The Spirit of Kay Meek Lives On in West Vanrou^ei It has been said that every theatre has a ghost. In the case o f the K a y M e e k T h e a t r e it is m o r e l i k e l y a s p i r i t that d w e l l s t h e r e i n , the s p i r i t o f K a y herself. W a s it b y c h a n c e o r b y s o m e c o s m i c d e s i g n that M r s . M e e k , the b e n e f a c t o r o f this s t u n n i n g n e w p e r f o r m i n g arts f a c i l i t y i n W e s t V a n c o u v e r , died o n N o v e m b e r 6, 2 0 0 4 , the o p e n i n g n i g h t o f the o p e n ing s h o w ? D i d her s p i r i t s i m p l y leave h e r f r a i l t i r e d b o d y a n d take o n a n e w h o m e , the t h e a t r e t h a t bears h e r n a m e ? Philanthropist a n d longtime West V a n c o u v e r resident, K a y M e e k s u p p o r t e d n u m e r o u s arts o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d events, c u l t u r a l f a c i l i t i e s s u c h as t h e l i b r a r y a n d t h e m u s e u m , a n d c o m m u n i t y spaces l i k e the s e a w a l l a n d D u n d a r a v e Beach through her F o u n d a t i o n . Passionate about the need f o r a w o r l d - c l a s s t h e a t r e i n W e s t V a n c o u v e r , she e a r - m a r k e d a large s u m o f m o n e y s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h a t p u r p o s e . W i t h this seed m o n e y i n p l a c e , t h e W e s t V a n c o u v e r A r t s C e n t r e T r u s t e x p l o r e d a v a r i e t y o f v e n u e s a r o u n d the D i s t r i c t before s e t t l i n g o n t h e site a d j a c e n t t o W e s t V a n c o u v e r Secondary School. " T h e K a y M e e k C e n t r e is a u n i q u e m o d e l f o r c o n t e m p o r a r y arts centres i n C a n a d a , " says E x e c u t i v e - D i r e c t o r B i l l M a c d o n a l d - K e r r . Besides p r o v i d i n g a n elegant venue f o r m u s i c , d a n c e , f i l m a n d t h e a t r e p r o d u c t i o n s , it is c o m m i t t e d to learning-based p r o g r a m m i n g . "My m a i n r o l e is t o k e e p K a y M e e k ' s v i s i o n a l i v e , " M a c d o n a l d - K e r r a d d s . U n d e r h i s g u i d a n c e , t h e c e n t r e is s t r e t c h i n g its r e a c h t o i n c l u d e a r t i s t s f r o m B C , C a n a d a and a r o u n d the w o r l d . W i t h several t o p n o t c h p r o d u c t i o n s a l r e a d y u n d e r its b e l t , t h e K a y M e e k C e n t r e h a s h o s t e d performers f r o m far b e y o n d the N o r t h Shore. African Children's Choir Musical. A veteran o f the T o r o n t o theatre scene, M a c d o n a l d K e r r w o r k e d at t h e P a n t a g e s a n d F o r d T h e a t r e s a n d at the O ' K e e f e C e n t r e w i t h p e r f o r m i n g a r t s g r o u p s l i k e t h e N a t i o n a l Ballet a n d the C a n a d i a n O p e r a C o m p a n y . H e c a m e to the West C o a s t i n 1 9 9 6 to w o r k w i t h G a r t h D r a b i n s k y at the F o r d C e n t r e d o w n t o w n V a n c o u v e r . E i g h t y e a r s later, i n M a r c h o f 2 0 0 4 , he t o o k o v e r t h e h e l m o f t h e Kay M e e k Centre. Indeed, the o p e n i n g s h o w w a s t h e N o r t h A m e r i c a n d e b u t o f t h e T h e C e n t r e ' s p r o x i m i t y t o t h e h i g h s c h o o l s u p p o r t s its m a n d a t e t o be a t e a c h i n g t h e a t r e a n d p r o v i d e m e n t o r i n g opportunities for N o r t h Shore residents. T h e 500-seat M a i n Stage theatre a n d the 200-seat S t u d i o p r o v i d e plenty nt r o o m f o r e d u c a t i o n i n t h e t h e a t r e a r t s . State-of-the a r t t e c h n i c a l e q u i p m e n t b r o a d e n s t h e C e n t r e ' s artistic p o s s i b i l i t i e s a l l o w i n g the t h e a t r e t o be used as a m o v i e h o u s e o r a r e c o r d i n g / b r o a d c a s t i n g s t u d i o . It possesses the c a p a b i l i t y t o p r o d u c e l i v e s h o w s t o b r o a d c a s t t o theatres nationall) a n d internationally a n d plans to w o r k w i t h other companies to electronically b r i n g in performances a r o u n d the g l o b e f o r l o c a l a u d i e n c e s t o enjoy. This educational c o m p o n e n t extends well beyond the s c h o o l classes. T h e s p a c e is b e i n g m a d e a v a i l a b l e t o o t h e r arts g r o u p s as w e l l . T h i s s p r i n g , B a l l e t B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a Will be r e h e a r s i n g d u r i n g M a r c h f o r t h e i r p r e m i e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f A Streetcar Named Desire. Theatre West Van, a n a m a t e u r c o m m u n i t y c o m p a n y , has returned to t h e i r h o m e t o w n a f t e r a s t i n t a t N o r t h Presentation H o u s e . Vancouver's from A s he steers t h i s w o n d e r f u l f a c i l i t y o n its a r t i s t i c v o y a g e , M a c d o n a l d - K e r r w i l l keep in t o u c h w i t h K a y M e e k ' s spirit. H e r v i s i o n a n d energy a l o n g w i t h her generosity made this d r e a m a r e a l i t y . It's a l m o s t c e r t a i n t h a t she's s o m e w h e r e in t h e T h e a t r e a n d just i n c a s e she i s , h e r h a l f - c e n t u r y o l d s c r i p t l i g h t , w h i c h she left b e h i n d , r e m a i n s i l l u m i n a t e d o n stage e v e r y e v e n i n g i n h e r m e m o r y . A t t h i s v e r y m o m e n t , she m a y v e r y w e l l be g o i n g o v e r h e r l i n e s . WHAT: Fast Food, March 1 - 3 - 7 plays by West Van Secondary School students. The Mikado, March 22-25 - by North Shore Light Opera. Pro Arte Performing Arts in Motion, March 4 - a dance tribute to the instructors WHERE: Kay Meek Centre, West Vancouver. HOW: For more info visit www.kaymeekcentre.com March | April