Bard on the Beach facts for kids
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| Location | Vanier Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Founded | 1990 |
| Founded by | Christopher Gaze |
| Artistic director | Christopher Gaze |
| Type of play(s) | Primarily Shakespeare |
| Festival date | June - September, Annually |
Bard on the Beach is a big theatre festival in Western Canada. It's all about the plays of William Shakespeare. The festival happens every year from early June to September. You can find it in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The main goal of Bard on the Beach is to offer great Shakespeare plays. They want these plays to be easy to get to and affordable for everyone. This includes people living in Vancouver and tourists visiting the city. Besides the summer festival, they also run theatre classes and training all year. These programs are for both actors and anyone interested in theatre. In 2019, Bard on the Beach celebrated its 30th birthday!
Contents
History of Bard on the Beach
Bard on the Beach started small in the summer of 1990. It was an "Equity Co-op," meaning actors worked together. Christopher Gaze, the Artistic Director, got a special grant to help start it. He had moved to Canada after studying theatre. He performed in many plays across Canada. In 1983, he came to Vancouver.
In Vancouver, Christopher Gaze met other actors who loved Shakespeare. In 1989, he directed a play for a festival. The next summer, this same group put on A Midsummer Night's Dream. They used a rented tent in Vanier Park. This was the very first Bard on the Beach show. About 6,000 people came to see it in just four weeks. This showed that people really wanted more Shakespeare! So, in December 1990, Bard on the Beach became an official non-profit group.
Where the Festival Happens
Bard on the Beach is located in Vanier Park. This park is at the south end of the Burrard Street Bridge. The festival has two main stages for performances. These are the BMO Mainstage and the Howard Family Stage. There's also a group of tents called the Bard Village. Here, you can find the ticket office, a gift shop, and places to buy snacks. The festival area also has dressing rooms, offices, and picnic areas.
The BMO Mainstage
Bard on the Beach bought its first large tent in 1992. By 2010, they needed a new one. After raising money, they built a special new Mainstage tent. This new tent can hold 742 people. It also has a new stage design. The seats are more comfortable, and they even have cup holders!
The best part is that the tent has an open back. This means you can see False Creek, the Coast Mountains, and the city skyline during the show. It's a beautiful backdrop! The stage is named after the Bank of Montreal. They gave a lot of money to help build the new tent.
The BMO Mainstage usually shows two plays each season. They often perform them on different nights. This means the set for the stage has to work for both plays. This is a fun challenge for the set designers!
The Howard Family Stage
The Howard Family Stage was added in 1999. It was part of Bard's 10th anniversary. This smaller tent is a cozy space. It's used for Shakespeare's less famous plays. Sometimes, it's also used for new and modern versions of his well-known works.
Since 2005, this stage has also shown plays not written by Shakespeare. These plays often help us understand Shakespeare's world better. For example, they performed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
This theatre is named after Douglas Campbell. He was a Canadian actor and a good friend of Christopher Gaze. He helped Bard on the Beach in its early years. This smaller tent seats 240 people. Its layout can be changed easily, like a "black box theatre." The tent was replaced in 2013. In 2014, it was officially named the "Howard Family Stage." This was to honor Darlene and Paul Howard, who are big supporters of the arts in Vancouver.
Bard Education Programs
Bard on the Beach isn't just about summer plays. They also have many programs for young people. These are part of "Bard Education." These programs aim to inspire people. They help them connect with Shakespeare's language, characters, and stories.
Bard in the Classroom
"Bard in the Classroom" offers workshops right in your school! Actors and theatre experts lead these sessions. They are trained by Bard on the Beach. These workshops can be changed for any age group, from 4 to 18 years old. Teachers can ask for a 90-minute session. It can be about Shakespeare in general. Or it can focus on a specific play, scene, or characters. Students get to use their voices and do theatre exercises. This helps them explore Shakespeare's plays by acting them out.
Professional Development
Unlike other programs, "Professional Development" is for teachers. It's open to educators from all over British Columbia. It doesn't matter what grade or subject they teach. Like "Bard in the Classroom," these workshops use theatre exercises. They help teachers learn how to bring Shakespeare to life for their students.
Young Shakespeareans Workshops
The "Young Shakespeareans Workshop" program has been running since 1993. It's for young people aged 8 to 18. These workshops happen every summer at the festival grounds. There are different sessions for "Juniors" (8-13 years old) and "Seniors" (13-18 years old). These sessions usually last two weeks. There's also a one-week intense theatre program for older teens (15-18). Since 2014, older students from the "Riotous Youth" program help teach these workshops.
Riotous Youth
"Riotous Youth" is like a next step for those who loved the "Young Shakespeareans Workshops." It started in 2014. This program is for young adults aged 19 to 24. They get to help teach the younger workshops. They also give talks to the audience before shows. Plus, they work with an experienced Bard actor to create their own performance. The "Riotous Youth" also take part in other festival events.
Other Fun Events
Besides the main plays, Bard on the Beach hosts other exciting events during the summer:
- [Bard Fireworks]
- [Wine Wednesdays]
- [Family Days]
- [Bard Explored]
- [Talkback Tuesdays]
Productions
Bard on the Beach performs many of Shakespeare's famous plays. They also sometimes put on other plays that connect to Shakespeare's work. For example, in 2005, they performed Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard.
In 2003, they tried a special "Bard in the Vineyard" production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was at a winery in the Okanagan Valley. However, a big forest fire nearby affected how many people could attend.
From 1995 to 1998, they also had "Bard Peak Performances." These were special shows held at the top of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver.
In 2020, the festival had to cancel its shows. This was because of the global COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia. The plays planned for 2020 were moved to 2021. But in 2021, they still couldn't have in-person shows. Instead, they offered online programs and events. The festival was happy to welcome audiences back in 2022 and 2023.
