Carousel Theatre (also known as Carousel Theatre For Young People) is a professional

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

company for young audiences located in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The company stages plays for young people, families and educators at the Waterfront Theatre and Performance Works on

Granville Island Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district in the Fairview neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver, under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. Formerly an industrial ...

and tours to elementary schools across British Columbia and Canada. It was also the first Canadian theatre company to offer signing during its performances for the

hearing impaired Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to Hearing, hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to Lang ...

. Carousel Theatre is a member of PACT, the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres.

History and productions

Carousel was founded in 1974 by Elizabeth Ball, who served as Artistic Director until 2001, when she stepped down and was replaced by Chris McGregor, who departed in 2006, and Carole Higgins until her departure from the company in July 2020. Currently, the company is under significant artistic leadership changes and board reform. In its early years, Carousel garnered attention for its adaptations of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

in modern dress. Later, it shifted its focus to adaptations of classical stories and new works by Canadian playwrights. Carousel first mounted its productions in Vancouver playhouses such as the

Arts Club Theatre Company The Arts Club Theatre Company is a Canadian professional theatre company in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1958. It is the largest urban not-for-profit theatre company in the country and the largest in Western Canada, with productions tak ...

's old Seymour Street theatre and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. In about 1993, it relocated to Granville Island, where it has administrative offices and three rehearsal halls. 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. When Higgins took over as Artistic Director, Carousel Theatre rebranded itself as Carousel Theatre for Young People, in order to signify its focus on children and youth. Carousel has mounted premieres of several productions, some of which it had commissioned and developed. Currently, a typical mainstage season for Carousel consists of four or five productions. It offers public performances on weekends and matinees, primarily for schools, during the week. Canadian plays that premiered at Carousel Theatre include ''A Christmas Carol - The Musical'' by

Mavor Moore James Mavor Moore (March 8, 1919 – December 18, 2006) was a Canadian writer, producer, actor, public servant, critic, and educator. He notably appeared as Nero Wolfe in the CBC radio production in 1982. Life and work Moore was born in Tor ...

(in 1998), ''Dying to be Thin'' by Linda A. Carson (in 1992), and ''Basically Good Kids'' by

Mark Leiren-Young Mark Leiren-Young (born September 4, 1962) is a Canadian playwright, author, journalist, screenwriter, filmmaker, and performer. He lives in Saanich, British Columbia and is married to Rayne Ellycrys Benu. Early life Mark Leiren-Young was born in ...

(in 1993). Carousel also mounted an original production of

Pierre Berton Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian historian, writer, journalist and broadcaster. Berton wrote 50 best-selling books, mainly about Canadiana, Canadian history and popular cultur ...

's fable ''

The Secret World of Og ''The Secret World of Og'' is a children's novel written by Pierre Berton and illustrated by his daughter Patsy. It was first published in 1961 by McClelland and Stewart. This Canadian classic has sold more than 200,000 copies in four editions. ...

'', adapted under commission by

Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the governor general of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...

-winning playwright Kevin Kerr. Other Carousel productions have included ''

Seussical ''Seussical'', sometimes ''Seussical the Musical'', is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty, and written by Ahrens and Flaherty. The musical is inspired by many of the children's stories of Dr. Seuss, with most ...

'' and Kim Selody's adaptation of ''The Hobbit''. Many Canadian theatre artists, including Roy Surette, and

Anna Cummer Anna Cummer (born January 2, 1977) is a Canadian actress. She was born in Singapore to Canadian parents. She spent half of her adolescence in Southeast Asia and the other half in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She finished high school in Hong ...

have worked for Carousel Theatre in the decades since it was founded. In July 2020, following a petition alleging the theatre company had a toxic workplace, Carousel Theatre parted ways with longtime Artistic Director Carole Higgins.

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. 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.

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 Award The Jessie Richardson Theatre Award (commonly known as the Jessie Awards) is given to recognize achievement in professional theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Jessies are presented by the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Society, at an annu ...

s and nominations,"Arts Club, Carousel Theatre, Pacific Theatre win big at the 2011 Jessie Awards", The Georgia Straight
/ref> 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

External links

Carousel Theatre

Vancouverplays.com
{{authority control Children's theatre Theatre companies in British Columbia Theatre in Vancouver Granville Island