NEW WESTMINSTER THEATRE STUDY

CULTURAL PLANNING CONSULTANCY

FOR

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NEW WESTMINSTER

PREPARED BY

Lydia Marston-Blaaw and Associates Consultants for the Arts with Oksana Dexter James Dobbs and

OCTOBER 20, 2008 New Westminster Theatre Study

CONTENTS

CONTENTS ...... 2

PURPOSE ...... 4 1. Needs Assessment...... 4 2. Facility Assessments ...... 4 Assumptions ...... 4 Information Gathering ...... 5

1. NEEDS ASSESSMENT ...... 5 Introduction ...... 5 Community Context ...... 5 The Metro Vancouver Cultural Planning Context ...... 6 The New Westminster Theatre Context ...... 8 Community Priorities ...... 10 Regional and Local Participation in Existing Facilities ...... 10 Challenges the Community Faces in Using Existing Facilities ...... 13 Programming of New Westminster Theatre Facilities’ Primary Users ...... 15 Establishing Local Need ...... 16 Enabling Creation and Presentation in New Westminster ...... 17 Municipal Theatres in Metro Vancouver ...... 18 Responding to Regional Infrastructure Needs ...... 18 The Regional Theatre Marketplace...... 21 Commercial (Show) Theatres in the Surrounding Region ...... 24 Identifying the Regional Gap ...... 25

NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS ...... 26 Recommendations: ...... 26 A Full Range of Potentials ...... 28 Details of a Studio Theatre...... 28 A Mid Size Flexible Studio Theatre within the Civic Centre ...... 28 Program Opportunities for a 300-400 Seat Flexible Studio Theatre ...... 29 Operational Structure ...... 29 Rental Rate Structure ...... 29 Features Required for a Studio Theatre ...... 30 Audience Services: ...... 30 Performance Services: ...... 30 Room Features: ...... 31 Square Footage Requirements and Costs ...... 31

2. THEATRE FACILITY ASSESSMENTS ...... 33 Introduction ...... 33 Bernie Legge Theatre ...... 33 Massey Theatre ...... 39

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Douglas College Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre ...... 53 Justice Institute of BC Lecture Theatre: ...... 58 Burr Theatre (formerly the Columbia) –currently closed ...... 61

THEATRE ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS ...... 66 Recommendations ...... 66 Bernie Legge Theatre ...... 66 The Burr Theatre ...... 67 The Justice Institute Lecture Theatre ...... 67 Laura C Muir Theatre – Douglas College...... 68 Massey Theatre ...... 68

APPENDICES...... 70 Appendix A - Glossary of Theatre Terms ...... 70 Appendix B - Theatre Operations 101 ...... 72 Basic Theatre Styles ...... 72 Proscenium Theatre (End Stage) ...... 72 Non-Proscenium Theatre ...... 73 Thrust Theatre ...... 74 Arena Theatre (Alley and In-the-Round) ...... 75 Flexible Staging - Black Box Theatre or Studio Theatre...... 75 Municipal Theatres ...... 76 Operating Models and Programming Mandate ...... 76 Producing Theatre: ...... 76 Rental or Road House Theatre ...... 77 Presenting Theatre ...... 77 Educational Theatre ...... 78 Theatre Staff Complement ...... 78 Operating Functions ...... 79 Operating Staff Roles ...... 79 Use of a Facility ...... 81 Audience Attendance ...... 82 Appendix C - Pro Forma Revenue Estimates for Flat Floor Performance Space ...... 83 Appendix D - Technical Database and Documents ...... 85 Bernie Legge Theatre ...... 85 Raymond Burr Theatre ...... 87 Lecture Theatre at Justice Institute ...... 89 Laura C Muir Theatre ...... 91 Massey Theatre ...... 93 Appendix E - Study Methodology ...... 96 Research and Information Gathering ...... 96 Appendix F - Contact Information ...... 99 Theatre Websites: ...... 99 Existing Mid-size Studio Theatre Websites ...... 99

INDEX ...... 100 Maps, Charts, Illustrations, Photographs and Tables...... 100

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New Westminster Theatre Study

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was two-fold:

1. Needs Assessment • To do a community needs assessment and recommend the direction the City should take in meeting the identified theatre needs. • To determine if theatre/performing arts should be contemplated in the new Multi-use Civic Facility. The Study team was asked to identify: • the range of uses that existing facilities, specifically Massey Theatre, Douglas College Theatre, Bernie Legge Theatre and the Justice Institute lecture theatre already support and review the programming of the facilities’ primary users; √ • the challenges the community faces in using existing facilities and what affects access; √ • what impact regional participation has on existing facilities; √ • the Burr Theatre’s past uses, its potential to serve the community’s needs and whether its renovation is the appropriate response to those needs; √ • any priorities for existing facilities (both open and closed)and an analysis of anticipated future use and audience needs; √ • what programming space is needed by the community and its performing arts groups and how such a space would affect the regional performance marketplace.√

2. Facility Assessments • To assess existing theatre facilities in New Westminster: The Study Team was asked to provide: • An assessment and description of each theatre, including a synopsis of “vital statistics” suitable for a City Theatre inventory listing √ • Technical specifications for each theatre √ • An inventory of the technical and service capabilities for the five facilities as they currently exist for community use in New Westminster √ • Conclusions and recommendations for each. √

Assumptions This study is conducted under the following assumptions: • The City of New Westminster, by adopting Arts and Cultural Policy (1998) and now an Arts Strategy (2008), has accepted the responsibility to initiate and coordinate arts and cultural development.

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• The City of New Westminster accepts the importance of theatres for its community arts and cultural development.

Information Gathering This study is based on information that is in the public domain and past reports available from the City, from the facilities studied, from interviews and through the generosity of theatre professionals. While physical inventories of facilities were made these did not include engineering or structural assessments.

Operating and service models for any facility decisions subsequent to this study must be created in due course. They are not within the scope of this study.

1. NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Introduction

The City of New Westminster continues its commitment to arts and cultural development of the community. In August 2008, the Arts Strategy 2008 - a Plan for the Arts in New Westminster was adopted by Council. While this Strategy was in draft, the City moved on the recommendation for a theatre study. As part of an overall planning initiative, the City of New Westminster, through its Parks and Recreation Department, is addressing the importance of theatres as the backbone of the performing arts – dance, theatre and music.

“The theatre is the living room of a community. There is nowhere else that the It is the place a community celebrates talent.” magic of communication traveling across the boundary of the imagination has greater power. From the Greek amphitheatres that sat thousands to the small intimate studios of avante garde creators in café settings; sharing human expression through spoken word, music or dance within a theatre is a highly accepted cultural value.

Community Context New Westminster is a city of just over 60,000 people set in the centre of Metro Vancouver. It is designated as one of nine regional town centres in Metro Vancouver a region of 21 municipalities with a population reaching beyond the two million mark.

The City, within its boundaries, will achieve a population of 85,000 people over the next decade and a half through densification. The industrial lands of the waterfront have given way to commercial and residential developments. It is a compact

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municipality of 1.12 square. kilometres (276 acres) a portion of which is across the Fraser River in Queensborough. The primary commercial and business district is bounded by 6th Street and 8th Street and goes from the River, and Columbia Street, (downtown) to 10th Avenue (uptown).

Just over 50 percent of its current population is new, having moved to New Westminster in the last 5 years. Statistic information shows that a significant percentage of the new citizens are from other parts of the Metro Vancouver area. The citizenry is also ethnically diverse and the City is considering how best to create a sense of shared citizenship among these newcomers. Uncharacteristically, many of the high rise apartments are home to young families as well as the usual empty nesters and young professionals. The influx has brought a new vitality to the City and, with it, quality of life expectations that the municipality must address.

The City has undertaken a number of important studies and strategic planning exercises since 2006 to prepare for its changing circumstances. The most recent has been the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan. It is unnecessary to duplicate the trend analysis and community research done by Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants Inc (PERC) in their plan. The general understanding of the benefits of recreation and cultural activity, the trends of generational views of the world are well outlined and applicable in the survey of research PERC has provided.

The Metro Vancouver Cultural Planning Context Arts and cultural planning in the region is increasing as municipalities recognise the role that this sector plays in economic and social vitality. Over the past ten years, municipalities throughout Metro Vancouver have addressed cultural development through Arts and Cultural Policies and Strategic Plans. Public art projects, community art residencies and the marketing of cultural festivals as tourism attractions are now part of the regular local activity throughout Metro Vancouver. The renewal of cultural infrastructure has been in the background during this time period, however, the need for performing arts facilities has been consistently noted. As the ten year mark approaches, many municipalities are working through updates and cultural reviews to existing plans and capital strategies. The largest is the recent completion of the City of Vancouver Creative City Plan.

In Burnaby the James Cowan Theatre as an aging facility within the elegant Shadbolt Arts Centre has been the subject of consideration. In Coquitlam, the phase 2 concept for a 600-700 theatre as part of the Evergreen Cultural Centre is being studied and opportunities considered for regional impact within the Tri-City area. In Surrey, fully into the implementation of the Cultural Capitals of Canada project, many initiatives are in full swing. The Surrey Arts Centre was renovated for the fourth time just a few short years ago and the programming at the Bell Centre is already surpassing rental expectation for this time in its history. In Vancouver, the Orpheum, Playhouse and Queen Elizabeth theatres are all undergoing upgrades and renewal and planning funds have just been approved for a new concert hall in the downtown core.

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The Alliance for Arts and Culture of Vancouver reports a steady growth in membership in all artistic disciplines over the past three years. There has been a jump in membership at the Professional Theatre Alliance and anecdotally, there is a sense that many independent small theatre producers are working but not joining the association. The major festivals of Vancouver are experiencing good attendance. Theatre managers at the British Columbia Touring Council are reporting strong rental activity and growth in attendance counts. The field is vibrant with producers and consumers.

Map A 1

The planning and excitement that is growing with the coming Cultural Olympiad will generate arts awareness and will draw people into cultural activity.

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Map A 2

The New Westminster Theatre Context There are three working performance theatres and one lecture theatre in New Westminster: • Bernie Legge Theatre located in Queens Park • Laura C. Muir Theatre within the Douglas College campus • Lecture Theatre at the Justice Institute complex • Massey Theatre operated by the Massey Theatre Society within the New Westminster Secondary School and one closed theatre: • The Burr Theatre on Columbia Street; awaiting a decision on its future.

All theatres in New Westminster, except for the Lecture Theatre at the Justice Institute are proscenium theatres.

A Proscenium Theatre is one in which the stage is in a picture frame and all the seating faces forward to the stage.

Though New Westminster is currently served by what appears to be a large number of theatre seats per capita located uptown at the Massey Theatre with 1,260 seats -

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this theatre is not in the control of the municipality. The only working theatre currently in the city’s orbit is the Bernie Legge Theatre at only 140 seats and it is not widely available for community rental access.

Massey Theatre is owned by the New Westminster School District #40 and operated by the Massey Theatre Society. It is a proscenium theatre with a fully equipped stage, professional operating staff, a restored audience chamber and upgraded state- of-the-art sound and lighting systems. In any examination of theatre assets in New Westminster, it is the most significant venue. Massey is one of only two theatres of its size in Metro Vancouver, the other being The Bell Centre in South Surrey at 1,052 seats (plus 10 wheelchair seats).

The Massey Theatre plays a three interconnecting roles as a school facility, a community theatre and as a rental house. Establishing long term certainty for Massey Theatre is a necessary and wise course of action and would allow a number of exciting options to come into play.

The Bernie Legge Theatre at 140 seats in a narrow proscenium configuration is located behind the Queen’s Park Arena in Queen’s Park. It is owned by the City as part of park infrastructure and is leased to the Vagabond Players, a volunteer-run, community, amateur theatre producing company. The City has recently invested in infrastructure and life safety upgrades. The building was originally a fish hatchery and leased to Vagabond in 1950. Therefore this investment was timely and necessary to bring the building to 2008 Assembly Use Building Code.

A Producing Company produces plays, ballets, operas and/or musicals that run for more than one week, but may run for a year or longer or may tour. The Company creates all elements of the production – selecting the play, hiring the actors, dancers or singers, designing and building the sets, costumes and props, rehearsing and finally performing the piece. In New Westminster, RCMT is a producing theatre company; RCYB is a producing ballet company.

The Burr Theatre (formerly known as the Columbia) is closed. It currently has 213 seats and is owned by the City. Originally built as a downtown cinema/vaudeville house, it was turned into a twin cinema through extensive architectural modifications. When the economics no longer made it viable a movie theatre it was sold to the Eagles Service Club and renovated again into an Eagles’ Clubhouse. When these uses came to an end, a dedicated group of citizens with the Downtown Business Improvement Association envisioned the facility in a historically sensitive renovation as a 600-650 seat theatre for a professional and commercially viable producing theatre company. In 2000 the Raymond Burr Theatre Society was formed to undertake the planning and design of this renovation, launch a major fundraising campaign and establish the professional theatre company. Each of these tasks in itself was daunting. Trying to coordinate all three was overwhelming. The Society was unable to raise major funds in a timely manner. Community fundraising efforts were successful but insufficient. The building was dark and unused and so to enliven the

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space a “community” or amateur theatre producing a season of plays was established. This was ultimately unsuccessful and the City eventually decided not to renew the Society’s lease. The building was closed in 2006 and is currently being maintained at a basic level and awaits the City’s decision.

