Theatre can be beautiful, ugly, frightening, funny and everything in between. What it always does is create dialogue. Whether you enjoyed the last piece you saw or hated it, you were part of that moment.
To celebrate World Theatre Day, go out and support theatre by seeing one of the amazing plays on in Vancouver now:
Donna Spencer is the Artistic Producer here at the Firehall, and has been with the company since its inception thirty years ago. She has directed, advised, produced and even been in a show or two over the years. She is also a certified yoga instructor and loves quantum physics. That stuff will blow your mind. (Preceding statement applies to both yoga AND quantum physics)
Donna in an article about the opening of the Firehall in 1982
My favorite things about the Firehall?
When I first visited the Firehall as an introduction to the new job, I was taken on a tour and awed by the two fire poles but overwhelmed and amazed by the number of doors there are within the building. Everywhere we went there was a new door that took you to a different world. For the first while I was on the job, I would get lost – I had no sense of direction within the building.
Since then I have grown to love all of the doors, the brick, the history, the energy within the building and the people that I have met here. And while I no longer get lost in the building, I do sometimes feel a loss of direction, and strangely enough, the strength of the building and the spirit that resides within help me get back on track.
Yes indeed, the Firehall is a pretty special place, opening doors to stories both new and old; to performances that provoke contemplation and discussion; to experiences that generate a greater love for the value of the arts in society; and to good times with good friends and great people.
At the Firehall, we love looking for new doors and the treasures hidden within. As Ann Mortifee wrote in her song for the play Reflections of Crooked Walking:
Every door is a secret door
hiding something
Every door is a magic door
leading somewhere
Somewhere you’ve never been ever before
To open the door just lift the latch
But once you go in
you might never come back|
For that is the way of the spell.
If you’ve come to the Firehall to see a performance, you’ve noticed the theatre is what we in the bizness like to call a “black box”. A black box theatre, according to Wikipedia, is an “unadorned performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor. It is a relatively recent innovation in theatre.“
Yep, that’s what the Firehall theatre looks like, and it’s been pretty much that way since 1982, which in the grand scheme of things, is fairly recent.
Now, the great thing about having a black box is how malleable and versatile the space is. Sets are generally simpler than at larger theatres, but because of the technical specifications of the space, can be extremely unique and interesting. Lighting can also play a grander role in a performance in a black box theatre because there is no place for lighting leaks or for it to be diffused. The theatre itself can also be configured specifically for each new show, a feature impossible in larger, static spaces.
This year alone, we have had the theatre capacity go from our regular 136 to 155 and 162 as well as taking it from the regular arrangement of seats in the picture above and reconfiguring it into an L shape for VIMY and a thrust stage for Goodness.
This versatility provides the opportunity to present work to the public in the most interesting way, allowing the audience to interact in the best possible way with the work.
That’s pretty cool.
If you’ve been thinking about donating to our $30 for 30 Campaign but haven’t yet, you still have time! Do it now through our website, give us a call or visit Canada Helps to donate there!
A functioning organization is like a well-oiled machine – you need all the parts to work well together to make things happen. The Firehall is like a well-oiled machine…no, a functioning organization. However, it’s kind of amazing that we are able to produce the terrific work we do with our limited resources.
The complex system of levers and pulleys we like to call the "Firehall staff"
For example:
Did you know that the Firehall only has three full-time staff members? It’s true! When you think about the fact that this year alone we produced and presented six shows (and have a couple more to go!) in addition to hosting a speaker series, events and running an art gallery, that ain’t much. The rest of the staff is contracted part-time, devoting part of the year to other projects like the Dancing on the Edge Festival and other events around Vancouver.
We work hard to continue the tradition of presenting thoughtful, engaging pieces and with your help, we can do it!
Internet, meet Michele Hope, the Firehall’s Bar Manager. Michele is an avid traveler. I know people say that a lot, but it’s doubly true for Michele.
I love it when people discover what a friendly and relaxed theatre we are and how welcome they are made to feel. First time patrons to the Firehall always say what a nice place this is and then wander out onto the deck and gasp at our lovely blooming cherry blossom tree, preferably with a beverage from the bar.
I also receive a lot of comments about what a good Scotch selection we have.
From Portraits and Scenes of Female Creatures, December 2011 at the Firehall. Photo by Chris Randle
The Firehall has always been keen on dance, presenting exciting works by local, national and international choreographers throughout its 30 years. We liked it so much that we started a dance festival! The Dancing on the Edge Festival came out of the dance community’s need for presentation support, and even though the Edge has been incorporated as its own society since 1998, that hasn’t stopped us from continuing our support and love of dance!
The Firehall presents a number of dance shows each season and provides residency support to local artists, by providing rehearsal space, technical support, input and encouragement. Past residents have included Amber Funk Barton of the response. as well as The Contingency Plan.
