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GIBSONS LANDING HERITAGE SOCIETY

HERITAGE PLAYHOUSE
 SPRING 2007
 

 
GRANT'S COMMITTEE

The "Blacks" have been installed and we're very pleased with the outcome. There have been several performances in the theatre since the installation and all have remarked very positively on the improvement. Many thanks again to the Driftwood Players, SCRD, the Vancouver Foundation and the very generous support of private donors.

Unfortunately the painting of the exterior of the Heritage Playhouse didn't get done last summer but we are set to go as soon as the rains diminish. And again, thanks to the SCRD Grant-in-Aid program there are funds to support the project.

This winter the Grants Committee has been working hard to put together grants to support of our annual summer fund raising event - The Showcase of Performing Arts (SOPA). We hope to make this year's event the best ever.
 
 

 
BOOKINGS
The place is hopping! 2007 is proving to be a busy, busy time for Playhouse bookings and what a variety of shows are lining up! In the first two months, amongst other, 1-time shows, we had good turnouts for Gilbert and Sullivan; The Garden Club had a full house for the Des Kennedy gardening presentation; The film Society started off their new Tuesday evenings season; HSPP used our facility for a series of training workshops and Driftwood Players held auditions for their Spring show. There's much more to come. You can check it out on our website at www.heritageplayhouse.com

 
VOLUNTEERING

● Ticket Office

Quite often I volunteer to do the door at the playhouse. I really enjoy this job. I get to meet a wide selection of people and they are generally very happy. I also get to employ my long forgotten math skills (I should know what 4 times 12 is....) and making change is not that difficult. It is fun to cash up at the end of the evening and I get to see if my math skills are still sharp. Most people have purchased their tickets before arriving at the theatre and I simply have to tear the ticket and smile sweetly.

If the theatre's opening is delayed for some reason. I usually let people into the lobby and the room becomes a buzz with talk and anticipation. I cannot think of a reason why not to do this volunteer job. It is an active, pleasant and very social experience.

Now that tickets are $15 a person, making change is that much easier and with a float that contains lots of 5 dollar bills I don't have to balk at all those $20 bills that the bank machines provide.

If you are thinking of helping at the Heritage Playhouse, this is a great job.

Karen Careless

 

● Volunteers

Since the theatre opened volunteers have been our saving grace. Until the theatre is fully paid off there are no funds for maintenance, office or repairs. Volunteers manage the office, run the concession usher during performances and keep our theatre clean. The Gibsons Garden Club have generously volunteered their services for years to keep the outside looking great. The Rotarians have painted the outside of the building. Individuals donate money, and companies donate services. This is truly a community theatre. If you have a spare hour or two we are always looking for more volunteers. At present we need some help in the weekly cleaning (losing one of our main volunteers) so if you have any free time Wednesday mornings between 10:30 am and noon call us at 604 886 8998 and leave a message.

 

● Garden Club

Once again, our thanks to the Garden Club who keep our grounds looking so spiffy. They have already started their Spring preparations, and have been working on the fence-line plants, especially at the "back" end of the grounds. Make sure you thank them if you see them at the Playhouse.

 
   

 
AUDITORIUM

 

 

A number of people have made suggestions about railings etc. for the interior staircase of the Playhouse. We know that some of our older patrons are a little nervous of climbing the steps without some support.

In the past we have explored a variety of ideas for railings but they are considered to be a potential hazard in the case of fire.If you or someone you know experiences a problem climbing the stairs please remember you can either ask the show's producer if they are able to reserve a front-row seat for you or you can ask an usher to accompany you up the stairs.

 
WONDERVILLE
 


The next Driftwood Players Production, "Wonderville" opened on March 15th. Watch for the newspaper ads and the posters. Driftwood Players is our resident company and all of the photos that adorn our hallways are from their productions. You should know that they make a huge financial contribution each year to lowering our Interim Financing debt.

Talking of the Interim Financing ... keep your eye on our thermometer on the North Road side of the Building. We have reduced our debt from the original $150,000 in the Year 2000 to a figure that now sits around $24,000 ... quite an accomplishment! Once it reaches zero, the GLHS can look at hiring a manager and our busiest volunteers can take a rest.
   

 
SHOWCASE OF PERFORMING ARTS
 

 

Our fifth SOPA (Showcase of Performing Arts) will be happening from July 5th to July 21st with events on the Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays of those weeks. Our SOPA committee, made up of both GLHS and Driftwood Players members, will be meeting in April to confirm the calendar of events. Watch for the brochures.

 
   

 
CONCESSION
  The Heritage Playhouse Concession remains the property of the Gibsons Landing Heritage Society and is the only source of funds needed to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the Heritage Playhouse, at present. We encourage users of the playhouse to include an intermission to allow volunteers to run the concession to raise these funds. When user groups want to run the concession on their own – it, of course, takes away from our funds for maintenance. So, until the Playhouse is paid for completely, the concession should ONLY be operated by our volunteers, for the benefit of the Heritage Playhouse.
   

 
MEMBERSHIP
  Membership continues to rise in the GLHS every year. Membership in GLHS benefits the Heritage Playhouse and is only $10.00 yearly. If you wish to become a member mail your $10.00 along with your name and mailing address to: Heritage Playhouse, 662 North Road, Gibsons, B.C. V0N 1V9. You will receive a membership card in the mail.
   

 
PLAYHOUSE MAINTENANCE
  Maintaining the Playhouse is like maintaining any other house ... there are always those little jobs that need a handyman or handywoman (is there such a word as "handyperson"?). Our master handyman is John (Oz) Austin.

He's the one who re-attaches the loose arms from the seats, or replaces the missing floor screw that holds the seat in place; he's the one who puts stoppers at the base of the doors so we don't have to use bits of wood; he's the one who checks that the rainwater isn't flowing into the furnace room; he's the one who does all that and a myriad of other maintenance jobs around the Playhouse. Thanks Oz

 
 

Then of course, there are our two faithful volunteers who give many hours to keeping the Playhouse clean. Sweeping, vacuuming washing floors, sanitizing the washrooms, replacing paper towels, hand soap and toilet rolls when necessary. Where would we be without Diane Berdahl and Jenny Gipps? Thanks to you both for the hours and hours you give to the Playhouse.