The Laura C. Muir Theatre, located at Douglas College is a 350 seat traditional proscenium space with good wings, up to date equipment and backstage service areas. Douglas College teaches acting, theatre crafts and music and the theatre is a teaching classroom and laboratory. Facilities at the 8th Street and Royal Avenue campus include a small dance studio and a black box studio seating fewer than 100. It is noteworthy that the College has a large number of very good lecture theatres and several large spaces, including an atrium, that are suitable for conferences and trade exhibitions. A black box studio theatre is an open, high ceiling room that is painted black and has a lighting grid over the whole floor space. Seating is moveable and can be set up in various ways for flexible usage. The Lecture Theatre at the Justice Institute at 200 seats, is a speakers’ theatre with an open presentation area and seats with attached writing desks. The Justice Institute is located uptown on McBride. Normally a lecture theatre would not be part of a theatre study, since it does not have performance capability, however, it is an attractive space with a spacious foyer and access to nearby food services.

Community Priorities During consultations with the community about its theatre needs, it was always necessary to begin with the premise that the Massey would continue to serve as New Westminster’s primary theatre and that the Bernie Legge would continue to serve as the amateur production home of the Vagabond Players. Without these assurances, citizen participants wanted only to defend these theatres and were reluctant to move to a needs assessment exercise. These as clear signals of the community’s priorities: the Bernie Legge theatre was a gem to be treasured and Massey was the crown; home of the Royal City Youth Ballet, Royal City Musical Theatre and the New Westminster Symphony; the regional road house and the focus of civic pride. The community wants both to be preserved and valued.

Regional and Local Participation in Existing Facilities The range of influence and connection with communities, participants and learners beyond the boundaries of New Westminster varies greatly.

Bernie Legge Theatre is primarily a one-producer house. Audiences are mostly local and from neighbourhoods closest to New Westminster. The Christmas puppet productions have established a wider draw of families throughout Metro Vancouver. There is a network of amateur, participatory, community theatres in Metro Vancouver and in fact all of British Columbia. Through Theatre BC these community theatres

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share their work annually in regional drama festivals. Often the committed amateur actors and directors, young performers in training and those with an avocation for experience in theatre production try out for roles or volunteer responsibilities at other community theatres. It is not unusual to have these actors, directors and volunteers assist the core Vagabond Players in producing a particular play. The Vagabond Players have a long history in New Westminster; therefore, the Bernie Legge Theatre has featured many locally well-known actors and directors in their productions and has provided opportunities for enthusiasts from nearby communities.

The Justice Institute is focussed almost entirely outside of the City and responds to provincial needs as determined by its funding and constituency which is the Province of BC’s emergency preparedness community of adult learners. It has other training facilities all over Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. Its contact with the local community is limited to interactions with its host City as an institutional organisation and with citizens as a good corporate neighbour. Many instructors make New Westminster their home. The JI theatre’s only regular community user is the Canadian Club of New Westminster. It has two church clients from Burnaby who regularly use the lecture theatre. Other occasional rental users also come mostly from outside New Westminster.

Laura C. Muir Theatre: Douglas College focuses mostly on regional students as their market and has relatively limited enrolment from New Westminster residents. On-going use of its theatre is tied to the student population and therefore follows its enrolment pattern. Theatre Arts and Conservatory Music Programs (choral program and band program) are the resident departments that use the theatre consistently throughout the year. The Phys Ed Department sponsors the Highland Dance Competitions.

There are several regular local users of the theatre including the New Westminster and District Concert Band, Lions Gate Chorus, and CMS Choral Society. It has also hosted several regional events including the Kiwanis Music Festival and the regional Association of British Columbia Drama Educators (ABCDE) drama festival. Several small regional dance studios hold their year end recitals at the Laura C. Muir Theatre. In addition, it regularly hosts the Heritage Festival of marching bands from the USA when they come to participate in the local Hyack Festival. Audiences are very much tied to the participants and therefore tend to be regional as well as local.

Massey Theatre program use is currently 50 percent locally based, 40 percent regional and 10 percent commercial (across Canada). Its traditional local use includes the school system at approximately 40 dates annually, the Royal City Musical Theatre for a full month of preparation and performances, the Royal City Youth Ballet, the New Westminster Symphony, Maple Leaf Singers, the Arts Council and occasional local presenters or special events. Regionally Massey rents to dance schools and a wide array of diverse cultural presenters from the South Asian, Korean, Philippine, Chinese and Eastern European communities. An interesting trend is developing as world music and dance is more accepted into mainstream culture with immigrant communities beginning to present a mix of artists living in Canada for their

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own audiences as well as featuring touring artists of their cultural heritage attracting a general audience outside of the ethno-cultural group. Each year Massey hosts national and provincial dance festivals and professional touring artists.

The audiences that attend events at the Massey Theatre are attracted to the event and so are drawn from the entire region. This holds true for events by local producers as well as regional presenters. The only exception, of course, is the audience that attends school-based events. In the case of performances by artists of diverse cultures, the audience will travel quite a distance to see professional artists from their home country such as the National Symphony of Seoul Korea or the Canadian tours of Indian pop stars by large scale entertainment conglomerates like Desi Doordarshan Inc. A Simon Fraser University sponsored Bhangra competition will attract audiences from as far away as Abbotsford. Massey also hosts mainstream pop, country and rock concerts drawing audiences from across Metro Vancouver.

The Michael J. Fox Theatre recorded the residency of its patrons for 1 year with a raffle style survey. The chart presented below indicates the broad regional impact of a significant theatre. This theatre’s proximity to New Westminster allows us to extrapolate that similar patterns would exist at the Massey Theatre.

Chart C 1

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Challenges the Community Faces in Using Existing Facilities

Bernie Legge Theatre: Community use at the Bernie Legge Theatre is limited due to the production needs of Vagabond Players. In addition, the Vagabond Players must be confident that security issues around its equipment, costumes and other stored items are not jeopardised before others are allowed to use the space. Being a volunteer driven organisation they do not have the staff, the infrastructure or the expertise to deal with rentals and the supervision that the rental users require.

Lecture Theatre Justice Institute: This facility is not actively seeking rentals, thus booking procedures are meant for internal associates and are handled out of an office in Chilliwack. Challenges for the community use of this space include access hours which are limited to after five pm on weekdays during the teaching semesters. This allows little time for set up or, in the case of music, for rehearsal or sound check. Full day use is available only on weekends and during some limited summer months. The stage is very small, lacks wings, a lighting grid and the basic needs of performance such as dressing rooms.

Laura C. Muir at Douglas College: College activities take priority at the Laura C. Muir Theatre. During the fall and spring term drama productions are on stage continuously for three weeks, music use is booked in around those productions. Therefore the biggest challenge for community use of the Laura C. Muir theatre is the availability. Even when productions are not occupying the stage, the theatre is only available after six pm on weekdays; allowing little time for set up or sound check that can take up to three hours prior to show time. Daytime use is only available on weekends and during the spring season.

It is difficult to get rental information and the rental procedure involves going through the College facilities department and then through the technical director who is not regularly on site. Renters are also cautioned that their event may be cancelled without notice if a college need arises. Though this may not often occur, it is unnerving to plan a performance without the certainty of a firm contract. The college theatre has no specific administration staff and no promotions budget that extends to renters.

The second challenge is that the theatre is invisible from the street. It is not well identified from Royal Avenue, which is the closest exterior entrance. This makes telling the general public how to find the theatre a challenge. The theatre was conceived as an internal use facility and it turns its face to the interior of the building and to its students and instructors, subtly excluding the public. Visitors approaching from the main entrance Atrium may find it confusing to find the theatre, since it is on the fourth level of this multi-level building. The parking lot, though modestly priced in the evenings, is difficult to find. The theatre has a history of poor attendance, even for public College events. This creates a challenge for community users. In addition audiences tend to avoid events on a college campus.

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Massey Theatre: The biggest challenge for community use of the Massey Theatre is its size. Many presenters or producers of events wish to fill the main floor’s 867 seats though an audience of 450 to 500 can be successful. Many performances or presentations prefer a smaller, more intimate auditorium or would prefer to run an event over a period of several evenings to achieve the same audience attendance. Its size is also a challenge that appears in the rental costs. A full description of rental structures is presented in the Massey Theatre Assessment on page 38.

There are a number of other “comfort” challenges that are not surprising for a theatre of this age. Seating comfort, leg room and lack of staggered seats for good sightlines are often mentioned. A full discussion of the physical needs identified by the users and the Massey Theatre Society are included in the facility assessment section.

The Massey Theatre is available at all hours, days and seasons with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day; therefore, community access to the theatre is good. The challenge for the community is the uncertainty pertaining to the future of the theatre and the community’s on-going ability to use this facility.

The following chart shows difference in usage patterns for the four theatres. Chart C 2

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Programming of New Westminster Theatre Facilities’ Primary Users

Bernie Legge Theatre: 1. Vagabond Players season of four plays, with approximately 15 performances each plus One Christmas Marionette show run of approximately 15 days. (See 08-09 Schedule as an attachment to Assessment of Bernie Legge p.?) 2. Rehearsals, build and technical time 3. Special events 4. Arts Council Summer School

Lecture Theatre, Justice Institute: 1. Emergency response teaching seminars 2. Cross-disciplinary meetings 3. Justice Institute graduations 4. Regional and provincial fire and police gatherings 5. Two regular weekend church users 6. New Westminster chapter of the Canadian Club speakers’ engagements 7. Other outside meeting renters

Laura C Muir Theatre at Douglas College: 1. Daily teaching sessions for theatre craft students 2. Two three-week engagements (set on stage) for Theatre department plays 3. Music Department rehearsals and concerts 4. Community Music School rehearsals and concerts 5. College Choir rehearsals and concerts 6. Dance School Recital 7. Heritage Music Festival 8. Seminars, conferences and meetings

Massey Theatre: 1. Up to 40 days annually for school events 2. Approximately 30 days annually (April) for Royal City Musical Theatre (set on stage) 3. 35 dates for other resident (local) performance organisations including the NW Symphony and Royal City Youth Ballet 4. Approximately 20-25 annual performances for diverse cultures 5. Christmas performances 6. In March and June, approx.15 dance performances and 12 dance rehearsals 7. Other events include concerts, graduations and business seminars 8. Massey hosted presentations

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During the shut down in 2006, the theatre lost several core, multiple-day clients: The Coquitlam Dance and Music Festival ceased to exist due to the closure, the annual combined Firefighters’ Christmas Magic shows split into local chapters and these have moved to smaller local theatres in their fire hall communities and several dance studios found other facilities. Statistically, Massey is at 60 percent of its pre-closure program levels for 04/05 and that same year had 127,732 attendees compared with 76,791 for 07/08. It is believed that rental clients will come back once the uncertainty around Massey’s continuing existence is decided.

Massey Theatre Bookings Chart C 3 shows the distribution of rental clients in 2007-2008. Though this was an anomalous season, falling directly after the shut down of 2006-2007, the resident companies, at 39 booked days, are the largest user group.

Establishing Local Need The development of a performing arts sector relies on a number of grass roots activities. Dance, Music and Theatre are three core disciplines that seek performance opportunities and also require adequate and ongoing rehearsal spaces. To build audiences, the community also needs to have the ability to attract arts organizations from elsewhere to present their work in the community.

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For the ethno-cultural community, performance events are often associated with a celebratory element that includes a meal. These cultural events provide the social interaction that is so important for the cohesion and stability of new immigrants.

Enabling Creation and Presentation in New Westminster For a rich cultural environment a balance is struck between encouraging the creation and presentation of the disciplines of the performing arts within the community and the presenting of professional performers and organizations into the audience market area of New Westminster.

The community need identified is specific to: • Flexible performance space to attract and bring in touring professional organizations. • A flat floor studio with sprung floor for dance. • A unique technologically wired room for multi-media exploration. • A performance space that is affordable for presenters to allow ticket prices to be reasonable for audiences close to home. • A flexible, affordable performance space that will allow the growth of independent artists and producers and will permit experimentation and innovation without excessive financial risk. • Rehearsal space for the growth and development of local performing arts organizations.

A sprung floor is a floor surface that is built on a frame that permits the floor to give (flex) during dance or sports activity and is thus easier on muscle and bone structures.

Outlined below is just a sample of events that occur in New Westminster in a season and those that are missing. As a general rule the cultural offerings are by “community” or amateur (volunteer) organizations.

Festivals: New Westminster is currently not on the circuit, where major Metro Vancouver festival organizations book events throughout regional theatres. These festivals include but are not limited to the International Jazz Festival, Comedy Festival, Folk Festival, Fringe Festival and International Dance Festival. Festivals in this category present professional regional, national and international artists

Dance Available Rarely or Not available Classical Ballet – RCYB - Youth Modern dance company Tap Dance – amateur, youth Modern dance soloists Musical Theatre Dance – amateur Classical Ballet - professional youth Hip Hop – Jazz amateur youth Ballroom Ethno-cultural Dance

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Music Available Rarely or Not available Chamber group – Music Conservatory Chamber concert series DC Band – NW & District Band Quartets Orchestra – NW Symphony Operatic soloists Musical Theatre – RCMT Opera Choir – Maple Leaf Singers Children’s Choirs Visiting Choirs – Welshmen’s Choir Barbershop Harmony Choral – West Coast Harmony Chorus Visiting Choirs from Vancouver Bhangra Jazz – professional artists Classical East Indian Music Jazz – big bands World (Ethno-cultural) music School-based bands Rock, country and pop

Theatre and Film Available Rarely or Not available Community Theatre – Vagabond Professional Theatre productions Players One man shows – Backroom Theatre Actors Co-ops Script readings – Backroom Theatre Independent producers Film series – Arts Council Film Festival presentations Musical Theatre Independent and art films School-based theatre Literary readings, Poetry, poetry slams TheatreSports Comedy Photo P 1 Ethno-cultural Performances: • concerts, celebrations, speeches, • dramatic presentation. Events that include dance, music and/or theatre also would like to include food and drink. Performance events are open to and encourage attendance by families and young children.

