Presentation House Tiieatre Then and Now 6^ Shettey Hamm Rae N _ ' o b u i l d i n g has h e l d such a d o m i n a n t role i n p u b l i c life f o r s u c h a l o n g t i m e i n N o r t h V a n c o u v e r as E x p l o r a t i o n s G r a n t to hire C h r i s T y r e l l to complete the theatre. W i t h the assistance o f L a b o u r G r a n t s , a n d m u c h " s c r o u n g i n g " o f materials f r o m the c o m m u n i t y , it opened i n J u l y 1 9 7 7 w i t h a n official ceremony attended by Canada's Trudeau. (then) P r i m e M i n i s t e r , Pierre E l l i o t t Presentation H o u s e . N o t o n l y is i t one o f the oldest buildings i n the c o m m u n i t y , but it is also o n e o f the few p u b l i c b u i l d i n g s over a century o l d o n the N o r t h Shore. B u i l t as a s c h o o l i n 1 9 0 2 , i t w a s t a k e n o v e r b y t h e City o f N o r t h Vancouver in 1913 and became a " t e m p o r a r y " C i t y H a l l f o r the n e x t 6 2 years. D u r i n g that time it p l a y e d host t o twelve different M a y o r s a n d their C o u n c i l s . It w a s a l s o used as a P o l i c e S t a t i o n , T o d a y Presentation H o u s e T h e a t r e is a 158 seat, blackb o x type theatre offering a b o x office, licensed bar i n t h e l o b b y l o u n g e , a n d the F r o n t o f H o u s e G a l l e r y featuring the w o r k o f l o c a l artists. a J u s t i c e B u i l d i n g a n d h o u s e d the C i t y ' s E n g i n e e r i n g Department until M a r c h 1975. B r e n d a L e a d l a y , M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r since considers Presentation W h e n the C i t y o f N o r t h V a n c o u v e r announced House Theatre 2003, "a premier venue for theatrical p r o g r a m m i n g o n the N o r t h S h o r e " a n d is d e v o t e d t o o f f e r i n g a u d i e n c e s a " m e a n i n g f u l experience." L e a d l a y is " v e r y i m p r e s s e d w i t h the noting t h e y w o u l d be b u i l d i n g a n e w C i t y H a l l , t h e N o r t h Vancouver C o m m u n i t y A r t s C o u n c i l requested the b u i l d i n g be g i v e n t o the c o m m u n i t y f o r use as a n arts centre. theatre i n v o l v e m e n t o n the N o r t h Shore" r e s i d e n t s o f t h e C i t y a n d the D i s t r i c t are k n o w n f o r their a v i d e n j o y m e n t o f theatre a n d s u p p o r t for arts i n Canada Council provided funding through an general. She believes that " c u l t u r e a n d theatre c a n help VANCOUVER NORTH SHORE VICTORIA WHISTLER KELOWNA Theatre School To train and prepare children for their future roles in life, * whatever those may be. * m BC'S BIGGEST MUSICAL THEATRE SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN Year^gound P r o g r a m s a n d S u m m e r C a m p s Available (604)267.SCTS · (604)762.2491 * w w w . s t a g e c r a f t . c a ¡ n f o @ s t a g e c r a f t . c a 10 January|February