«s Presentation House Theatre: A History of Change SG Lee f the o n e c o n s t a n t i n l i f e is c h a n g e , N o r t h V a n c o u v e r ' s P r e s e n t a t i o n H o u s e T h e a t r e is constant. The t w o historical buildings that make up the theatre have seen over a century of change, and are braced for more. f I T h e m a i n b u i l d i n g was b u i l t in 1902 as a s c h o o l , and then i n 1913 became the " t e m p o r a r y " N o r t h Vancouver City H a l l - for 62 years. In 1975 when the C i t y announced they w o u l d finally be building a new C i t y H a l l , the N o r t h V a n c o u v e r C o m m u n i t y A r t s C o u n c i l obtained the building for use as an art centre, housing both a performance space and an art gallery. The second b u i l d i n g on the Presentation H o u s e site has l i t e r a l l y c o m e a l o n g w a y . F o r m e r l y St. J o h n s A n g l i c a n C h u r c h , b u i l t i n 1 8 9 9 , the b u i l d i n g w a s gifted to the C i t y in 1973 on c o n d i t i o n it be m o v e d . T h e A r t s C o u n c i l s a w the p r o m i s e o f this l o v e l y heritage building and named it for A n n e M a c D o n a l d , former Arts C o u n c i l Executive Director and a driving force behind the Presentation House project. Tricia Collins In 'Beaver' 2006. A c q u i r i n g the buildings was o n l y the first of a l o n g series of challenges. R e n o v a t i o n s were r e q u i r e d for the g a l l e r y a n d the theatre, a n d then there w a s a church to move. Presentation H o u s e Theatre finally opened in J u l y 1977 a n d A n n e M a c d o n a l d H a l l i n December 1978. These o l d b u i l d i n g s have seen a lot of t r a f f i c since t h e n . A n n e M a c , as it is a f f e c t i o n a t e l y k n o w n , c o n t i n u e s to house classes, acts as rehearsal space for Presentation H o u s e , and is available for rentals. The theatre offers a venue for countless l o c a l c o m m u n i t y a n d s c h o o l s h o w s as w e l l as b e i n g b o o k e d by c o m p a n i e s f r o m a c r o s s C a n a d a a n d a r o u n d the w o r l d . F o r m a n y years the theatre was h o m e to its o w n c o m m u n i t y theatre g r o u p , then moved o n to s p o n s o r p r o d u c t i o n s by o t h e r g r o u p s t h r o u g h its "In the H o u s e " p r o g r a m , and is n o w p r e s e n t i n g its o w n p r o f e s s i o n a l t h e a t r e season under the d y n a m i c leadership of M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r Brenda Leadlay. L e a d l a y is a v e t e r a n o f V a n c o u v e r t h e a t r e as a director, actor, creator and producer. A s Artistic Director o f the N o r m a n R o t h s t e i n T h e a t r e she f o u n d e d the popular C h u t z p a h ! Festival a n d she w a s a l s o A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r of T a m a h n o u s Theatre f r o m 1993 to 1996. I Since c o m i n g to Presentation H o u s e i n December of 2 0 0 3 , Leadlay has undertaken many new initiatives, i n c l u d i n g the Third Street Theatre Series, w h i c h offered three professional productions in its 2006/07 season. T h e season o p e n e d w i t h a C a n a d i a n p l a y , Mesa by D o u g C u r t i s a n d then offered up O s c a r Wilde's classic, An Ideal Husband. By c o m b i n i n g f a m i l i a r fare w i t h newer w o r k , Leadlay hopes to expand the tastes of her current audience as well as to welcome newcomers to the theatre. Tricia Collins and Byron Chief-Moon in the 2006 production ot 'Beaver'. 4 M a r c h A p r i I