs a couple of plot twists that will stun you.” – Colin Thomas, colinthomas.ca

“Director Chris Lam’s minimalist staging is effective; the powerful contrast between the sterility of the real world and the richness of the Hideaway is largely left to our imagination and to the exquisitely atmospheric and subtly ominous sound design, by James Coomber, and lighting, by Jonathan Kim.” – Kathleen Oliver, The Georgia Straight

“The Nether is an insightful and riveting rumination on the virtual era looming in our potential future, beautiful and terrible in its strangeness and its familiarity. It’s guaranteed to infect your thoughts like virulent malware – but in the very best way.” – Max D’Ambrosio, Showbill.ca

“It would be a cliché, but nevertheless true, to say that The Nether deals with fantastic ideas that become more realistic and issues that become timelier every day.” – Jerry Wasserman, Vancouverplays

The Redcurrent Collective Production The Nether, runs until Saturday January 28th.

Tickets $24 ($22 students & seniors).

Our friends and neighbours to the west, the Vancouver Police Museum have a great offer for And Bella Sang With Us ticket holders:  visit the Police Museum for FREE on the day of your performance or up to 2 days afterwards.

Museum hours: Tues – Sat 9am-5pm. Don’t have your ticket in hand? Stop by the Firehall Box Office beforehand, we’re open Mon-Fri 9:30am-5pm & Sat 1-4pm.

Check out @policemuseum for your chance to win tickets to And Bella Sang With Us! Contest closes Jan 8th.

And Bella Sang With Us runs until Jan 14th

A stylish female buddy cop play that celebrates two of Canada’s unsung pioneers: Constables Lurancy Harris and Minnie Miller, Vancouver’s first women police officers.

Tickets $24 ($22 students & seniors)

Do you like contests, ticket offers and being in the know?  Follow us on Instagram @firehallartscentre

A New Year’s resolution is a tradition, most common in the West, in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement starting with the turn of the calender year.

Two of the most common New Year’s resolutions are physical and intellectual improvement.  The Firehall Arts Centre can help you embrace these resolutions!

Following the performance of And Bella Sang With Us on Sunday January 8th, join local historian: John Aitkins on a historical 90 minute walking tour complimenting the story of And Bella Sang With Us.

Wear your pedometer and learning cap!

The walking tour begins at 4:30pm, starting and ending at the Firehall Arts Centre.

$36 ($34 for students & seniors) includes both the performance of And Bella Sang With Us and Walking Tour.

Space is limited.  Tickets for the performance only are also available.

http://johnatkin.com/

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST – THE WALKING TOUR IS NOW SOLD OUT!

TICKETS FOR THE SUNDAY 3PM PERFORMANCE ARE AVAILABLE.

On Sunday November 20th at 5:30pm, following the matinee performance of Miss Shakespeare, join us for a panel discussion: WIT – Women in Theatre in the 20th Century

“…If a painter can be male or female, then why shouldn’t an actor be. Or a writer. An artist is an artist. Women are born with creative abilities equal to any man.”

Many female Canadian artists have made a huge impact on my life since I was 17. Though there was a fine balance of male to female teachers while I was in theatre school, I always gravitated towards the female voices. During this time, I would also research and be in awe of the strong female artists throughout  the country. I am aware of the skill, passion, and talent women in the theatre community have. Yet, I often find myself asking, “Why are there not more companies run by women? “ or, “Why is there only one female director in that company’s season?” or, “Why does that female character not have an opinion?”

These are just some of the questions I have and hope to discuss with our panel made up of multi-talented members of the theatre community. We’ll chat about the barriers women have faced in the industry, what changes we must start to implement, and the great impact of the female voice in Canadian theatre.

We hope you can join us this Sunday, November 20^th, from 5:30 to 6:30 at The Firehall Arts Centre after the 3 pm matinee of Miss Shakespeare by inspiring female Canadian artist Tracey Power.

-Carmela Sison

Writer/performer Tracey Power; Firehall Artistic Producer Donna Spencer; Actor Carmela Sison; Actor/Director Corina Akeson from Classic Chic Theatre and others will discuss the challenges and opportunities of women working in today’s theatre.

This panel discussion is a free event, open to all.