The first public performance at Vancouver’s newest arts venue will be the Arts Club Theatre Co.’s November 26 performance of the Peter Pan prequel Peter and the Starcatcher.
The BMO Theatre Centre, at 162 West 1st Avenue, includes a 243-seat theatre called the Goldcorp Stage, which is where the play will take place starting at 7:30 p.m.
The centre also includes 7,000-square-feet of rehearsal space, a costume-storage room, a costume-making room, an artists' lounge, a boardroom and other amenities.
“Portions of the centre are available for the community for large portions of the year,” Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival artistic director Christopher Gaze told Business in Vancouver.
“Right now, we’ve got the Wizard of Oz, from Gateway Theatre in Richmond, in there rehearsing. They need to pay for it, but they get not-for-profit rates.”
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The Arts Club is sharing the facility with Bard on the Beach and each gets a large rehearsal room and a small one. Bard on the Beach will rent its space for much of the year, given that it is a summer festival, Gaze said.
The Arts Club closed its Revue Stage on Granville Island in September as well as offices above the Granville Island Public Market. Bard on the Beach, similarly, closed space near West Broadway and Cambie Street. The Arts Club will continue to operate its Granville Island Stage and Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre.
“Tonight’s performance is certainly close to being sold out,” Arts Club artistic director Bill Millerd told BIV.
“The first couple weeks are almost sold out as sales are going well. The show is playing through the month so tickets are certainly available.”
Government funding to create the centre totalled $18.1 million.
The City of Vancouver secured the space through a community amenity contribution valued at $7.6 million. It also committed $7 million toward construction, through its 2014 capital budget, for a total of $14.6 million in support.
Other public funding for the project included the Department of Canadian Heritage’s $2.5 million contribution through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. B.C.’s Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development provided an additional $1 million.
BMO Financial Group (TSX:BMO)’s $1.5 million contribution is the largest private donation and earned the bank naming rights. Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G)’s $500,000 donation earns it the right to put its name on the theatre.
A gala will be held November 30 to thank donors and enable visitors to tour the facility.