SFU SCHOOL OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS WORLD MUSIC

Municipal Theatres in Metro Vancouver

Responding to Regional Infrastructure Needs Though new theatres have been built in the past 10 years, theatre infrastructure, particularly that of large theatres is aging. This is true in New Westminster, but also in surrounding municipalities of Metro Vancouver and across the country. A stream of

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renovations and upgrades are occurring through the theatrical infrastructure. The Vancouver East Cultural Centre renovation, 10 years in the making, is proceeding. The Orpheum renovation is ongoing, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre renovation is underway and the Stanley Theatre is up and running busily.

Chart C 4 MAJOR BRITISH COLUMBIA THEATRE VENUES Venue City Capacity Operating Model Core Purpose Major Theatres Sorted by Size

Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver 2929 Civic Road house/rentals

Orpheum Theatre Vancouver 2780 Civic Road house/rentals

Royal Theatre Victoria 1434 Society/Civic Road house/rentals

Chan Shun Concert Hall Vancouver 1400 University/professional University/rentals

Massey Theatre New West 1260 Society/School Road house/school Bell Performing Arts Centre Surrey 1052 School/professional Road house/school

Macpherson Playhouse Victoria 772 Society/Civic Road house/rentals

Venue City Capacity Type Opened Major Theatres in British Columbia sorted by date of Opening Year

Royal Theatre Victoria 1434 proscenium 1913 Macpherson Playhouse Victoria 772 proscenium 1914

Orpheum Theatre Vancouver 2780 concert 1927

Massey Theatre New West 1260 proscenium 1949

Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver 2929 proscenium 1959 Chan Shun Concert Hall Vancouver 1400 concert 1997 Bell Performing Arts

Centre Surrey 1052 proscenium 2002 The Surrey Arts Centre theatre’s most recent renovation was in 2001, the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver has made improvements during the same time period as has Massey Theatre. Discussions in Burnaby to address the shortcoming of the James Cowan continue and various other projects are on the books. New theatre construction has begun in Chilliwack. The City of Coquitlam has just tabled a study of the opportunities to proceed with Phase 2 expansion of the Evergreen Cultural Centre for the construction of a 600-700 seat theatre for the Tri-City area.

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In May 2007, the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts undertook a study to establish a preliminary case for investment in the upgrade and development of cultural infrastructure. This study found that recreation, sports and cultural (including arts and heritage) activities, services and programs are highly dependent on physical infrastructure. The physical infrastructure works in tandem with the programs delivered and therefore adequate investment in both is essential for success.

The City of Vancouver completed a major planning study of arts facilities as part of the Creative City – Cultural Plan for Vancouver 2008-2018.

Chart C 5 Selected Theatres of Surrounding Municipalities Venue City Capacity Bernie Legge Theatre New Westminster 140 Shadbolt Studio Theatre Burnaby 150 Justice Institute New Westminster - JI 200 Inlet Theatre Port Moody 206 Burr Theatre - current configuration New Westminster 213 Chan Centre Studio Theatre Vancouver - UBC 240 Evergreen Cultural Centre Coquitlam 264 James Cowan Theatre (Shadbolt Centre) Burnaby 285 Chief Sepass Theatre Fort Langley 301 Terry Fox Theatre Port Coquitlam - SD 336 Douglas College New Westminster - DC 350 Capilano University Theatre North Vancouver - CU 372 Surrey Arts Centre Surrey 402 Kay Meek Centre West Vancouver - SD 498 ACT Maple Ridge Maple Ridge 500 Michael J. Fox Theatre Burnaby - SD 613 Stanley Theatre (Arts Club) Vancouver 630 Playhouse Theatre Vancouver 688 Centennial Theatre North Vancouver 705 Bell Performing Arts Centre Surrey - SD 1052 Massey Theatre New Westminster - SD 1260 Chan Centre Chan Shun Hall Vancouver - UBC 1400 Orpheum Theatre Vancouver 2780 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver 2929

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The Regional Theatre Marketplace For the purposes of our study, the theatres in adjacent municipalities of New Westminster will be addressed. Although, it is an accepted fact that audiences will travel a significant distance for cultural events of interest and do not recognize municipal boundaries when it comes to arts and cultural product (Survey of Regional Attendance Patterns for Arts and Culture in Greater Vancouver, Canadian Facts, February 1997) local community arts and cultural development is the primary concern of the New Westminster Arts Strategy 2008 thus is the focus of this theatre study.

Information about the theatres is provided directly or through the facilities’ websites.

• Bell Centre for the Performing Arts - Surrey

This is the newest theatre in the region. At 1052 seats, it is inside a high school in Surrey, though operated at arms length. As with most school theatre facilities, it has a mandate to support educational programs of the School District. It is also becoming popular as a touring road house due to its modern technical capacity, seating size and handicap accessibility. It does not program events at its

own risk. BELL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMAING ARTS - SURREY BC

• Evergreen Cultural Centre – Coquitlam

This flexible black box studio is easily re- configured with a maximum seating of 264. This theatre serves the needs of the community, is popular with local non- profits and provides historic users first access. To establish itself as the heart of the community, the Evergreen Society presents a high level of quality programming with professional marketing to attract residents to its doors.

EVERGREEN CULTURAL CENTRE THEATRE Photo P 2 and 3 P

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• Inlet Theatre – Port Moody A small, intimate space that does double duty as City Council Chambers seating 199. It is operated by the Municipality and is used by local non-profit groups and also does some of its own programming. It is accessible for patrons with physical handicaps. This facility poses some difficulties for performers and presenters. There is no wing space and suffers from “the double duty and not built for either purpose” syndrome.

• Terry Fox Theatre – Port Coquitlam A 336 seat proscenium theatre, opened in 2000, it serves the teachers and students of the Terry Fox School and local presenters and producers. It is owned by Coquitlam School District and community use is supported by a granting system through the municipality. It is operated under an agreement with a not-for-profit society called TAG (Theatre Advisory Group). Its location in a residential neighbourhood is a challenge and it is used mainly by neighbourhood organisations.

• James Cowan Theatre – Burnaby The theatre, operated under Burnaby’s municipal Recreation and Culture Department is an old proscenium theatre encircled by the Shadbolt Arts Centre. It is just under 300 seats, popular as a “theatre of first contact” in the region due to its affordability and provides professional support services. It has poor stage configuration and is not completely handicap accessible. It is considered Burnaby’s official civic theatre and in recent years has built a programmed season to attract audiences to a variety of dance, comedy and theatre events; all are professionally marketed.

• Shadbolt Studio Theatre – Burnaby The studio theatre was built as part of the construction of the Shadbolt Arts Centre. A small (100-150 seats depending on arrangement) state of the art black box, it is totally handicap accessible. It is very popular because it is dance friendly and well used for festivals and local non-profits. As well as the James Cowan Theatre, the facility is programmed during the “season” with a dance series and touring theatre.

• Michael J. Fox Theatre – Burnaby The Michael J. Fox Theatre is just over 600 seats and is about the right size for the school and community events that use it. It is large enough to host community dance audiences and to serve the needs of commercial clients. It is very popular with the ethno-cultural communities that draw audiences from throughout the region. The theatre is a traditional theatre space with limited wings. It is also a school facility first. The theatre’s use is currently over capacity. If school use increases, as is projected, community access will be reduced.

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• Surrey Arts Centre – Surrey Photo P 5 Renovated in recent years with a 175 seat studio theatre and professional art gallery added, the 404 seat theatre has excellent sightlines, wing space and technical capabilities. This is Surrey’s official civic theatre. It has worked very hard to market itself to local audiences. It is popular with local non-profit groups, attracts some SURREY ARTS CENTRE STUDIO THEATRE commercial use, and is extensively and successfully programmed by the City’s Arts Centre staff to bring in a variety music, theatre, dance and family entertainment.

Comparative regional theatres (2005 & 2007) Theatres in New Westminster and surrounding region serve many of the same local audiences and rental clients. In “booked days throughout a year” most facilities are stable over a two year period indicating near full use of prime dates. Although all facilities were asked for audience figures, not all had these separate from participant numbers. This skewed the comparison and therefore was omitted from this table.

Chart C 6 Venue Capacity 2005 2007 # of Booked Booked Owner / Operator seats Days Days Shadbolt Studio 160 145 145 City of Burnaby Shadbolt Arts Centre 207 Inlet Theatre 206 (up from 195 in 207 City of Port Moody 2004) 150 City of Coquitlam Evergreen Studio 264 (up from 133 in 160 run by Evergreen Arts 2004,) Centre Society James Cowan Theatre 285 180 190 City of Burnaby Shadbolt Arts Centre Surrey Arts Centre Surrey, Bear Creek 402 235 235 City of Surrey Park Michael J Fox 350 Burnaby School Theatre, 613 350 (40 School District Burnaby South School events)

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Bell Centre for 216 Performing Arts (1/3 each 1052 217 Surrey School District Surrey Secondary Community Commercial School School) Massey Theatre 227(40 days New West SD #40 New Westminster 1260 for school use) 186 Massey Theatre Secondary School just prior to Society shut down

Commercial (Show) Theatres in the Surrounding Region There has been a rise of the commercial theatres or show theatres in the region that are designed as destination draws for people who are looking for an entertainment package that includes meals, drinks and gambling. The main focus is the casino; nonetheless, the performers that have been presented have proven to be a large draw for people wishing to see “stars”. There had been a business case made for local soft-seat theatres to run on a commercial basis a number of years ago, but with all of its inherent revenue risks this proved untenable. The casino operated show theatres have taken on that service area. With the operating profits of the Casino, the show theatres are able to program without the threat of deficits compromising their marketing, staffing, technical maintenance and operations.

In other markets, where theatres are presenting pop entertainers as part of their season program, the Casino Show Theatres are having an impact on their ticket revenues. Red Robinson Show Theatre, Coquitlam and the River Rock Show Theatre, Richmond are sister theatres that have the capacity to transform themselves from a meeting room space into a thrust theatre or a cabaret theatre via state of the art seating systems.

The Red Robinson Show Theatre seats 1034, while the River Rock seats 950 in theatre style. Both reduce to 450 seats Cabaret style or 550 with tables in banquet style. Technically the theatres are very well equipped. The program listings show American and Canadian entertainers appearing primarily on Fridays and Saturdays with the occasional booking mid-week. In the first year (2006), approximately 130 dates were booked into the Red Robinson Show Theatre. At the time of writing this report a number of September concerts were cancelled. It was impossible to judge whether cancellations were a result of low ticket sales or a change in the tour plans of the artists. However, the casino show theatres do have a competitive advantage over the large rental theatres in commercial programming of pop artists.

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Identifying the Regional Gap There is currently a shortage of well-equipped medium sized theatres in the Metro Vancouver area. The classic proscenium style theatres are fulfilling the general needs of the presenting organizations. The 300 – 400 seaters are primarily college or university theatres. Even the new studio theatre in downtown Vancouver will be part of the Simon Fraser University campus. Providing for the mid-sized events with flexible potential seating is the largest regional gap that is obvious. In close proximity to New Westminster only the Surrey Arts Centre offers this size but it is a formal proscenium stage with raked seating. Therefore the need to be filled is for a flat floor flexible space that would support the type of performance and cultural offerings that are missing in the community and the surrounding region.

Even without a region wide marketing survey, and depending completely on the facility specific numbers, it is possible to extrapolate a growth in arts and cultural attendance.

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations:

Following extensive review of current theatre usage, the mandates and roles of each of the theatre facilities in New Westminster and consultation with performing arts stakeholders, it is the opinion of this study team that a flat floor, flexible and state-of- the-art performance space or studio, of 300-400 seats will meet the current needs of New Westminster. This recommendation rests; however, on the premise that the need for a large capacity, full service proscenium theatre will continue to be met by Massey Theatre and that the City will actively assure that Massey remains a civic asset. Given this premise and the recommendations pursuant to it, (which follow), a flat floor, multi-purpose theatre will fill the current gap for a community assembly space that allows for performances, conference and celebratory events combined with appropriate food service amenities.

Photo P 6

FUTURE SFU EXPERIMENTAL STUDIO THEATRE – 300 – 400 SEATS

This facility would be unique from any now found in adjacent municipalities - no facility of this configuration and size exists in Surrey, Richmond or Burnaby. As the program plan for the Civic Multi-Use Facility is in the early stages, the potential exists to include a flat floor flexible performance space that would be designed as a multi- functioning venue – technically equipped to be a “SMART” room. It would serve New Westminster’s performing arts needs, could function as a large dance studio with a sprung floor, a banquet facility, a trade show facility as well as flexible seating theatre. Such a space would provide the opportunity to program for an audience of downtown residents and blend an interactive space with a shared focus on recreation and civic assembly. 1. The City of New Westminster should plan a civic multi-use facility that is focused on arts for the whole city and recreational and leisure needs for the surrounding downtown residents. 2. A mid-sized theatre 300-400 seats should be included that would serve variety of civic flat-floor purposes as well as the need for performance space.

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As the City of New Westminster is developing the concept and plan of the downtown civic facility, this is an opportunity to meet the needs of the community. With major civic events and conference opportunities often occurring only a few times a year, the performance components of such a facility become the fully active and revenue generating element of the building’s program.

Maintaining a Critical Service

The Massey Theatre facility is the very important to New Westminster’s cultural activity. It is vital to large scale producers like the Royal City Musical Theatre, Royal City Youth Ballet and New Westminster Symphony. It is also a vital asset in the region due to its size and capabilities. Although fraught with complications of ownership and use, this theatre is an irreplaceable and profoundly valuable community asset.

It would be extremely costly for New Westminster or any partnership to replace a facility of this size and stature. Finding an appropriate location, funding for construction and rebuilding the rental client base for a facility of this footprint would be beyond the current capability of the community.

