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e v e r y t h i n g she w o u l d e v e r n e e d t o k n o w about managing a theatre. Presentation H o u s e w a s f o r t u n a t e w h e n M a s o n t o o k o v e r t h e role o f M a n a g i n g Director. d e v e l o p m e n t , positive t h i n k i n g a n d t h e like, as w e l l as a w e a l t h o f life experiences, h a v e p r o v i d e d M a s o n w i t h a rich c o l l e c t i o n o f tools t o h e l p others. "I c h o o s e t o be a life coach because I t h i n k I h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o o f f e r in all areas." C o n s u l t a t i o n s a r e t a i l o r e d t o e a c h client's specific n e e d s . S h e O n e o f her first objectives w a s t o lift t h e t h e a t r e o u t o f its d e f i c i t situation. She k n e w t h a t t h e best w a y t o accomplish this was t o keep t h e v e n u e b o o k e d c o n s t a n t l y , t o m a k e it a busy f u n c t i o n i n g p l a c e . H e r c o m m i t m e n t t o service m a n i f e s t e d in l o n g w o r k i n g hours f o r t h e first f e w years o n t h e j o b . W i t h o n l y a t e c h n i c a l d i r e c t o r a n d o n e h a l f - t i m e staff p e r s o n , s h e f o u n d h e r s e l f d o i n g a l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g a r o u n d t h e t h e a t r e , m u c h m o r e t h a n just the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . It w a s a n u p h i l l c l i m b but, by t h e t i m e she g a v e her resignation last year, t h e staff h a d increased t o f o u r full-time a n d o n e part-time as w e l l as a d e v o t e d b a n k o f volunteers. M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y , t h e t h e a t r e has f u n c t i o n e d " i n t h e b l a c k " f o r t h e last six years. O n e o f M a s o n ' s first initiatives w a s Fringe especially enjoys w o r k i n g w i t h artists g i v e n all t h e e x p e r i e n c e she has h a d in t h e arts w o r l d . M a s o n w i l l be in t o w n o n W e d n e s d a y s a n d T h u r s d a y s a n d t h e rest o f t h e t i m e w i l l w o r k o u t o f h e r h o m e in R o b e r t s C r e e k . T h e first 4 5 m i n u t e session is f r e e . She offers d a y - l o n g c o n s u l t a t i o n s at h e r h o m e a n d is d e v e l o p i n g a series w o r k s h o p s as w e l l . It w a s a l o n g a n d w i n d i n g r o a d t h a t b r o u g h t M a s o n t o w h e r e she is today. She has h a d a w e a l t h o f life experiences - t h e a t r e , business, m o t h e r h o o d , f r i e n d s h i p a n d m o r e . Since she has b e e n a c a r i n g a n d h e l p f u l p e r s o n all h e r life, h e r n e w c a r e e r c h o i c e feels like c o m i n g h o m e . Right n o w , w i t h h e r n e w residence o n t h e S u n s h i n e Coast a n d a successful stint at P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e b e h i n d her, M a s o n is e x p e r i e n c i n g a great d e a l o f happiness a n d s a t i s f a c t i o n in h e r life, s o m e t h i n g t h a t e l u d e s m a n y o f us. Picks. A f t e r s e e i n g as T h r o u g h her f u t u r e w o r k she h o p e s t h a t she can h e l p others f e e l t h e same. M a s o n has n o regrets as she leaves P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e . She is passing t h e b a t o n t o B r e n d a Leadlay w i t h w h o m she w o r k e d at T a m a h n o u s T h e a t r e d u r i n g t h e e a r l y 90's. D u r i n g h e r stay she achieved all her goals a n d more, including getting air-conditioning in t h e t h e a t r e . T h a t o n e t o o k a l m o s t all o f t h e t i m e she w a s m a n y plays as p o s s i b l e a t t h e V a n c o u v e r F r i n g e Festival, she invited several o f t h e c o m p a n i e s t o r e m o u n t t h e i r p r o d u c t i o n s at P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e . This p r o g r a m raised t h e t h e a t r e ' s p r o f i l e a n d b r o u