Carousel Theatre
Carousel Theatre's administrative offices on Granville Island, Vancouver
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Formation | 1974 |
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Type | Theatre group |
Purpose | Children's theatre Theatre for young audiences |
Location | |
Artistic director(s)
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Carole Higgins |
Website | http://www.carouseltheatre.ca |
Carousel Theatre (also known as Carousel Theatre For Young People) is a professional theatre company for young audiences located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1][2][3] The company stages plays for young people, families and educators at the Waterfront Theatre and Performance Works on Granville Island and tours to elementary schools across British Columbia[4] and Canada.[5] It was also the first Canadian theatre company to offer signing during its performances for the hearing impaired.[5] Carousel Theatre is a member of PACT, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres.[6]
Contents
History and productions
Carousel was founded in 1974 by Elizabeth Ball, who served as Artistic Director until 2001,[3][7][8][9] when she stepped down and was replaced by Carole Higgins.[2] In its early years, Carousel garnered attention for its adaptations of Shakespeare in modern dress.[2] Later, it shifted its focus to adaptations of classical stories and new works by Canadian playwrights.[2] Carousel first mounted its productions in Vancouver playhouses such as the Arts Club Theatre Company’s old Seymour Street theatre and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre.[2][3] In about 1993, it relocated to Granville Island, where it has administrative offices and three rehearsal halls.[3] Its administrative and rehearsal space is located across the street from the Waterfront Theatre, which Carousel helped to build and is where it mounts many of its productions.[2][3] Since Higgins took over as Artistic Director, Carousel Theatre has rebranded itself as Carousel Theatre for Young People, in order to signify its focus on children and youth.[3]
Carousel has mounted premieres of several productions, some of which it had commissioned and developed.[2] Currently, a typical mainstage season for Carousel consists of four or five productions.[3] It offers public performances on weekends and matinees, primarily for schools, during the week.[3]
Notable Canadian plays that premiered at Carousel Theatre include A Christmas Carol - The Musical by Mavor Moore (in 1998),[10] Dying to be Thin by Linda A. Carson (in 1992),[11] and Basically Good Kids by Mark Leiren-Young (in 1993). Carousel also mounted an original production of Pierre Berton's fable The Secret World of Og, adapted under commission by Governor General's Award-winning playwright Kevin Kerr.[12] Other Carousel productions have included Seussical[13] and Kim Selody's adaptation of The Hobbit.[14] Many notable Canadian theatre artists, including Roy Surette,[15] Teryl Rothery,[16] and Anna Cummer [17] have worked for Carousel Theatre in the decades since it was founded.
Other activities
In addition to producing and staging theatrical performances, Carousel operates a theatre school for young people from the ages of 3 to 17 years old.[2] The company also operates a "Teen Shakespeare Program" for young people aged 13 to 17 during the months of July and August, culminating in a production staged by the teen actors.[2][3] Artistic Director Higgins herself got her start in theatre through this program.[3]
Awards
Carousel Theatre and its artists have been honoured with a number of awards.
"Jessie" Awards
Over the years, Carousel theatre received numerous Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and nominations,[18][19][20][21] including:
- 2011
- Outstanding Design, Theatre for Young Audiences - Heidi Wilkinson, Bird Brain
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences – Carole Higgins, Bird Brain
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, Bird Brain
- Significant Artistic Achievement, Theatre for Young Audiences, Design Team, Pharaoh Serket & The Lost Stone of Fire
- 2010
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, A Year with Frog & Toad
- Outstanding Performance, Theatre for Young Audiences, A Year with Frog & Toad
- Outstanding Design, Theatre for Young Audiences - Heidi Wilkinson
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences - Gordon Roberts (Musical Direction) A Year with Frog & Toad
- 2008
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, Seussical (awarded with the Canada Council Prize for Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences)
- Outstanding Artistic Creation, Theatre for Young Audiences - Steven Greenfield, Musical Direction, Seussical
- Outstanding Performance, Theatre for Young Audiences - Allan Zinyk, Seussical
- 2007
- Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences, The Odyssey (awarded with the Canada Council Prize for Outstanding Production, Theatre for Young Audiences)
- 2006
- Carole Higgins, Outstanding Artistic Creation (direction), The Big League
- Alexa Dubreuil, Josh Dickson, Nathan Schwartz, Chris Van Hyfte, Significant Artistic Achievement (acting ensemble), The Big League
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ "Local candidates schooled in silver screen", The Georgia Straight, November 17, 2005
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- ↑ Electric Company
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Vancouver Sun
- ↑ "Seussical big winner at Vancouver's Jessie Awards", CBC News
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Arts Club, Carousel Theatre, Pacific Theatre win big at the 2011 Jessie Awards", The Georgia Straight