This facility cannot continue to be uncertain about its future. There is a strong community commitment to preserve, protect and reassert the Massey’s position as a premier regional theatre facility. Though the City and its artists benefit from a strong operating society that can program, schedule and support the activities of the theatre, the community looks to the City to provide leadership and stability for what is regarded as a civic asset.

1. The City of New Westminster should take the initiative and proactively negotiate community ownership or trusteeship of this facility. 2. Capital funds should be invested to address the functional and cosmetic needs of the facility. With the City as a fully engaged partner, the Massey Theatre Society would have the opportunity to leverage additional funds from other levels of government to continue to enhance and preserve the theatre. 3. Operating funds should be provided to build and sustain the programming and market the venue to local and regional audiences. 4. The Massey Theatre should be designated as the Civic Theatre of New Westminster

The existing infrastructure is capable of converting the “small gym” into a black box rehearsal and small performance space of about 160 seats. Creative re-use of other rooms in the Massey Complex would make it a well-rounded performing arts centre. The Society is negotiating with the School District to take responsibility for additional space adjacent to the theatre. Combined with existing space this totals 63,600 square feet of programmable space (see floor plans with square footages on pages 46-48). . This potential should be regarded as a unique opportunity and one not to be missed.

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A Full Range of Potentials

The following represent the potential opportunity and challenge clusters for providing appropriate theatre facilities in New Westminster.

A) 300 to 400 seat flexible studio to be included in the planning and design of the proposed downtown civic centre. A.1) City ownership or trusteeship of the Massey Theatre to include building out adjacent spaces for creative re-use, including a small rehearsal hall

B) 300 to 400 seat flexible studio to be added in the Massey Theatre site B.1) City ownership or trusteeship of the Massey Theatre to include building out adjacent spaces for creative re-use, including a small rehearsal hall

C) Conversion of the Burr/Columbia site to a flat floor space C.1) City ownership or trusteeship of the Massey Theatre to include building out adjacent spaces for creative re-use, including a small rehearsal hall

This study team recommends that the City of New Westminster engage its resources and energies in opportunity cluster A/A.1

The study team does not further explore the manner in which the civic “ownership” of Massey Theatre will be achieved. That is outside the scope of this investigation and is left in the capable hands of civic government and its partners.

Details of a Studio Theatre.

A Mid Size Flexible Studio Theatre within the Civic Centre If the decision is for the Multi-use Civic Facility to be focused on recreational and leisure needs of the downtown community, then a mid-sized, flat floor studio theatre would be a strong element to fit in with the creative recreational needs already identified in the Arts Strategy and in previous arts centre discussions.

Though a civic centre is often focused on conference and broad civic assembly uses such as meetings and celebrations, the opportunity to include a flat floor studio theatre fits in with those uses and provides the additional animation and revenue generation needed to help make a facility viable. Making this studio a “SMART” room with video and digital streaming built in for long distance conferencing, interactive meetings and multimedia or film presentations would attract many different uses. A

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sophisticated room of this kind would be able to serve innovative theatre in configurations including thrust, arena, theatre-in-the-round and straight-ahead stages. It would also serve banquet functions.

Art studios, music studios, a dance studio surrounding the theatre would combine to make a very active and animated centre. Exercise and fitness drop-in facilities would be a comfortable complement to an active community centre for downtown residents.

Examples of similar studios include the performance space at the Round House on Pacific Avenue in Vancouver, Festival Place in Sherwood Park,(just outside of Edmonton) Alberta, the new studio at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Centre in Ashland, Harbourfront’s (Enwave) Theatre in Toronto and the SFU School of Contemporary Arts Experimental Theatre Vancouver. These range from 300 to 400 seat capacities. (see website URLs in Appendix Fs)

Program Opportunities for a 300 - 400 Seat Flexible Studio Theatre Listed below are examples of performing arts programs that are not offered locally on a regular basis for the audiences of New Westminster.

Dance: Modern, hip hop, and/or Theatre: Fringe Festival productions, contemporary small company and theatre sports, experimental works, soloists, conservatory auditions, ballroom script readings, Shakespeare readings, dance displays, literary reading, poetry slams, comedy Music: music recitals and soloists in Multi-media presentations: events classical music, jazz, new music, blues, that combine video, film, movement, roots, concert bands, choral concerts spoken word. Ethno-cultural events: That include Interactive performances –drumming performance and celebratory activity with circles and musical sing-alongs, Film – food and drink foreign, niche market and film festival

Operational Structure This facility would likely be operated under the auspices of the City of New Westminster Parks and Recreation Department with specialized professional staff hired and reporting to the overall civic centre facility manager. However, a contractual arrangement for management services can also be chosen for the specialized work of theatre operations within the Civic Centre context. Such an arrangement with a trusted arms-length operator like Massey Theatre Society, who already have staff and knowledge in place, might be a particularly appropriate local partnership. Such use of local expertise would be expedient once the civic trusteeship of Massey Theatre is put into place.

Initially the studio facility would likely be a rental facility, however over time and with maturation, a presenting program could be established.

Rental Rate Structure Rental rates are generally based on seating size and services available. A rule of thumb for establishing rental rates is to charge $1 per seat plus the hard costs of

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personnel included or required to stage an event. These would include Front-of- House staff and technicians. Extra services, whether they are personnel (i.e. follow- spot operator), specialised equipment (i.e. a piano), additional rooms, catering or box office services are usually billed as additional costs.

Rental rates are very much dependent on how much a municipal of institutional owner invests in bringing the service to its users. The more invested in overhead and operating staff, the lower the rates to end-users will be.

Most theatres have a scale of rental rates with the lowest rates being for local non- profit users or special core, or “resident” clients – those who are particularly important leaders in the civic cultural milieu. The next tier of rates will be to support the non- profits who are not local or are not designated for special consideration, and the highest or full price clients will be commercial or for-profit users.

Theatres also charge a $1- $2 “patron fee” or capital improvement fee on each ticket sold. This audience-based user fee is usually intended to underwrite future capital needs and capital equipment purchases but may also be used for programming needs. It is held in reserve for these designated purposes.

Features Required for a Studio Theatre A studio theatre of the type envisioned for New Westminster would have the following basic attributes:

 Audience Services:  Partial collapsible, built in seating and riser system  Partial portable seating and riser system  Banquet tables, side tables, loose chairs, and access to food storage, preparation and servery spaces  Concession and bar service areas  Cloakroom  Storage for food and beverage services, tables, chairs, audio-visual aids  Box office  Bathrooms

 Performance Services:  Portable staging system  Power distribution and performance lighting system with networked controls  An appropriate number of lighting instruments of different types including follow-spot, fixed-focus and variable focus (zoom) profile spots, fresnels, cyclorama fixtures, etc., with selected accessories such as pan-and-tilt mirrors and colour scrollers  Sound production and distribution system with digital console, multi-focus speaker capabilities, and a good selection of microphones, cables, stands and accessories  Wiring infrastructure to support multi-point network access to all areas and information technology capabilities

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 Overhead production capability supported by catwalks, tension-wire grid or moveable gantries suitable for mounting lighting fixtures, drapery and set pieces  Film projection and screen  Accessible loading dock, loading door, temporary storage area for sets etc.  Small shop for facility maintenance and equipment repair  General storage  Dressing rooms, green room

 Room Features:  Sprung Floor  Variable acoustic wall and ceiling treatments for acoustic control and enhancement as well as providing isolation and dampening of external sounds.  Light exclusion features including vestibule doors  Appropriate mechanical systems to minimise white noise and system hum

*Administration spaces are not included in this listing as they are assumed to be outside the Studio theatre itself and part of a multi-use civic facility administration area or off-site under the control of a contracted theatre management team. Lobby space is not included as this too will likely be shared space.

Square Footage Requirements and Costs The square footage of a theatre space depends greatly on whether it is to be part of a “centre” concept with other uses on site or whether it is intended to be a stand-alone theatre operation. The following chart of building needs is predicated on a stand- alone operation except for lobby and exiting corridor needs. Depending on how integrated the studio theatre and its operation is with the proposed multi-use civic facility, some of these spaces may be shared (i.e. washrooms, offices, food servery) while others will need to be provided exclusively for the studio theatre. This is a design issue and will need to be addressed in the design process. The spaces listed below, therefore, are to be carefully considered in such a process and all the square footage noted here may not be the final tally. These figures are intended to give very rough guidance. The volume of the space is also a consideration since a studio must have enough height to accommodate catwalks and lighting instruments.

Costs for a fully equipped studio theatre ranging from 300-400 seats will be a minimum of $375 a square foot -- an average of $450 a square foot is strongly recommended. A theatre is not a disposable building and will have to be built to a standard that allows a life-span of at least 75 years and more likely 100+ years. Building envelopes that support external sound dampening and other special infrastructure needs must be met. International standards suggest that theatre planning consider a square foot cost of between $400 per square foot for a very modest building to $850 per square foot for a more robust structure with civic stature.

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Square Footage Estimate - New Westminster Multi-Use Civic Facility - 350 Seat Flexible Studio Theatre and Specific Support Spaces GROUP SPACE NAME ft2 m2 1.0 Public Access Facilities A. General Public Access and Support 1.1 Info/Security Desk/First Aid Stn. 60 5.6 1.2 Dedicated Lobby - could be shared and larger 2500 232.3 1.3 Concession 120 11.2 1.4 Concession Storage 150 14.0 1.5 Front of House Washrooms 950 88.0 1.6 Catering Kitchen 624.3 58.0

B. Performance/Exhibition Spaces 1.7 Studio Theatre ( including SLL's) (x 40' high) 4800 445.9 1.8 Seat and riser storage 500 46.0 1.9 Upper Sealing Tier 1700 156.4 1.10 Technical ledge 1700 156.4

C. Performers' Spaces 1.11 Large Dressing Rooms A 250 23.2 B 250 23.2

1.12 Small Dressing Rooms A 130 12.1 B 130 12.1 1.14 Back of House W.C/Showers 214 20.0 1.13 Green Room 500 46.5

C. Box Office & Support 1.15 Box Office 120 11.1 1.16 Theatre Assistant's Office 120 11.1 1.17 Theatre Manager's Office 120 11.1 1.18 Technical Director's Office 120 11.1 1.19 FOH Manager's Office 150 13.9

2.00 Shared Spaces 2.1 Meeting/Seminar Room 375 35.0

3.00 Technical Core A Shop/Loading & Storage 3.1 Shop 600 55.8 3.2 Stage Door office 119 11.1 3.3 Loading ( x20' high) 600 55.8 3.4 Combined BOH Storage 300 27.8 3.5 Mail/Fax/Servers/Printers Room 200 18.6 3.6 Programme/Printing/Storage 40 3.8 3.7 First Aid Room 100 9.3 TOTAL NET AREA 17542 1626 Table T 12.

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2. THEATRE FACILITY ASSESSMENTS

Introduction

The following assessment were conducted through historical research, existing reports and assessments, interviews with operators and owners, documents supplied by owners or operators and a thorough on-site inspection. Database and electronic files have also been supplied to the Parks and Recreation Department, City of New Westminster to assist it in setting up web-site information and links for community access to these facilities.

Each facility assessment is organized with the following headings: • Background • The Building as a community theatre • Meeting the need • Technical Assessment • Conclusions and recommendations

Bernie Legge Theatre Home of the Vagabond Players

Primary Mission or Core Business:  Community Theatre (playhouse) Primary Revenue Source:  Ticket sales and grants to Vagabond Players, Volunteer time and resources Access Hours:  When volunteers from Players are available Hours of Operation:  Generally according to schedule of play rehearsal, set and costume construction or performance NW Location:  Queen’s Park – south end Ancillary facilities:  None really Parking:  A short walk to theatre from Stadium parking lot Costs:  Renters negotiate a revenue split with Vagabond Operating Model:  Exclusive use – non-profit society (club) with membership and executive Networks:  Theatre BC, NW Community Arts Council Geographic Mandate:  Local community but extends into surrounding region Information about Facility rental:  President of Vagabond Players: currently Ken Fynn Web Site Information:  www.vagabondplayers.ca Technical Specifications  attached

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Bernie Legge Theatre Auditorium Exterior Circa 1990 Photo P 7

Background The City of New Westminster granted use of the building that houses the Bernie Legge Theatre to the Vagabond Players over 50 years ago. It is located in the south part of Queens Park, tucked away in among the trees, just a short walk from the large stadium and arena parking lot.

As trustees of the facility, the Vagabond Players have rebuilt, expanded, added on to, renovated, upgraded and established this small fish hatchery into a 140 seat community theatre that serves as a set and costume construction location, rehearsal space and performance venue for the plays that are performed for the public. They have annually presented at least four full productions with a two sometimes three week runs as well as a favourite Marionette show at Christmas for the whole family.

Historically this model of providing an old building to a drama club for the production of plays has been very successful throughout the region and has grown and maintained a very strong network of amateur community theatrics in Metro Vancouver and in fact throughout British Columbia. Similar facilities and active community theatres in various operating configurations exist at Hendry Hall with the North Vancouver Community Players, at the Jericho Arts Centre with United Players of Vancouver, and Langham Court in Victoria to name just a few.

The Building as a Community Theatre The Bernie Legge Theatre is not perfect but over the many years the Vagabond Players have established it as a working home for their efforts. There are various challenges that the space presents the Players. There is a centre aisle with seating on either side making the house long and narrow to the stage. The rake is shallow and this presents some sight line problems. However, the feeling is intimate and the shape makes for easy voice projection by the amateur actors. There is no fly tower and wing space is tight for holding sets and props. A significant amount of planning and creativity is necessary to build appropriate sets and dress them to make blocking and movement on stage in plays interesting.