g h t in n e w renters. C o m p a n i e s w h o e n j o y e d t h e i r experience at Presentation H o u s e r e t u r n e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n w i t h n e w productions A f t e r five years, Mason and a couple of her colleagues t h e r e . She l a u g h i n g l y says t h a t it w a s t i m e t o g o w h e n t h a t air-conditioning w a s in place. b r a i n s t o r m e d u p a n e w i d e a . On The House opened up a wide spectrum of opportunities t o " u p a n d c o m i n g " producers. A r m e d w i t h a g o o d script a n d a solid business p l a n , t h e y c o u l d apply t o be o n e o f t h r e e plays c h o s e n each year f o r p r o d u c t i o n f u ^ y f e JUeAVe 4<^e;fJv(/nJJ Oj&IA jl&V., at Presentation House. T h e successful c o m p a n i e s received $3500 t o h e l p w i t h expenses, expert m a r k e t i n g assistance, professional advice, a n d t h e use o f t h e t h e a t r e a n d t e c h n i c a l director. This very successful p r o g r a m is n o w in its f i f t h year b u t it w i l l have t o d o w i t h o u t Mason's i n p u t f r o m n o w o n . " M y decision t o leave w a s a long-time c o m i n g . It's h a r d t o leave s o m e t h i n g y o u love, a n d after nine a n d a half years, I c o u l d still say I loved my job. M y favourite part w a s e n a b l i n g p e o p l e t o be c r e a t i v e . " True t o h e r g e n e r o u s n a t u r e , M a s o n has c h o s e n t o c o n t i n u e h e l p i n g p e o p l e in her n e w career as a Life C o a c h . Her practice, c a l l e d S a g e E m p o w e r m e n t , is c e n t r e d h e r e in t h e V a n c o u v e r area as w e l l as u p o n t h e Sunshine Coast w h e r e she a n d her partner, metal sculptor M a t t h e w Kiss, m o v e d last year. M a s o n w o r k s one-on-one w i t h p e o p l e . Clients m a y w i s h t o f i n d a n e w career p a t h or t o navigate t h r o u g h a difficult t r a n s i t i o n , like t h e b e g i n n i n g or e n d i n g of a relationship. " M o s t l y I w a n t t o help p e o p l e m a k e their dreams c o m e t r u e . " She emphasizes t h a t this is n o t t h e r a p y t h o u g h , t h a t t h e focus o f t h e c o n s u l t a t i o n s will be f u t u r e o r i e n t e d , l o o k i n g at w h a t her clients w a n t in life, w h a t excites t h e m . " W h a t y o u focus o n is w h a t y o u b r i n g into your life." Years of personal study in fields in of spirituality, career V a l M a s o n a n d S a g e E m p o w e r m e n t c a n b e c o n t a c t e d b y p h o n e at 504.740.3763 o r by e m a i l at v a l m a s o n @ d c c n e t . c o m ^ji&h ovt/rve -<vnJ! Leadlay is d e l i g h t e d t o t a k e over t h e h e l m o f this well-run ship. "I've b e e n k e e n o n P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e since 1990 w h e n I p r o d u c e d a n d d i r e c t e d Streetcar Named Desire here. I like t h e size a n d t h e intimacy. A n d I h a d great s u p p o r t f r o m this c o m m u nity." Like M a s o n , nearly t e n years a g o , she is setting her goals. " I p l a n t o b r i n g in m o r e p r o f e s s i o n a l t h e a t r e a n d b r o a d e n t h e p r o g r a m m i n g t o include d a n c e a n d music. T h e L o w e r Lonsdale p o p u l a t i o n is c h a n g i n g a n d I w a n t t o a t t r a c t n e w p a t r o n s t o t h e i r n e i g h b o u r h o o d t h e a t r e . " L e a d l a y is a l s o d o i n g a l o t o f l o n g - r a n g e p l a n n i n g f o r t h e day, s o m e t i m e in t h e n o t t o o distant future w h e n t h e m u s e u m a n d gallery will m o v e o n t o a new home. In t h e m e a n t i m e , b a s k i n g in t h e a f t e r g l o w o f a j o b w e l l - d o n e , Val M a s o n heads o f f o n her n e w a d v e n t u r e . " N o r t h V a n c o u v e r w a s a really great place t o be i n v o l v e d in a n arts c o m m u n i t y . It w a s a very satisfying nine a n d a half years." M a r c h I A p r i l 9