BC Buds, the Spring Arts Fair, has been one method the Firehall has had for presenting new work and finding local artists to work with in residencies. The Contingency Plan was the recipient of the 2010 BC Buds Silver Development Award, which provided the opportunity of a Firehall residency, and led to the development of their piece Adhere, seen as part of The TCP Show in January of this year.
The number 3 is considered across the globe to be a powerful number. It represents harmony, wisdom and understanding. It represents the three stages of life (birth, life and death) and time itself (past, present and future). The Pythagoreans taught that three was the first true number, and though I’m not entirely sure what that means, I do know that Pythagoras gave us this equation, which exemplifies my hatred for high school math.
This equation can also be applied to the route the cruise ship will take as my mother and grandmother miss my birthday. See Mrs Miller? I can do math.
But I digress.
Now 30, is a milestone.
FACT. Not only did the Firehall turn 30 this year, but both Caitlin and I will be “celebrating” this landmark birthday in 2012. (Um, I’m sure she doesn’t mind me telling everyone on the internet that). And to make it better, my mother and grandmother are leaving for a cruise and will miss this EPIC birthday.
If that tugs at your heart strings, don’t cry for me. I can handle it. Transform that pity into a donation to the Firehall and I’ll make it through, somehow.
30. Divide by 3 and you get 10. Multiply by 3 and you get 90. Cube it and you get 900. Make your $30 for 30 donation in your favourite 3 or multiple thereof and help us celebrate another 30 to come.
Our $30 for 30 Campaign is nearing its end, but we still need your help! To donate on our website, click here! To donate via Canada Helps, visit them here. To send either Caitlin or myself hilarious cards congratulating us on the imminent doom of turning 30:
The Two Old Bitties
c/o the Firehall Arts Centre
280 E. Cordova St.
Vancouver, BC
V6A 1L3
You can also mail in your donation to the same address!
One of the first things you see when you walk toward the Firehall, is the pebble mosaic that has been inlaid out front.
The fish on the steps outside the Firehall Lobby
The idea behind the public street art project came about in 2004. The Firehall would work with professional artists to create and install the work, and three Downtown Eastside community members would also come on board to be mentored in the art of pebble mosaics.
In 2005, the Firehall received and accepted a proposal from artist Glen Andersen for the project, and the journey began!
Besides the artistic work that needed to go into the mosaic, there needed to be an excavation and removal of the existing concrete sidewalk, and the area needed to be re-paved with the mosaic inlaid so as to create an even walking surface.
Over time and through discussion, the vision for the design morphed into the Dragon we see today.In addition to Glen and the community artists, many volunteers donated time to help out on the project, including Strathcona neighbours, Britannia Outreach volunteers, and a group calling themselves “Labour for Leisure” who put on mosaic parties.
The Dragon symbolizes the the passion and fire of the arts at the Firehall, as well as representing the neighbourhood we are a part of, Chinatown.
The work was kept in the Firehall’s courtyard until it was ready to be installed, which happened in sections. The mosaic was finally completed in 2010.
The whole of the mosaic is stunning, but if you take a look at the detail, you’ll be wowed. None of this work could have been done without the help and support of donors like you! To donate to our $30 for 30 Campaign on our website, click here! To donate via Canada Helps, visit them here.
Today, we hear from Alex Danard,
Box Office/Volunteer Coordinator!
Hello Folks! I’ve worked at the Firehall Arts Centre for 2 years now. I started off as a participant in the In-House Training program in March of 2010 and loved it! After I was hired on as the Outreach Coordinator for Dancing on the Edge and then as the Box Office/Volunteer Coordinator for the Firehall. I don’t have a hard time naming my favourite thing at the Firehall, in fact I have several.
Favourite thing #1: The building itself! Everything about it. I have a tender fondness for anything old, particularly architecture. I enjoy character and history and personality, from the creaking doors/floors to the ripples in the windows.
Favourite thing #2: The staff! Everyone here works so hard at their job and with such a small core staff it has the intimate feel of a family where each person is here to support each other. I’m continually inspired and motivated by each person’s enthusiasm and dedication.
Favourite thing #3: The Firehall’s mission and mandate. Who the Firehall is as an organization. Not only does the Firehall produce and present quality theatre and dance, but it doesn’t shy away from cutting edge and challenging pieces. I think this is crucial in the Arts.
Renowned director, creator and performer Robert LePage of Ex Machina was in the audience this weekend for the closing night of Sylvain Émard Danse’s performance of Fragments – Volume I at the Firehall. M. LePage first visited the Firehall in 1984-85 Season with his award-winning production Circulations, which was at the beginning of his amazing career and the beginning of his love affair with Vancouver.
He returns to Vancouver regularly and always visits the Firehall to check out what is happening when he is in town. M. Page was last seen on stage in Vancouver in his remarkable Blue Dragon, part of the Cultural Olympiad in 2010.
In 1984, Robert LePage joined host Peter Gzowski on the CBC Radio show Morningside to discuss the unique method behind Circulations. To hear this clip from the CBC Digital Archives, click here.