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There is newly refinished storage for sets and props under the stage, and the dressing rooms and costume room walls have been given greater fire resistance. The newly renovated washroom block adds to audience comfort. The lobby is small, but is rich with memorabilia as well as photographs of various productions and awards that the Club has received over its history which makes for a happy atmosphere.

Even with its challenges, the Bernie Legge Theatre as a playhouse, (that is a single use facility) is very successful on two levels – as a creative outlet for all who participate in the plays and also a successful cultural institution for audiences.

The Success of the Community Participation Model What makes this model work is the commitment and dedication of the volunteer members of the Vagabond Players. As in all clubs, membership activism flourishes and wanes as people join or leave the Club. Theatre Clubs tend to have longevity because of the passion and love of theatre of the membership. The investment they make in time and resources, the equipment and upgrades they instigate and implement are to their own benefit. They encourage and invite new members to participate in the endeavour of producing plays and often are the early training grounds for young actors, directors and technical crew who need experience before launching into more demanding environments. They not only produce the plays but tidy, clean and prepare the facility for the public.

As a general rule, they are protective of their environment and are reluctant to share the space with just anyone. This is because they understand that there is a cost to opening up the facility to others. The executive is aware that for the facility to be useful it must be staffed, cleaned and various services provided. The props, sets, costumes that are held throughout the building and not behind locked doors would have to be protected with some kind of security supervision and the set-up of the lighting and sound designed for their productions would need to be set-up differently. This is all work that the members do for themselves. A broad rental policy would require opening up all of these issues to strict operating regulations. The rental fee would be small because of the small house and so would not generate sufficient revenue to cover the cost of hiring staff to provide these services.

Meeting the Need The Vagabond Players do offer use of the Bernie Legge Theatre to other interested parties but they have established a process to vet these users. They require the prospective representative to make a presentation to the Executive who review the need, check their own schedules and then approve the use if the applicant is of like mind, attitude and commitment to the theatre. The Vagabond Player members then support and staff the event for the user. The process has allowed a number of struggling and emerging performers to use the theatre space. The theatre is not available on an ad hoc basis without this vetting.

The City of New Westminster has recently stepped up to complete and makes a number of code related facility renovations at a significant capital cost.

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Additional needs identified by Vagabond Players and their audiences include: • roof replacement • exterior painting • a new power source with greater capacity • addressing low light in evening conditions from the parking area along the walk to the building for safety • signage to assist first time patrons with way-finding • addressing audience drop-off zone and parking. This may require relocation or reconfiguration of nearby compost, soil and wood-chip storage and should be considered in the context of overall long range parks planning. Such planning would keep multiple parks tenants in mind.

A new lease is under negotiation and some interest has been expressed in maximising the use of the facility but only if it is practical and logical for its primary tenant, the Vagabond Players. The Players worry that the theatre might be opened up to a broad range of community users who are in need of space. Although greater access may appear to be a reasonable goal given the recent investment in the facility, the volunteer membership of Vagabond Players would find it challenging to provide the supervision needed for access by other users.

Logistical hurdles would, therefore, have to be overcome by the City to maximise use of the facility. These may include establishing a booking and rental rate system, hiring cleaning, security and technical support staff and providing supervisory oversight. The rental of the theatre might not cover the cost of establishing such a system.

Any methods for maximising usage must engage Vagabond members so they maintain their sense of ownership for the Bernie Legge Theatre. The process must guard their historic success and their passionate commitment to community building through their theatrical productions.

Technical Assessment – Production Service The Bernie Legge Theatre is currently being upgraded in several areas including electrical capacity and code conformity. This is nicely supporting a small, 36-dimmer lighting system which is adequate to the production requirements of the resident company.

The sound reinforcement system has likewise been tailored to the resident company’s needs – theatrical audio cues are derived from computer files or CD playback, while general stage reinforcement needs are met with a minimum of equipment.

There is no stage fly system – all draperies are dead-hung, but several are on tracks. It appears that drapery is scheduled on a per-performance basis. Stage support equipment such as ladders and dollies are in place – additional equipment, props, construction space, wardrobe and general storage are available in the facility and are becoming well-suited to continued use as an intimate playhouse.

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Conclusions and Recommendations: The City of New Westminster will consider establishing a capital plan for the Bernie Legge Theatre over the next five years and budget the necessary investment needed to bring the facility up to current standards to permit another 50 years of use. As the owner of the facility, it should support the infrastructure needs of the building.

The City of New Westminster will re-negotiate a long term lease with exclusive use to the Vagabond Players to strengthen their trusteeship of this building and to support community theatre in New Westminster.

The Vagabond Players will, in good faith and in consultation with the City, establish an encouraging system for rental use of the Bernie Legge Theatre during dark periods for other like-minded and “play-producing” or “presenting” volunteer organizations. The Vagabond Players will be the initiators to make more active use of the space and will find creative solutions to their technical and security issues that will not impinge on the memberships’ goodwill and activities.

UPCOMING EVENTS Vagabond Players and Bernie Legge Theatre 2008-2009 Season

Summer Opera co-production with Dragon Diva Operatic Society Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love August 15, 16, 20, 22, 23 (8:00 pm) August 17 & 24 (2:00 pm), 2008

Summer BBQ: Date TBA

Cliffhanger Auditions: August 24, 25 & 27.

Arts Council summer school August 25 – 29, 2008

Book Launch – A Black Tie Affair and Other Mystery Stories October 23, 2008 6:00 pm

Opening Night Auditions: October Dates TBA

Cliffhanger by James Jaffe October 23 – November 15, 2008

King John’s Christmas with the Elwoodettes Marionettes December 9 – 18, Mon – Fri at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm December 14, 21, 22, 26, 27 & 28 (2:00 pm) December 20 & 23 (7:00 pm)

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New Years Party December 31, 2008

Opening Night by Norm Foster January 22 – February 14, 2009

Marion Bridge Auditions: January Dates TBA

Arts Council Film Festival Dates TBA

Agatha Mystrie Auditions: March Dates TBA

Marion Bridge by Daniel MacIvor April 2 – 25, 2009

The House of Agatha Mystrie by Robert A. Allen June 4 – 27, 2009

** Meetings: General meetings are held on the third Monday of each month. CTC and TBC Zone meetings - Dates TBA.

** Special events: The theatre is also frequently used to host the GV Zone drama festival, for weddings, and for co-productions.

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Massey Theatre Assessment of Potential as Community Accessible Asset

Primary Mission or Core Business  Community rental + student access Primary revenue source:  Earned revenue Access hours:  unrestricted Hours of operation:  Theatre: all hours, Administration: 9:30- 5 Mon-Fri NW location:  “Uptown”, corner of 8th Avenue and 8th Street Seating capacity:  1,260 seats with 867 seats main floor (including 8 wheelchair positions) & 393 seats balcony Ancillary facilities available:  Yes, full service backstage, board room & gallery meeting room. Classrooms available on request. Parking:  Adequate and on site (free) Costs:  Rental rate plus technical personnel Operating model:  Society governance with professional staff Operating Staff:  Non union staff Networks:  Theatre facility operators through BC Touring Council & Canadian Association of Professional Presenters plus Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology Geographic Mandate:  Regional and Local Information about Facility Rentals:  [email protected] or phone 604- 517-5900. Web Site information:  www.masseytheatre.com

Background The Massey Theatre was designed and constructed in 1948 by E. Evans & Son & W.M. Bow Associate Architects of Vancouver. Owned by School District #40, it was and remains part of the New Westminster Secondary School although the nature of its relationship to the school is ever changing.

Although the building retains in part its original “post war, international style” design, it has undergone additions and cosmetic changes over time and has lost its initial modern clarity and presence, especially along its main façade on 8th Ave. The audience chamber (house) maintains its original unadorned interior. 1

1 from Massey Theatre Facility Assessment Study 1997, proscenium architecture + interiors inc

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The theatre buildings conceived and constructed during this post war period were to provide a national network of cultural centres that would serve “the amateur and professional companies, in order to build an informed audience for local and national cultural activities”.2 New Westminster during this time was the centre of the economic boom and shopping mecca of Vancouver known as the Miracle Mile. It was appropriate that a theatre of such significance would be built here. The theatre served as a major road house for many years, until the next cultural facility building boom of Canada’s Centennial.

In the late 60’s or early 70’s new music rooms were added to the east side, north of the main entrance. It was perhaps at this time that the original glass entry tower was stuccoed over, dramatically altering the grandness of the main building entry

Still operating under the auspices of the School District and staffed by the teaching faculty of the high school, rental and community users were demanding improvements and so the task of updating and improving the aging facility was assigned in 1982 to the newly created Massey Theatre Improvement Society which took it upon itself to begin fundraising for needed changes and establish a vision for the future.

The Massey Theatre Improvement Society became the Massey Theatre Society in 1991 and signed a lease with School District #40 taking over the operation of the theatre in 1993. With this move the variety and the number of performances steadily increased and so did the technical requirements of the facility. The seating capacity of 1260 plus four wheelchair positions makes the Massey the largest, publicly accessible proscenium theatre outside of Vancouver and in Metro Vancouver. This is still true today, although the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey built in 2001 is now competitive at 1052 seats.

Photo P 8

MASSEY THEATRE INTERIOR VIEWS

2 from Under Construction: The state of Cultural Infrastructure in Canada 2008

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In 2004, during the planning for a new secondary school, a concept was conceived that would have seen a partnership develop between the SD, the City of New Westminster and the Massey Theatre Society. The plan included a new arts centre constructed around the Massey Theatre, with renovated classrooms, music rooms and other ancillary spaces for art studios, dance studios, and rehearsal rooms. This construction was to happen in conjunction with the construction of new secondary and middle schools on the two block site. Unfortunately, the project was not sustainable and was cancelled when cost estimates came in significantly over the funds that were available to begin.

During 2005 the Massey Theatre was closed for eight months by the School District #40 for the school’s partial demolition in preparation for construction of a new campus. This closure, on short notice, resulted in dispersal of Massey rental clients and an estimated loss to the Society of $244,000. When the theatre reopened, the Society worked hard to rebuild customer confidence and its commercial rental base. In 2007, the Massey Ticket Centre was introduced to offer online ticket purchasing capability for Massey events and for other presentations in New Westminster.

The School District is proceeding with its plans for a new secondary school and has given the Massey Theatre Society the indication that it is planning to cease educational use of the theatre in the next three to five years.

“The plans for the new comprehensive secondary school will include functional specifications of 250 square metres for drama programs. No funds will be available for theatre operations and within a design/built process efforts are made to maximize the funded spaces with additional desirable spaces for best use of the school footprint.”(comments by Dr. John Woudzia, Superintendent of School and Larry Bryce, Facilities Operations Manager)

The Building as a Community Theatre Massey Theatre lives with an unusual reality: its main strength is its size, making it an important regional theatre and also an important economic driver for New Westminster, arts presenters and producers. But its main weakness is also its size, making it difficult to fill for local community organisations. Its seating capacity and its large proscenium stage do not encourage intimacy. Those New Westminster organisations that have grown to meet the expectations such a facility imposes, have done so spectacularly: Royal City Musical Theatre and the Royal City Youth Ballet have been so successful that they cannot perform in theatres of less than 1,000 seats and require every inch of the stage. Massey also caters to large ensemble dance studios and ethno-cultural events and is much sought after by both client types.

The Massey Theatre functions primarily as a “road house”, that is as a rental theatre, in much the same way as the Vancouver Civic Theatres function as road houses. The Massey is accessible 363 days of the year and at all hours in order to maximise its rental earnings. Availability for community and school use could be said to be 100 percent. However, its rental cost means that it is actually accessible only to large scale shows and producers with some exceptions. Renters pay the market rate to

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use the theatre, although a discount is afforded community users. Only a small group of New Westminster resident users are charged rental rates discounted to levels of affordability through the assistance of a City grant. School student use is covered by the School District leave arrangement contribution that allows schools free rentals up to 40 days annually. Massey Theatre Society actively promotes the use of the theatre to individual schools and considers its educational mandate to be very important.

A sliding scale of rental rates for the Massey theatre is - the lowest for local clients, the next lowest for non-profits and child oriented activities and the highest for commercial clients. It also has a program called “Massey Helps” through which community organisations can apply for special assistance and co-presentation arrangements. The subsidies on rental rates for local clients are underwritten by a small City grant while the other subsidies are underwritten by Massey itself through its earned revenues and a very modest Lotteries grant. The local schools use Massey Theatre and do not pay for time; instead, the District contributes a $40,000 fee for management services annually to Massey Theatre Society. District schools have access to approximately 40 booking units a year without payment.

Rental rates are competitive in the market and are kept lower than comparably sized theatres, but even so, the rent for a 1,260 seat facility for a non-profit arts organisation are high and must remain high since earned revenues are the theatre’s primary source of operating funds. Consequently, Massey Theatre clients must be able to support their rentals with ticket and sponsorship revenues high enough to support all of the costs for their productions, concerts or recitals.

Massey Theatre is part of the New Westminster Secondary School and students still move through hallways to attend classes. Students use the theatre lobby daily as a hallway and this area must be utilitarian to stand up to the use. The lease requires that the theatre use the District’s CUPE janitorial and maintenance services and pay for that service. It also is responsible for power and for heat. As owner, the School District is responsible for major repairs to the building but the Massey Theatre Society is responsible for interior upgrades, equipment purchases and renovations.

Since assuming operating responsibility of the theatre in 1993 The Massey Theatre Society’s mandate has been to concentrate on earned revenue and capital upgrades. Its business plan includes strategies for funding capital projects and reserve funds are held for that purpose. It currently has state-of-the art theatrical systems in all but the rigging area. The Massey continues to be one of the few operating “hemp” houses in North America. This refers to the rigging system, which uses rope of woven natural fibre to secure scenery in the fly tower.

