Green Thumb Theatre facts for kids
| Formation | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Children's theatre |
| Location |
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Artistic director(s)
|
Rachel Aberle |
|
Notable members
|
Breanne Harmon, Patrick McDonald, Dennis Foon, Ivan Habel, Nadine Carew, Peter Zednyk |
Green Thumb Theatre is a special Canadian theatre company. It's based in Vancouver, British Columbia. This theatre group creates plays just for young people! It was started in 1975 by two writers, Dennis Foon and Jane Howard Baker. Dennis Foon was also the artistic director, which means he was in charge of the creative side, from 1976 to 1988.
Green Thumb Theatre is famous for making new Canadian plays. These plays often talk about real-life issues that young people face today. Their plays have been performed by over 200 theatre groups around the world. They have also been translated into many languages, like Chinese, French, Spanish, and Japanese. Green Thumb Theatre also takes its own shows on tour to different places.
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What Green Thumb Theatre Does
The founders, Dennis Foon and Jane Howard Baker, wanted to make plays that were new and exciting. They wanted to talk about important topics for young audiences. The company has become well-known globally for its plays and its touring shows.
Their plays have been translated into many languages. These include Chinese, French, Spanish, German, Danish, Hebrew, and Japanese. About 200 other theatre companies have performed Green Thumb's plays.
Famous Plays
Foon and Baker wrote a play together called New Canadian Kid in 1981. This play became very important for the company. It's about a young immigrant boy who has trouble fitting in. He faces culture shock and bullying when he moves to Canada with his family.
In 1985, New Canadian Kid won a British Theatre Award for Best Children's Play. This play has been performed all over the world for almost 40 years. It shows how important and lasting Green Thumb's stories are.
Green Thumb Theatre also performed the first show of Colin Thomas's play One Thousand Cranes in 1983. Morris Panych has written several plays for the company. These plays have also traveled and been performed internationally.
Leadership and Awards
Patrick McDonald became the second artistic director of Green Thumb Theatre in 1988. He has been leading the company since then.
In 2015, Green Thumb's show Celestial Being won an important award. It received the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for outstanding production for young audiences. That same year, Green Thumb also performed Moss Park by George F. Walker.
Where Green Thumb Theatre Is Located
Green Thumb Theatre works out of an old school house. This building is located in East Vancouver. It's a special place where they create their amazing plays for young people.
