Many theatres, concert halls and other live performance venues, as well as electrical and audio visual technicians working in live performance, may be unaware that electrical certification is required.

In British Columbia, the BC Safety Standards Act Electrical Safety Regulations requires workers who handle electrical or audio visual equipment to hold a valid electrical ticket. The Full Entertainment (FE) or Limited Entertainment (LE) certifications were developed to meet the needs of the entertainment industries. However the requirements and level of expertise required to obtain an FE or LE are well above the average needs for live performance venues.

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Melissa James Gibson is often identified as an American playwright (at the bookstore, for instance, and until a few days ago on Wikipedia) and while it’s true that she lives in New York and obtained U.S. citizenship a couple of years ago so she could vote there, she was born in Ottawa, spent most of her childhood and teen years in the Vancouver area and is the daughter of former B.C. politician Gordon Gibson.

“I have very clear memories as a child saying to my father: ‘What religion are we?’ And his answer was: ‘Canadian,’ ” Gibson says.

Gibson, who now carries two passports, recounts this during an interview at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, where her acclaimed play This will have its Canadian premiere on Thursday, marking the first time that one of her plays has been produced in the city she still considers her hometown (an earlier play of hers, [sic], has also been produced in Canada).

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First of all, it’s not just for the denizens of the stage anymore; the bums in the seats are invited to take part as well. “We want it to be for anyone who loves theatre,” Sue Porter, executive director of the GVPTA, explained. “Audience members, volunteers, board members, and people whose kids are taking theatre classes and who are worried about their futures.…Anyone who is passionate or cares about the arts in B.C.

The award is worth $100,000 but a unique provision calls on the winner to give $25,000 of that total to a deserving protege. Collier selected Vancouver up-and-comer Anita Rochon as that lucky recipient.

“In choosing Kim Collier as the winner of the 2010 Siminovitch Prize,” says jury chair Maureen Labonté, “the jury wanted to recognize Kim’s leadership and spirit of innovation in the theatre world. As a director, she encourages artistic risk and excellence, is a believer in the power of community and is an impressive mentor for emerging artists.”

See also:Vancouver’s Kim Collier wins Siminovitch prize (CBC)
See also: Winning top theatre award in Canada monumental feat for Vancouver Director

He noticed it in 2005, abandoned in an alley near his home on East 14th Street in East Vancouver.

“It was mildewy,” he said. “It was ugly. It was dirty.”

Fearing the 1970s-era suitcase might also be a repository for dog urine, Long stayed clear. But days later, as he and a friend casted around for ideas for a new theatre work, he remembered the case. Acting on a hunch, the pair returned to the alley and recovered it.

Inside were five photo albums and two travel journals. Junk to the average person.

But for Long, pure gold.

Each Fringe Revival play drew 30 to 60 viewers as eclectic subjects entertained culture vultures.

The kicks continued Saturday night in the Cowichan Fringe (Elks) Club lovingly decorated by faithful volunteers.

Fringe Revival sure showed the potential for resurrecting daring, live theatre in Cowichan, regional arts and culture boss Kirsten Schrader said.

“We want it to be an annual program. Lots of people are excited and want (Cowichan Fringe) back, but with more lead time.”

Here’s the story:

Electric Company Theatre has announced that company co-founder Kevin Kerr is returning to take over as artistic director. This news comes just as current artistic producer Kim Collier has been shortlisted as one of the finalists for the Siminovitch Prize, Canada’s biggest award for theatre.

On Monday night, Theatre Northwest appeared before council to request their service agreement of 18 thousand dollars annually from the city be extended an other year.

General Manager Anne Laughlin says its been a challenging year for the theatre.

“The prize not only recognizes excellence within an evolving body of work but innovation, exploration, and risk-taking as well,” said jury chair Maureen Labonté in a news release. “It is not a lifetime achievement award and therefore it has the very exciting potential to make a real difference in the recipient’s artistic path, allowing him or her to go further in the pursuit of excellence.”

With the presentation of the community production, Sawllkwa (meaning water in the Secwepemc language) that took place at the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre in July, Runaway Moon is returning with another water-related puppet play.

However, this play will travel to Salmon Arm and beyond.

Known for its grand-scale community and site-specific productions, Runaway Moon has scaled down to create an intimate three-person play that can fit into small halls, galleries and black box theatres.

Capitol Theatre manager Elliot Drew is worried that with government funding cuts and low season ticket sales—they’ve only sold 25 and the season starts next week—the amateur theatre company won’t be able to operate next year.

“I have no way to balance my budget this year,” Drew said.

The Capitol has been a theatre venue in Port Alberni for 75 years, starting out as a moving pictures house.

Thanks to a gang of old hippies who have reinvented that 1605 tome, however, I can now find a way into the work. As opposed to the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha, which is easily accessible as a lovely bunch of ballads both happy and sad, the new coproduction of Don Quixote by the Arts Club Theatre and Montreal’s Centaur Theatre will be decidedly non-musical.

Well, almost.

“The musical is certainly acknowledged, a couple of lines are a wink to it,” says director Roy Surette.

The acting classes my parents scrimped to send me to did very little in terms of developing any talent, but I loved them.

My hometown was just 45 minutes from the amazing Stratford Shakespearean Festival. Every summer, I saw the most amazing actors breathing life into what, in class, seemed the dreariest writing ever. At least, it felt that way to a kid.

Theatre lured me to sit and wonder at these amazing creatures who could become anyone, who could make people feel a range of emotions just sitting there in the dark.

Which is why, when David Ross announced his successor at Western Canada Theatre would be Jeremy Tow, I was thrilled.

David did so much and was so integral to WCT in his many years there that, I worried the board would have an impossible task of finding someone who could take his legacy and soar with it.

I had never seen a single moment of theatre Jeremy, then with the Chemainus Theatre Festival, had ever created.

But, I knew his name and I knew WCT would be in good, strong hands that would not only support the theatre, but push it along.

Jeremy, who died earlier last week of cancer, was never afraid to challenge.

WHAT: Two days in which YOU design the programme and set the discussion topics which matter to you.
WHERE: W2, 151 W. Cordova St, Vancouver BC (the old Storyeum space)
WHEN: Friday November 26 & Saturday November 27, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (PLUS special party/reception from 5:30 – 8:30pm on Friday night)
WHO: For anyone who cares about theatre! Whatever your connection to theatre; on stage, back stage, off stage, on a board, in the audience – you are invited. All sectors and genres; Fringe, Regional, Indy, Commercial, Large, Small, Community, Touring, TYA, etc. You are ALL invited.
WHY: Because the really juicy part of any conference happens in the coffee breaks! So, if there are things you are passionate about or things you are ticked off about, projects or proposals you need support on, or if you simply want to connect with your community, all are possible – because at this event you set the agenda. Nothing is off limits. If you feel that the issues that affect you or your sector never get discussed so what’s the point of turning up? This is the event for you.

Registration fees have been kept deliberately low ($50- $75 for two full days!) so EVERYONE can participate: http://www.gvpta.ca/conference-registration