The Society has upgraded added or replaced: . The main floor and balcony lobbies . Washrooms . Plaskett Art Gallery . Catering kitchen

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. Box Office . Stage floor . Loading dock . Exterior signage . Sound system, . Rigging system as well as Interior finishes restoration, balcony lobby and lighting and sound lock vestibules; electrical and performance lighting system and the entry plaza and handicapped access.

The Massey Theatre has 855 fixed seats plus wheelchair positions on the main floor. Visually it can function comfortably with an audience of 400. Its average audience size is 500, though there are a number of events that require over 1,000 seats including Royal City Musical Theatre, New Westminster Secondary School Musicals and Royal City Youth Ballet.

Most of its seats are original and not staggered, making sightlines in the middle section a challenge. It has one very large balcony instead of the more common two balcony levels. This means that the first section of the balcony is quite far forward and provides excellent sightlines – 36 percent of the 1,260 seats are in the balcony.

Technical Assessment – Production Service The Massey Theatre technical facilities have been modified and upgraded at several points over the theatre’s 60-year history. This process has produced a very workable, contemporary technical environment.

The stage lighting system is supported by 270 dimmers controlled by a top-end conventional console. Lighting fixtures are sufficient for a comprehensive house plot (standard location of lights on the grid above the stage) as well as an extensive back- up inventory. Additional power is available for increased number of lighting fixtures that might be needed by touring events.

For audio support, a 40-channel console drives a new line-array speaker system. There is a good supply of auxiliary equipment, microphones, cables, stands, etc.

The stage rigging system is unique in that it is a mixture of hand-operated hemp (rope)lines, hand-operated winches and dead-hung pipes. While very workable, this is an area where upgrade could be appropriate. Drapery includes a grand drape, three travellers, borders, legs and a cyclorama.

A separate scene shop for set construction is available, and stage operations are well supported by a comprehensive inventory of chairs, stands, and risers, as well as a media projector and two pianos. There is a good amount of permanent and transient storage available.

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All equipment and systems are in very good shape as a result of consistent professional upkeep and repair. This facility is very well-suited to the production of musical theatre, dance, concert, assembly, spoken word and media events.

The stage is large at over 79 feet in width, with a useful stage depth of 30 feet. The stage apron is 14 feet deep at centre stage and 38 feet wide. The stage right wing is 15 feet measured to the fly rail and the stage left wing space is 24 feet 6 inches. The Proscenium measures 39 feet 10 inches in width and is 20 feet high. Off stage left there is a loading and equipment storage room, and a scene building shop. One level below the stage are the dressing rooms and ample storage. The Massey was built with an orchestra pit, accessed through the dressing room level, which was subsequently filled in and which is now created with portable walls and accessed from the audience floor.

In the lobby, the Massey Theatre Society operates a small art gallery, called the Plaskett Gallery, with exhibits changing monthly. This also doubles as an audience lounge where the intermission concession operates.

The building looks like a concrete structure but is made almost entirely of heavy dimension fir covered in board, lathe and plaster. Only the stage house is concrete, though it has a wood rigging gallery and roof. The roof exterior is gravel, a good acoustic treatment that diffuses the sound of rain fall and traffic during performances. The building rests on a concrete foundation. Structurally the building is thought to be sound. Massey Theatre Society itself has had engineers in several times to review structural issues.

Seismic upgrades may be required if the building continues as an educational facility. A seismic study proposal was received from a respected engineering firm in 2004 but it was never conducted, as plans proceeded for the Arts Centre. Seismic remediation of a wooden building is simpler than that required of concrete and concrete block buildings; however, one cinder block wall was added on the (SE) of the building in order to build on the band room addition, this will require seismic upgrade if the band rooms are to be retained, as was outlined in the proposed Arts Centre design.

Mechanical systems require review; however, these and other questions concerning the Massey Theatre depend on a number of decisions that must be taken by the School District, when plans proceed to replace the secondary school. Currently, plans to also build a middle school at this location have been dropped due to the un- decommissioned cemetery on the site.

The School District #40 has stated that it is not interested in operating a theatre unless that theatre’s priority is in educational service. With plans for a new school and teaching and performance space within it that would serve the drama and music programs, the School District and the Ministry of Education have made it clear that capital funds are not available to invest for infrastructure improvement of the current Massey Theatre.

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Meeting the Need The Massey Theatre as it stands now meets an important need in the community and the region. This is a sentiment that is consistently repeated. The Massey Theatre separated as a stand alone building could continue to meet community need and in fact establish itself as a broader performing arts centre. The Massey Theatre Society is presenting negotiating a new lease with the School District. There is discussion about areas now used as classrooms located adjacent to the theatre to be included in the theatre operations.

The portions to be retained in this larger configuration include: • Two band rooms, • The theatre and its current allocated spaces, • One full size classroom • Several smaller studio classrooms, • Former offices and washrooms • The “small” gym (2,842 square feet). • The former UBC Counselling Centre (2,691+ square feet) The small gym could meet the need, expressed in the City’s Arts Strategy, for a rehearsal space and small studio of up to 150 seats. The former counselling Centre would be available for dressing rooms and green rooms to support the studio. The two rooms formerly used as band rooms could be smaller rehearsal rooms for music ensembles. Break out rooms could be accommodated in former offices and classrooms. (see Massey Theatre floor plans following Conclusions and Recommendations in this section Pages 46 to 48).

The potential square footage of the Massey Building would be approximately 63,600 square feet including existing entrances, exits, hallways and storage. It could function as a performing arts centre rather than a stand-alone theatre. Since the Massey Theatre Society is prepared to operate it, this could represent a remarkable opportunity for New Westminster.

Conclusions and Recommendations Gaining long term certainty for Massey is a necessary and wise course of action. The issue that must be resolved is the ownership of the building and the land it sits on. Until that is resolved between the City of New Westminster and School District #40, the Massey Theatre Society cannot plan the future of this civic asset. The community and historic users have no certainty. The study team leaves to the City the manner in which the civic “ownership” or trusteeship of Massey Theatre will be achieved but it recommends that this question be addressed in a timely fashion and, in any case, in no more than three years.

Recommendations: The City of New Westminster to take the initiative and proactively negotiate community ownership or trusteeship of Massey Theatre and adjacent facilities if they become available.

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Capital funds will be invested to address the functional and cosmetic needs of the facility. In excess of one million dollars in Provincial Infrastructure funding was granted to create civic arts related facilities at 8th Street and 8th Avenue. The funds are site specific. It may be appropriate to use this funding for Massey allowing additional funds to be leveraged from senior levels of government. This would more quickly enable improvements.

Increased operating funds should be provided to build and sustain the professional programming, to market the venue to local and regional audiences and to allow greater rental access to the facility to more non-profit organizations.

The Massey Theatre should be designated as the Civic Theatre of New Westminster and the City should become a strong partner, on behalf of its citizens, in this community asset.

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Massey Theatre Floor Plan – Lower Shaded areas are those that maybe added to current Massey footprint and include the former UBC Counselling Centre

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Massey Theatre Floor Plan - Main – Shaded areas include small gym, band rooms and support areas that may be added and include current Massey footprint.

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Massey Theatre Floor Plan – Upper: Shaded areas include additional classrooms and support areas that may be added and include current Massey footprint

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Massey Theatre Client Bookings Chart C

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Douglas College Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre Assessment of Potential as Community Accessible Asset

Primary Mission or Core Business:  Post Secondary Education Primary revenue source:  Provincial Government, student tuition Access hours:  Weekends and weekday evenings during terms, mid-April to June 30; dependent on college needs Hours of operation:  7 AM – 10 PM weekdays NW location:  “Midtown”, campus from 8th Avenue to 6th Avenue Between Royal and Carnarvon Seating capacity:  350 seats Theatre type  Proscenium Ancillary facilities available:  Yes, dependent on college needs Parking:  Street (paid), on site, difficult to access (paid) Costs:  Rental rate plus staff costs Operating model:  Institutional, professional, not-for- profit Networks:  CITT Geographic Mandate:  Regional and Provincial Operating Staff  Union (BCGEU) Facilities Rental Information:  [email protected]  604-527-5613 or 604-527-5362 Web Site information:  www.douglas.bc.ca/services/faciliti es/roombookings.html

Photo P 9 Laura C Muir Theatre Auditorium

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Background Douglas College came to New Westminster in 1970 and the Royal Avenue Campus opened in 1983. Its performing arts programs include theatre, stagecraft and classical music. It has an association with the Community Music School, which is housed in the same area as the theatre and music programs but is a not-for-profit independent society whose mandate is to teach music in a non-professional setting to children and adults on a cost recover basis. Douglas Music Department faculty teach both in the college’s system and in the Community Music School system. The College also has a choral group and musical ensembles. During the summer the College sponsors a children’s theatre camp in its small studio. There is a sprung floor dance studio in place but no dance program. The space is used by theatre students and the sports teams as an exercise and training room.

Douglas College has a satellite campus (Douglas Lam) in Coquitlam. The fine and performing arts programs will remain in New Westminster because the appropriate facilities are located here.

The Building as a Community Theatre The theatre is a small, wide bodied, raked seating, proscenium theatre of 350 seats. It has good wing space, equipment and a small on-call group of professional theatre technicians who staff events. The facility has dressing rooms and shops appropriate to the building of sets and costuming for student plays. In addition there is a small studio theatre and a dance studio.

All of the departments and associated groups noted above use the theatre and its services. The theatre is heavily used for student activities from September through mid-December and again from January through March. The theatre department does two shows annually and has a set on stage for three weeks in each term. This schedule duplicates the schedule on which most community users want access to a rental space. The theatre is closed in July for maintenance.

The College also hosts a number of small conferences and meetings each year and has a wide array of steeply raked lecture theatres, most seating 75 people and up, for that purpose. Its atrium, though unheated, is also used for gatherings year round as it has seating built into the stair space. Its draw-back is poor acoustics and a strong echo. The college’s largest flat floor meeting room is the boardroom, seating 40 people and it has a state of the art teleconferencing room with enough technology for 12 people.

In addition, they have begun to use the theatre foyer, at the Royal Avenue level, for social events. Their in-house catering service can cater casual and formal dinners in that space. It seats approximately 100 and can be used either in conjunction with a theatre event or separately if there is no scheduling conflict with College activities or events in the theatre.

Currently the facility does not actively promote community access to the space or rental business and it markets only its own events, mostly through internal electronic

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student, faculty and alumni networks. There is no budget for promotion of rental events and little for college-related events. Word of mouth promotion of a theatre facility is often the strongest way to find clients; however, if there is little attendance, not many people know about or can become interested in using the facility.

Though the campus is in the centre of New Westminster, in a very urban setting, and close to transit, Douglas’ concert and theatre work does not attract large local or regional audiences. Other renters using the space have also not had great success in attracting audiences to events hosted there. Audience members report that it is hard to find the parking area and the theatre: signage is internal and organized for use by students rather than the public. As an education provider, attracting an audience is not a prime motivator; the focus is teaching skills – an audience is a bonus but not crucial to learning. Marketing, therefore, is focussed on attracting students to take classes; events are staged to give students an enriched campus experience not to having the public visit the facility or to having the community rent parts of the campus.

Meeting the Need The new Dean of Language and Arts, Dr. David Duke, admits that attendance at all Douglas Theatre events is poor. He is keen to increase the use of the College theatre and wants the space and the department’s work to be better known in the community. However, he recognises that this requires a change in thinking by college staff and instructors who may see outside use as inconvenient and an intrusion into the education focus. He has created a position for a Performing and Creative Arts Events officer whose work is to increase student attendance. He believes that demographic pressures and decreases in registration will force the college to re- examine its need for ancillary earned revenue. He hopes that this need will, in time, change the business and staff culture of Douglas College toward community theatre use. It is important to note, however, that no broad-based strategies specific to marketing or increasing support to community renters have been articulated.

During college terms the theatre and ancillary rooms are generally not available until after 5:00-6:00 PM when classes end, making it difficult to stage concerts and activities in the space due to limited set up and sound check time. However the theatre is generally available from Friday afternoon until Sunday night which would makes it suitable for many weekend events

The prime time that is available for community use is from early April to the end of June and the College is currently pursuing opportunities for rental of the space in those months. Currently they have the Heritage marching band competitive festival as a client and are interested in having the Kiwanis Music Festival use their facilities. They also have at least one regular dance school recital user in the late spring. These events fit well into the College setting because they focus on participant rather than general audience attendance. They are instruction-competition oriented. Over the 2007 year there were 10 external bookings.

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It is also noted that the College is reluctant to become committed to annual users as they have been put into a position of cancelling a booking in the spring of 2008 to accommodate a College priority event.

A rental client wishing to access the college theatre must be quite motivated as the rental process is not a simple one. Phone numbers and email addresses are hard to find on the web site and the facility department is only one of many contacts a prospective renter must make to secure a date in the theatre. In addition, a condition of rental is that a rental booking is never fully guaranteed. A college need will always trump an outside rental and advance cancellation notice is not guaranteed (see policy). Though this may be a technicality, it will make a renter nervous about investing their event costs in the college theatre.

It is noteworthy that several community presenters who use Douglas College Theatre stated a desire to move to another facility if one were to become available. Audiences do not follow presenters to the college site, attendance is often poor and it is not seen as a desirable venue for good ticket sales.

Technical Assessment – Production Service The Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre is a well-designed and furnished facility intended to support instruction in stagecraft as well as student productions and other college events. As such, it contains a wide variety of equipment and control systems.

Stage drapery is supported by a counterweight system of 16 fly lines, of which 3 are free for auxiliary use. There is a red velour main drape, three sets of legs (24’), mid- stage and upstage traveller curtains, a black scrim and a full-width cyclorama.

