VDPAC’s studio breaks the mould with theatre space designed for local artists
Audience members enjoy a screening at the Vernon Performing Arts and District Performing Arts Centre’s new Marie Fleming Studio arts space. Photo courtesy of VDPAC.
“I think the theatre is as essential to civilization as safe, pure water,” actress Vanessa Redgrave once said.
The team behind the Vernon Performing Arts and District Performing Arts Centre agrees, and so do Vernon residents, especially when it comes to accessing theatre and the arts, says VDPAC Technical Director Jordan Davies, welcoming the community to the centre’s Marie Fleming Studio.
The studio provides local performance artists, poets, singers and musicians a real theatre and a place to have a voice and express themselves.
“It has a wonderful live coffeehouse charm. We’ll be doing cabaret nights and open mic nights, and even featuring local artists who want to use us as a smaller venue to showcase themselves. Also, a big part of what we are doing is varied workshops, master classes and community outreach activities which will, in most cases, be free to the public,” Davies explains.
“Instead of playing at a loud bar where people are talking over you during your live performance, you’ll have a dedicated, professional space with your own lighting and technical crew to showcase your talents.”
The new Marie Fleming Studio hosts a variety of live screenings and performances, including films. Photo courtesy of VDPAC.
Funding partners
Davies would like to deeply thank the BC Arts Council, Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, and the Regional District of the North Okanagan for the funding to execute the work.
Showcase your talents
Available to artists for a low rental fee, the studio offers a 31’ x 40’ black box space with sprung flooring. Comfortably seating 50 to 65 people, it can be used for live performances, workshops/classes, meetings and recording sessions, with tickets for any show available through VDPAC’s ticket office.
Jim Harding, Executive Director of VDPAC, had approached Davies about how to make the studio a fully functioning, vibrant space and accessible theatre in its own right.
“In this space, we now have the technical capacity to do full video, lighting and audio, as well as live streaming, just as they do in the big theatre,” Davies explains. “We really want our enthusiastic local arts patrons to engage in this new space and celebrate and support local artists.”
Upcoming Events: A Sneak preview!
There are some exciting community events in the studio on the horizon. The first is a local pizza party for local high school students just before the ‘Bear Grease’ show on October 24th. This event offers the kids a chance to get acquainted with our venue and learn more about the show. Later in the evening, they will be able to watch the show. Then in November, VDPAC is thrilled to announce a special table read for the upcoming play ‘Bird & the Bees’, featuring talented actors from the local community in Vernon.
The new theatre space is fully equipped, and with professional theatre technicians ready to put on a professional show for local artists. Photo courtesy of VDPAC.
Exciting new training opportunities, classes and workshops for technicians
Davies has been involved in theatre and film since moving to Kelowna in the early 2000s and, like many in the industry, was affected by closures during the pandemic. Today, he’s thrilled to return to his roots and support others in theatre.
“It feels great,” he says. “During the pandemic, we had a giant glut of technicians leaving or aging out of the field. There’s a void right now in our skill set and industry. We’ll be training new and young people with classes and workshops in this space to be theatre technicians. These are skills that can be turned into lifetime careers in theatre or film industries. It is truly exciting,” Davies says.
For more information, go to vdpac.ca, and stay up to date with the latest events on Facebook.