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theatre I by Peggy Stortz The, G o On. W h e n ' s t h e last t i m e y o u w e n t o u t t o see a play? Can you remember the and find the you B u t l i v e t h e a t r e is n o t d e a d - n o t b y a l o n g s h o t . S p e c t a c u l a r p r o d u c t i o n s like Movies, television, video games and c o m p u t e r s n o w e n t e r t a i n us, s u p p l a n t i n g t h e o n e - t i m e p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e live s h o w . a n t i c i p a t i o n as t h e l i g h t s g o d o w n the babble subsides? Did you M u s t . the v e n u e a n d rehearsal space, payment for the director and other promotion and backstage publicity and employees, expenses, transportation yourself d r a w n into the m a g i c by A n d did a c c o m m o d a t i o n if t h e p l a y is t o u r i n g , costumes, on and on. sets, props - the list goes p r e s e n c e o f live a c t o r s ? forget that they w e r e actors? As the old song says, "There's no business like Phantom of the Opera a n d Miss Saigon sell o u t o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s , e v e n w i t h t h e b i g p r i c e t a g . Y e t it is t h e s m a l l e r s h o w s , plays by community theatres, plays A c c o r d i n g to Williams, a professional production can cost as much as show business." Live t h e a t r e human race. is a l m o s t Before as we o l d as the written by local writers a n d presented heart North $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 to m o u n t for a three week developed skills, our the by local a c t o r s t h a t are really t h e a n d s o u l o f live t h e a t r e . O n t h e r u n . F o r t h e m o s t p a r t , t h e b o x o f f i c e is the only w a y to r e c o u p these costs. All t h e m o r e r e a s o n t o fill t h o s e s e a t s . T h e catch is t h a t to meet the costs, the sophisticated language ancestors acted out the story of hunt, or of a joy or tragedy S h o r e , t h e r e is n o s h o r t a g e o f e x c e l l e n t t h e a t r e . T h e s h o r t a g e is in t h e a u d i e n c e s . amongst the c l a n . A n c i e n t civilizations like the G r e e k s u s e d t h e a t r e t o tell tales o f t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n o r t o e x p o s e f l a w s in their society. A c t o r s w e r e revered. The North Vancouver's Linda Williams has ticket prices have to g o up a n d up, and then the public can't afford to come. b e e n i n v o l v e d in live t h e a t r e f o r many G i l l i a n B a r b e r a p p e a r e d in h e r first play at t h e a g e o f four. She's b e e n ever since, w o r k i n g in b o t h hooked amateur years. T h r o u g h her c o m p a n y Silverlining C o m m u n i c a t i o n s , Williams takes o n the c h a l l e n g e of g e t t i n g the ' b u m s in t h e s e a t s . ' " T h e r e ' s t h e a t r e all o v e r t h e c i t y but p e o p l e just aren't g o i n g . W e to educate the need an ancient Celts h o n o u r e d their bards only a l i t t l e less t h a n t h e y d i d t h e i r k i n g s . In most societies, those w h o who could sing, could who tell a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l t h e a t r e a l l h e r l i f e as a n a c t o r a n d d i r e c t o r . S h e is c u r r e n t l y directing James along the Stephen show musical Sondheim - stories, make words could their people and laugh or cry w i t h were public that there's actions considered exciting alternative to movies and bars." Lapine with Into the Woods. Kevin unique and precious. The These days, m a n y actors have to w o r k at other jobs, usually in t h e service selection of a play is also director Michael Cripps. instrumental in a t t r a c t i n g audiences. Having worked at a l a r g e n u m b e r of "The North Shore community responds b e s t t o p l a y s it is f a m i l i a r w i t h , " Leadlay of Presentation House says, feed "but you them. If don't want you don't credit, to give you'll Brenda Theatre spoon your lose i n d u s t r y , t o f i n a n c e t h e i r p a s s i o n . By t h e time they have paid for acting classes and workshops, headshots and promotional materials, other l o c a l t h e a t r e s as w e l l a s w i t h c o m p a n i e s across the country, Barber k n o w s well the challenges of financing a production. She w o u l d like t o see m o r e assistance resumes, m a k e u p a n d m u c h m u c h m o r e , t h e r e is little m o n e y feed the left t o pay t h e rent family. Those who and are audience enough c o m i n g f r o m b o t h the private a n d public sector. " W i t h direct s p o n s o r s h i p f r o m a company lower or corporation, prices so that we could t h e m . " The play a c o m p a n y decides to d o may also d e p e n d on the n u m b e r of actors required In a and the cost world, of the these d e t e r m i n e d to f o l l o w their d r e a m , often e a r n b e l o w p o v e r t y l e v e l w a g e s or, i n a lot of cases, v o l u n t e e r their t i m e , only on stage but behind the not ticket everyone royalties. perfect c o u l d afford to a t t e n d , " she suggests. "If the government would support details w o u l d n ' t matter. But m o u n t i n g a play is a v e r y e x p e n s i v e for proposition, theatre the scenes sponsorship and corporate donations, there c o u l d be more theatres a n d more jobs for 'starving actors'. W h y the government just should the b u i l d i n g sets, m a k i n g c o s t u m e s , selling tickets a n d all t h e m y r i a d o t h e r required to put o n a show. M a r c h I A p r i l tasks especially companies. professional Besides royalties a n d actors' w a g e s , there are rental costs f o r support