Yesterday was a big day for theatre and education (at least in Vancouver).
It was a kick off of a new partnership between Green Thumb Theatre and the Vancouver School Board. The aim of the partnership was to preserve one of Vancouver’s top heritage sites by reclaiming it for use by an educational theatre company.
Sounds like a good deal, and it is. For the past few years, the Vancouver School Board has been struggling with what to do with some of its excess facilities. Like many school districts across the province, the VSB has seen slow but steady declines in student enrollment. This has left a lot of gorgeous heritage school buildings vacant (or under-capacity). While demolition was an option, many hoped to find a new purpose for some of these heritage sites.
Enter Green Thumb Theatre. Founded in 1975, the theatre company’s purpose is to develop original Canadian plays for young audiences. Today it remains at the forefront of the Theatre in Education movement, using the emotional impact of live performance to educate and empower young people. Each year Green Thumb tours every school district in British Columbia, performing to more than 125,000 children.
The company came across Carleton School House while searching for a new home after leaving the its previous home at the Cultch. After some negotiation, Green Thumb agreed to renovate school house, which had been gutted earlier by a fire. Talk about a match made in heaven. An educational district with extra space and a educational theatre company looking for a home.
Should the theatre company be successful in raising the requisite funds, it plans to repair the roof of the school house and renovate the building to make use of two rehearsal halls, washroom facilities and six parking spots. A nearby outbuilding will be renovated to be used for administrative offices.
Once the buildings have been upgraded, Green Thumb Theatre is planning to hold drama workshops with neighborhood students. The close proximity of Green Thumb’s rehearsal space will allow classes to visit actors to learn more about educational theatre production.
One of the most exciting things about this partnership is what it could represent for future art/drama/music/”you name it” groups and other non-profits. Such partnerships could not only help the Vancouver School Board save money and revive some amazing spaces, but provide much needed space for a vibrant cultural community. It’s something worth paying attention to.