VANCOUVER, B.C..... Artistic Director Christopher Gaze is delighted to announce that a gloriously sunny summer and strong audience support helped Bard on the Beach weather the recession for its 20th Anniversary Season.

Attendance exceeded 91,000, representing more than 99% of capacity and surpassing the all-time record of 87,271 achieved during the 2007 sold out run. The Comedy of Errors also broke Bard records for the most seats for any single production; it was seen by more than 41,000 patrons, topping 2008 Twelfth Night at 40,040.

Committed theatre lovers, including an undiminished number of loyal US patrons and other tourists, gave rave reviews to the tongue-in-cheek Elizabethan version of The Comedy of Errors conceived by David Mackay, the passionate Renaissance staging of Othello directed by Dean Paul Gibson, Rachel Ditor’s clever Victorian take on All’s Well That Ends Well, and Christopher Weddell’s lucid and powerful medieval production of Richard II, which was the first play in Bard’s 3-year “The Kings” History Cycle.

More than 7,500 students from around the province were immersed in the brilliance of Shakespeare, attending either the Festival’s Student Matinee Series or the evening performances when matinee capacity filled up. Both the Bard-B-Q & Fireworks evenings and Celebrating Red & White wine tasting again sold out in advance. The popular Opera & Arias concerts, featuring UBC’s Opera Ensemble and members of Vancouver Opera Orchestra, this year presented four in-concert performances of Così fan tutte, delighting close to 2,000 patrons. New this year was the Bard Explored Lecture Series, whose success will prompt increased capacity in 2010. Once again more than 200 volunteers helped the Festival meet its “accessible, affordable” mandate, contributing over 12,000 volunteer hours to the event.

We are so blessed in the loyalty of our patrons and the great word of mouth that have ensured that the tents are always full and have again given us a virtually sold-out season,” says Artistic Director Christopher Gaze. However, Bard on the Beach was not entirely impervious to the downturn in the economy, with corporate sponsorship seeing a shortfall of about $30,000; government and foundation contributions were down about $15,000. Marvellously, individual donors did not stint in their generosity, exceeding last year’s giving. “Thank you so much Vancouver for your ongoing support, says Gaze.

For the upcoming Season which will run June 3 to September 25, 2010, the anchor production in the Mainstage tent will be the witty romance Much Ado About Nothing staged by acclaimed Bard director, Dean Paul Gibson. Playing in repertory with Much Ado… will be the passionate tragedy Antony and Cleopatra directed by long-time Bard actor and Artistic Associate Scott Bellis, making his Bard directorial debut.  In the intimate Studio Stage, Bard will continue with the second year of “The Kings” History Cycle. In a new adaptation by Errol Durbach, Henry IV, Parts I & II will be blended as Falstaff, which will be directed by former Playhouse Artistic Director, Glynis Leyshon. Falstaff will play in repertory with the third history play, the heroic drama Henry V, directed by the ever-imaginative Meg Roe.

Written by :

Kindah

 

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