Stage lighting includes 192 circuits of dimming, a very good selection of conventional lighting instruments, and a small number of automated fixtures. Control for the stage lighting system is by a conventional 144-channel console, while auditorium lighting can be controlled from the tech booth, auditorium or backstage.

A 32-channel analog console provides control of the audio reinforcement system – there is a large assortment of outboard equipment, microphones, cables, etc. The amplification and speaker systems are adequate to the general usage of the room. Audio recording from the stage, however, is hampered by a loud hum from an electrical vault on stage right.

There is appropriate support for external equipment to be integrated with the house stock of both lighting and audio departments.

There is a good supply of risers, chairs, music stands, and other stage resources. All equipment appears very well maintained by the professional technical staff.

This facility is very well-suited to the production of most music, dance, drama, spoken word and media events.

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Conclusions and Recommendations: The Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre will continue to function primarily as a student teaching space. The focus on the theatre as a regularly scheduled classroom space is not generally compatible with extensive use as a community or commercial theatre. Access to it will continue to be limited, though it may take the pressure off other facilities in the late spring competitive festival season.

Douglas College does have excellent meeting and conference use capabilities, including on site catering, many lecture rooms for break-out sessions, the theatre, theatre foyer and atrium for plenary sessions or trade show exhibits. It is in an excellent location for transit connections, is close to the downtown and to accommodation at the Inn at the Quay.

The City can play a role in listing the theatre and other college facilities as part of its local inventory of performance and conference facilities and build a coordinating and actively cooperative relationship promoting the theatre’s use.

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Justice Institute of BC Lecture Theatre: Assessment of Potential as Community Accessible Asset

Primary Mission or Core  Education of Provincial emergency Business: responders Primary revenue source:  Provincial Government Access hours:  Weekends & weekday evenings, dependent on JI needs Hours of operation:  6 AM – 10 PM weekdays NW Location:  “Uptown”, corner of 8th Avenue and McBride Ancillary facilities available:  Yes, dependent on JI needs and only in connection with primary rental of lecture theatre Parking:  Adequate and on site Costs:  Rental rate plus equipment rental plus personnel Operating Model:  Institutional, professional, not-for-profit Networks:–  FACABC Colleges and institutions facility operators  IFMA – International Facility Managers Association Geographic Mandate:  Provincial Information about Facilities  [email protected] or phone Rentals: 1.866.566.7660. Web Site information:  www.jibc.bc.ca/facilities/index.htm Photo P 10 Lecture Theatre

Background The Justice Institute campus is a complex of classrooms, offices and specialised facilities, opened in 1994/95. The theatre is directly off the central foyer atrium, which is well marked and easy to find. It is adjacent to food services and outdoor courtyards. The atmosphere is attractively business-like and the facility is well maintained.

The Justice Institute has outgrown its current facilities at 8th Avenue and McBride Street. They intend to stay on this site as well as develop others in the region. Expansion plans in New Westminster include a new lecture theatre of 400 – 440 seats. They will also retain the current 200 seat lecture theatre. This expansion is in the early planning stages but new facilities will likely come on stream within the next 10 years.

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Technical Assessment – Production Service This facility is appropriately furnished with a small, multi-zone room lighting system that can be controlled from a number of positions – stage, back of house and doorway key switches. An integrated audio and multimedia control system serves the room adequately, but as the space was not designed nor intended for performance use, all operation is “boardroom” style – out in the open, and not practical for an artistic performance.

The very small stage area is open to the auditorium and has no drapery. Seating is lecture style with a writing arm. The rake is very shallow, giving poor performance sightlines. Acoustics are intended for speaking voice. The equipment and the systems are designed for meetings, lectures, seminars, teaching and audio-visual presentations. It has a podium-installed Crestron control system, capable of controlling the lights, a SVHS VCR, slide projector, Proxima LCD projector, as well a 10 foot motorized screen. The facility has installed podium and lavaliere microphones and up to date IT capabilities.

The Building as a Community Theatre The JI theatre is a lecture space with a very small, shallow and open stage. Planned without wings, backstage or dressing room space and no access to a backstage area this facility cannot service as a performance space. Exits lead directly to exit corridors and external doors or to the atrium lobby. It might be possible to put a small music ensemble on the stage under amplification but the room resonance is somewhat flat due to the ceiling design and so would not be suitable for acoustic instruments (i.e. classical string quartet).

The room is well designed as a meeting space for traditional speaker-facing-audience configuration and should be considered to serve that purpose. It cannot be configured to meetings in the round due to the audience rake.

They also rent the cafeteria (200 person capacity), the atrium (100 person capacity) and classrooms (8 to 45 person capacity), when available, in conjunction with lecture theatre rentals.

They accept external bookings three months in advance, require a rental agreement to be completed and require proof of liability insurance coverage. Depending on the nature of the rental they may or may not accept the renter's request. If the renter is in competition with the JIBC or is presenting something that conflict with the JIBC they reserve the right to deny bookings.

Meeting the Need The Justice Institute does not have nor does it look for strong links with local community organisations of New Westminster. It is not motivated by revenues from rentals as that is not pertinent to core funding.

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External bookings are only available on evenings and weekends. Evening availability starts at 5:00 pm, therefore unless the set up is very simple for a standard 8 pm start, there is little time for a regular set up, lighting and sound check which usually requires at least a hour block of time.

There is no official booking available during the daytime, though connected departments occasionally use the space for daytime meetings. These are considered internal/Justice Institute partner arrangements and are classified as JIBC “sponsored” events; i.e. regional firefighters’ meetings or debriefings. The JIBC staff also book out the theatre for maintenance, set up and what they call “overnight” blocks to availability which prevents anyone from using the room during the evening when a JIBC seminar or session runs for several consecutive days.

Currently, their only regular local user is the Canadian Club of New Westminster. However they have two regional church clients (Vancouver Church of Christ and World Christian Fellowship) who rent the lecture theatre on a regular basis. Other rentals are drawn from Metro Vancouver; New Westminster organisations do not access the facility to any extent.

Analysis of the Justice Institute’s theatre rental booking schedule for the most recently completed year (2007) indicate that there is room in their schedule for more evening and weekend community bookings for meetings, seminars, speakers and small scale conferences. They have the capacity to almost double their current rental access and, with increased community awareness, this facility could be part of the active inventory of meeting room space in the Royal City.

Conclusions and Recommendations: The Justice Institute Lecture Theatre can continue to serve the purpose for community meetings and lectures. Their operating network does not include the community in any real sense; therefore the City and sister facilities need to have contact information and capability information on hand to allow them to recommend this facility when potential clients inquire about booking an event that would be suited for a lecture theatre setting.

Due to the planned Justice Institute expansion, adding another 400 seat lecture theatre to the current facility, civic planning for meeting and lecture space facilities should not be a high priority.

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Burr Theatre (formerly the Columbia) –currently closed Assessment of Potential as Community Accessible Asset

Primary Mission or Core Business:  Formerly cinema, then amateur production facility Primary revenue source:  Formerly earned revenue Access hours:  Formerly when not in use by production company Hours of operation:  Unknown NW location:  “Downtown”, east end of Columbia Street Seating capacity:  213  Intended capacity re Burr PA Society: 600-650 Original capacity 1200 Ancillary facilities available:  second floor lounge and meeting room and storefront on Front Street Parking:  street parking and Columbia parkade (paid) Costs:  unknown Operating model:  Society governance, production staff, volunteers Operating Staff:  Non union staff Networks:  Unknown Geographic Mandate:  Local and Regional Information about Facilities Rentals:  N/A Web Site information:  N/A Technical Specification  attached

Background: The Columbia (later renamed the Burr) was built in 1927 as movie vaudeville house with a seating balcony and a small, limited stage. It was an atmospheric house with painted murals and a vaulted ceiling. It had two major building alterations: separation and modernisation into two cinemas in 1976 and a change to remove the seating rake and establish flat floors, create social lounges and add a kitchen in 1988. It had several closures, the first in the late 1970’s, another in the early 1980’s, and yet another in the mid-1980’s. The Eagles Club purchased the building in 1987 and the

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City bought it in 2000 on behalf of the Raymond Burr Performing Arts Society. It has been closed again since 2006.

In 1996 Lamont Management Inc wrote an Economic Feasibility Analysis for the Downtown Business Association which drew the conclusion that the right operator- manager with good programming could make the venue a success. The operator was to be a professional theatre producer with commercial show revenues paying most of the costs and allowing for some community access. The model was influenced by the anticipated success of the (then) Ford Theatre in Vancouver and Livent, the commercial financier of the Ford. Both of these later failed spectacularly. The architectural analysis accompanying this assessment was predicated on the economic model of one primary user. It was understood that a rental or community theatre would have different needs and that the Burr, once renovated would not be serving those needs except as a side-line.

It is easy, with 20/20 hindsight, to question such optimism for commercial theatre, but at the time they seemed to be launching in many different cities. All were optimistic and for a time experienced some success. Now, only David Mirvish remains from those heady days. Many failed, even with large capital behind large capital, like Livent or its replacement at the currently named “Centre for the Arts” behind it. The re-named Burr did not have that kind of support.

Even so, the Burr was expected to be “self-reliant” and professional -- its instruction was to “maximise revenue potential”. There was no financial operating support intended from any public funding source. Its purpose, for the BIA, was to drive business to Columbia Street and enliven the area as a balance to waterfront development. The City saw the same goal with the addition of making Columbia Street a safer pedestrian street in the evening hours.

Over time, it became apparent that the scale of capital fundraising that would have turned the Burr into the 600-650 seat facility was not forthcoming from donors, from the Raymond Burr Estate or from granting agencies. No commercial or professional producing company emerged. The society that had been set up to oversee its renovation became discouraged, tried to use amateur (community) theatre to enliven the facility but found that revenue, at 213 seats, and even with some City assistance, could not meet costs let alone pay for renovations.

It is not the task of this theatre study, looking back 12 years later, to unearth the history of the Burr (Columbia) Theatre but to comment on its appropriateness to meet the current and future needs of the community. The Assessment and conclusions that follow are not focussed on suitability for professional or commercial play production but on community need, and community rental use for many different genres of performance. This is very different, as already stated, from the original 1996 premise.

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The Building as a Community Theatre The building space has a very narrow frontage and is on a steep grade with the south frontage directly on Front Street and the north frontage directly on Columbia Street. It is five stories with the lowest floor partially an undeveloped, sloped, earthen floor “crawl space”. Level one is on Front Street; level two is the lower floor; level three is Columbia Street; level four is the former balcony and level five is the former upper balcony, attic space and Columbia street roof.

The seating rake, were the theatre to be renovated back to its raked floors, is too shallow to allow space for balcony seating: such a rake is not suitable for dance where the audience needs to see dancers’ feet.

The house has a barrel-vaulted ceiling – an acoustically difficult shape -- and this will make mixing sound very challenging for amplified music (pop or rock bands). In addition, there are no catwalks or lighting positions over the audience, requiring technicians to dead-hang lights using ladders over the seating. This is dangerous and time consuming when making multiple changes in rapid succession. Catwalks would have to be installed with electrical circuits to support lighting instruments and access to the catwalks from the side walls.

Stage depth is shallow (18 feet) and does not allow for a cross-over space, large dance troupes, orchestras or choirs and would limit blocking options for plays. Stage width is 63 feet with very limited wing space of about 10-12 feet on either side, making masking and set changes difficult. Wings cannot be added because the stage is the full width of the building.

The proscenium is only 30 feet wide and not suitable for large concert band, orchestra or choir use. The proscenium is 19 feet 6 inches high; this is not ideal for orchestra or choir acoustics, which require the proscenium to be as high as possible, but can be made to work for amplified music and plays. To support choral, orchestral or chamber music acoustics, the proscenium height should be increased.

Stage height is limited – 35 feet – and needs to be at least 48-49 feet, to get good grid height for lighting with a proscenium of this height. Currently, sets cannot be flown. The original 1996 building program called for an increase in grid height (raising the roof over the stage-house). This would still be necessary to allow for performance work of many kinds. However, it should be recognised that increasing the grid height would also mean adding access to the grid, via stairs or an elevator, and that this would reduce the stage size further.

Loading to the stage is problematic. Truck access is at Front Street, a busy, narrow street and at Columbia Street. Trucks would have to side load. Columbia loading would require everything to pass through the lobby and house to the stage and Front Street loading would have to come up three stories via newly installed freight elevators. Loading issues have caused the recent producers to build all sets on stage, using it as a scene shop, and reducing the time available for other rentals.

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Sound transference from Front Street (truck route traffic and trains), and between the upper lounge and the stage are also issues that would require resolution through building modifications.

The HVAC systems have been installed directly over and inside the stage house making HVAC hum an issue for performances; these would have to be removed and reinstalled more appropriately. The electrical and lighting control system will have to be entirely upgraded.

Meeting the Need Were the Burr to be renovated to a 600 or 700 seat space as a community rental hall it would be duplicating a need already met by the Massey Theatre, whose main floor seating capacity is 867 seats. In addition, all the above noted shortcomings would then need to be corrected and the major structural changes undertaken to create twin theatres reversed. Also the changes made for Eagles’ use would also have to be altered. This would be a costly and complex undertaking. Such conversion would also not meet the current need identified in the community.

Were the Burr to remain as a 213 seat space it would be duplicating a need already met by the Bernie Legge Theatre. The theatre would still require considerable renovations as described above as well as renovations to make the rest of the building’s square footage usable. At 213 seats the facility does not meet the need for a mid-sized, flexible studio space.

The Burr could meet the need for a 300 - 400 seat, flat floor flexible performance space. This would require a demolition of the building to its outer walls and removal of the roof. This would be described as a re-use of the site than a renovation.

Technical Assessment – Production Service At this time, the Burr has inadequate and out-of-code stage electrical services which, in the interest of safety, should not be used until repaired or replaced. Stage lighting consists of a number of antiquated, un-serviced, dismounted fixtures and a potentially hazardous dimming and control system. Auditorium lighting is not integrated.

There is no audio support system in evidence. Any production requiring sound reinforcement will have to bring in a complete system and then contend with the above-noted electrical supply shortcomings.

Stage height currently limits the use of drapery to dead-hung tracks, most of which appear to be in poor shape. There is a formal grand drape, but this is alleged to belong to a former occupant.

There is no stage service or support equipment such as risers, stairs, dollies or carts.

In summary, the Burr does not have the electrical, lighting, audio or staging equipment necessary for the production of a theatrical event.

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Conclusions and Recommendations A new space, purpose-built to meet theatre needs as part of a downtown multi-use civic facility and with state of the art equipment, would be a stronger option to meet New Westminster’s theatre needs than creating such a space on the Burr site.

However, the Burr site is a good anchor, to match that at 8th and Columbia if plans continue for revitalization of that area. It could be made useful for a civic purpose - or for commercial use as a club or cinema pending future civic use. Thoughtful reuse of the Burr is recommended; but not to meet New Westminster’s current theatre needs.

As its main floors will not receive excess amounts of outside light and as they are large, clear span, spaces, they would lend themselves to creative reuse as an art gallery or museum where controlled lighting and environments are required. A further assessment for this reuse would be required but from a general view there is enough square footage for exhibit space, attendant offices, exhibit preparation areas and storage.

Another option might be a residential tower that includes amenity space for the arts. One would not envision this building as a community arts centre but as a more professional space with commercial or residence components. Any one of these options could preserve the heritage qualities of the Burr and keep it in civic hands as Columbia Street is revitalised.

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THEATRE ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS As the study team reviewed all five theatre facilities, we reached the following conclusions and made a number of recommendations for action. These are restatements of recommendations made at the end of each assessment and are summarized here for the convenience of those using this report. The facilities are listed in alphabetical order.

Recommendations

Bernie Legge Theatre As the local community theatre, this venue serves its resident company and its committed audiences very well. Responsibility for all the functioning of the facility is currently in very good hands as the Vagabond Players is an active and reliable community theatre organization. Co-productions with other “like-minded” theatre groups or presenting individuals are possible and do occur. The recent investment in code improvements is money well-spent. With the remaining capital improvement in the municipal capital plan, the Bernie Legge Theatre should serve the community for another 50 years.

This facility cannot fill the City’s need for a rental performance or rehearsal space without complicating current uses and impinging on the resident company; therefore, the resident company must be an active partner in establishing a system conducive to appropriate facility use.

Recommendations:

1. The City of New Westminster will establish a capital plan for the Bernie Legge Theatre over the next 5 years, as suggested in its staff report. A budget should be created for the necessary investment needed to bring the facility up to current assembly and cosmetic standards to permit another 50 years of use. The owner of the facility should support the infrastructure needs of the building. 2. The City of New Westminster will re-negotiate a long term lease with exclusive use to the Vagabond Players to strengthen their trusteeship of this building, to provide a sense security and continuity for its membership and to support participatory community theatre in New Westminster. 3. The Vagabond Players will, in good faith and in consultation with the City, establish an encouraging system for rental use of the Bernie Legge Theatre during dark periods for other like-minded volunteer organizations. The Vagabond Players will be the initiators to make more active use of the space and will find creative solutions to technical and security issues that will not impinge on the memberships’ goodwill and activities.

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The Burr Theatre This building is currently not viable for a professional producing or presenting theatre. The physical attributes are too restrictive and the atmosphere is limiting. The cost of renovation to create a working theatre is significant and complex and is not supported by local fundraising champions or senior levels of government. Its historic restoration as a 1927 vaudeville house, or atmospheric cinema, do not meet current theatre needs.

Most significantly, there is no artistic mandate for this theatre to be resurrected as a working facility. Without this vision and passionate commitment to take up the task of the disbanded Raymond Burr Society, the facility currently has little hope of meeting its original plan, or even a new one.

The Burr Theatre will not meet the City’s current theatre needs, however, it could eventually be renovated, or the site used, for other civic purposes that would be attractive to the community or to a commercial lease-holder. A further assessment for re-use would be required but there is enough square footage for exhibit space, attendant offices, exhibit preparation areas and storage.

Recommendations: 1. Thoughtful reuse of the Burr, formerly the Columbia, is recommended. 2. The City of New Westminster will consider making leasehold improvements that would allow a commercial user in the Burr Theatre. 3. In any reconstruction or re-use of the facility, a requirement to preserve the Columbia Street facade should be explored and may be advisable. 4. If a flat floor flexible studio theatre is not accommodated within the Multi Use Civic Facility, the Burr could be considered for conversion to meet the need for such a space.

The Justice Institute Lecture Theatre The Lecture Theatre is a well equipped facility for its intended purposes. The space is affordable to rent as long as staff requirements are minimal. The Justice Institute’s main focus is its own program uses; therefore, community access requires some effort and planning; however, they do accommodate rental use on request.

Recommendations:

1. The City of New Westminster will make information about the use of the Justice Institute lecture theatre available to the community for meetings, conferences and other simple media presentations. 2. The City will supply sister facilities, like Massey, Bernie Legge, and Douglas College, needed contact, booking and capability information to allow them to recommend this facility when clients inquire about speaking events and meetings that would be suitable for a meeting and lecture theatre setting.

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3. The City will maintain contact with the Justice Institute facility director to encourage small conference use of their facilities and to monitor the progress of expansion plans in order to factor it into their own planning as appropriate.

Laura C Muir Theatre – Douglas College This facility is dedicated to its educational mandate. The cost of additional community access may strain the departmental budgets as the cost of professional staff supporting rentals cannot easily be recovered directly from rental revenue during the teaching semesters.

It is important to support the work of the stagecraft/drama and music departments because student recitals and productions make for an enlivened cultural season for local community audiences. Increased audience support would strengthen the programs and attract more students and a strong college program feeds into an economically viable town centre.

There is some desire to increase community access and this may develop over time if and when the College’s mandates shift in this direction. In the meantime the College offers useful spaces for conferences and meetings.

Recommendations: 1. The City of New Westminster, through initiatives of the Arts Strategy, will expand shared arts programming at the College. 2. It will market the community use of the facility where available and appropriate. 3. The City will supply sister facilities, like Massey, Bernie Legge, and the Justice Institute with needed contact, booking and capability information to allow them to recommend this facility when clients inquire about events that would be suitable for a theatre, meeting or conference setting when not in conflict with College needs. 4. The City will list the theatre and other college facilities in its local inventory of performance, meeting and conference facilities and build an actively cooperative relationship promoting the theatre’s use.

Massey Theatre Massey is one of only two theatres of its size in Metro Vancouver. It is vital to large scale producers like the Royal City Musical Theatre, Royal City Youth Ballet and New Westminster Symphony and to regional producers and presenters due to its size and capabilities. It also serves a growing community of diverse cultural producers and audiences. It has capable professional management and stable, committed board governance. There is a strong community commitment to preserve, protect and reassert the Massey’s position as a premier regional theatre facility. The community looks to the City to provide leadership and stability for what is regarded as a civic asset.

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Gaining long term certainty for Massey is a necessary and wise course of action. There is the potential of creative redevelopment of the “small gym” into a black box rehearsal and performance space of about 160 seats. The Society is also negotiating with the School District to take responsibility for additional space adjacent to the theatre. Combined with existing space already operated by the Society, it totals 63,600 square feet of programmable, community service space. This potential can be regarded as a unique opportunity for the City.

The issue that must be resolved is the ownership of the building and the land it sits on. Until that is resolved between the City of New Westminster and School District #40, the Massey Theatre Society cannot plan the future of this civic asset and the community has no certainty. The study team leaves to the City the manner in which the civic “ownership” or trusteeship of Massey Theatre will be achieved but it recommends that this question be addressed in a timely fashion and, in any case, in no more than three years.

Recommendations:

1. The City of New Westminster to take the initiative and proactively negotiate community ownership or trusteeship of Massey Theatre and adjacent facilities if they become available. 2. Capital funds will be invested to address the functional and cosmetic needs of the facility. In excess of one million dollars in Provincial Infrastructure funding was granted to create civic arts related facilities at 8th Street and 8th Avenue. The funds are site specific. It may be appropriate to use this funding for Massey allowing additional funds to be leveraged from senior levels of government. This would enable improvements more quickly. 3. Access to the theatre is a challenge for many users who require a lower rental cost to support their endeavours. Programming for local audiences is also a challenge. Increased operating funds should be provided to build and sustain professional programming, market the venue to local and regional audiences and allow greater access to the facility. 4. The Massey Theatre should be designated as the Civic Theatre of New Westminster and the City should become a strong partner, on behalf of its citizens, in this community asset.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A - GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS arena stage: one in which audience members completely surround the stage or are placed on two sides facing each other across a stage (the latter also known as alley stage) acoustics: the distribution, clarity and reverberation qualities of sound waves, from instruments or the human voice, caused by the shape and materials in a room back-of-house: support spaces – non-public areas black box: a non-proscenium (studio) theatre with a flat floor, with flexible seating on risers that can be configured in several settings and orientations and with the stage (generally) on the floor, rather than raised. Often a very small space box office: a ticket sales operation or the location at which tickets are sold building envelope: the enclosing walls and roofs of a building cat walks: an elevated service platform over a stage or audience chamber from which lighting, sound and technical equipment can be accessed and manipulated concert hall: a room especially designed for music, tending to allow reverberation of sound waves for the unamplified music of orchestral instruments and the human voice in song dressing rooms: for costuming or dressing actors, performers and dancers. May include makeup stations, sinks, toilets and showers fixed seating: seating attached permanently in one position, usually on a raked floor facing the stage follow-spots: The performance lights that move with a performer on stage. They are large and generally manually operated. fly tower: the space above the stage where scenery and equipment are stored and equal in height to 2.5 times the height of the proscenium front-of-house: public areas green room: actor’s and technician’s lounge infrastructure: the framework (subordinate parts) or core elements of a building into which interior finishes, equipment, furnishings, wiring and building systems can be installed: e.g: a conduit is infrastructure, the wire that runs in it may not be multi-purpose theatre: a proscenium theatre suitable for live music, amplified music, vocal music, dance and drama; usually with a fly tower, it can vary in size typically from 300 to 2000 seats multi-purpose studio theatre: a non-proscenium theatre with no fly tower suitable for many performance purposes including rehearsals; usually without fixed seating or stage and typically under 400 seats

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orchestra pit: the recessed section of forestage for the orchestra that can be in-filled to extend the stage either manually or with pit lifts in order to extend the stage or the seating area when not in use performance lighting: the lighting system for the illumination of performances and presentations, usually hung on pipes in variable positions; moveable, individual, dimmable instruments performance rigging: the supporting infrastructure, ropes, pulleys, wires, counterweights and lifting devices, for performance lighting, sound equipment, scenery and draperies

performance sound: the electronic reinforcement system for amplified performances and presentations

playhouse theatre: a proscenium theatre with fixed seats typically between 300 and 800 seats, suitable for drama and where the human voice can be heard clearly without amplification

programme: a list of an organized series of events or a list of spaces required in a building

project stakeholders: those who could benefit from the project including the users, patrons, volunteers, the municipalities, the school districts, the citizens, patrons and arts community as well as the visitors to the city

proscenium: The part of the theatre stage in front of the main curtain with its enclosing arch, or frame. It can be hard and fixed or made of drapery. It separates the audience from the stage. A proscenium stage is generally fixed permanently at one end of a performance space

recital hall: a non proscenium theatre designed to maximize the acoustic quality for small to medium music ensembles; may also be referred to as a concert hall

seating rake: The slope of the seating floor or risers required for audience sightlines in a theatre

studio theatre: a non-proscenium (black-box) theatre with a flat floor, flexible seating and risers that can be configured in several settings and orientations and with the stage (generally) on the floor, rather than raised

theatre in the round: when a stage is surrounded by an audience and the performers have to play to all directions

thrust stage: one that extends into the audience on three sides

wings: the sides of a stage hidden by the proscenium or drapery; generally not seen by an audience, in which performers can wait for entrances and which hold scenery, props and other equipment

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APPENDIX B - THEATRE OPERATIONS 101

A theatre facility, the artistic or program mandate and the audiences that attend them are the magic triangle of a successful cultural endeavour. These elements require a careful balance and neither can be fully successful without the other.

An elegant facility with all the bells and whistles can easy be viewed as unsuccessful in a community that became dazzled by size and technology without the mandate or artistic capacity to fill the stage with consistent and high quality programming. (An example of a facility still struggling is the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario) It is also possible to fill a facility with top quality talent without understanding the audience temperament and interest in the programming in a particular community. The programming fails to sell tickets and generate the revenue expected to recoup the costs of presenting the product. This “feeling of losing money” at every turn can quickly debilitate a facility operation.

An exciting program of theatrical plays or top national talent has the potential to fail or be difficult to maintain if the infrastructure does not allow for comfort for the audience and ease of production for the company. It is not unusual to see small theatrical initiatives in “non purpose built” facilities constantly trying to improve their infrastructure to meet this delicate balance. Audience attendance fluctuates when the challenge of the environment supersedes the entertainment value of the event.

In a municipal environment where the focus is generally on infrastructure, whether in roads, sewers, water service, parks, recreation or culture, providing the appropriate facility to meet the needs and capabilities of the local community is the most important element to consider. When planning a theatre facility it is important to include not only short term capital investment in the facility but also the longer term investment in the operating, programming and marketing of that facility to garner the greatest benefit to the community.

Basic Theatre Styles There are a number of different performance spaces that comprise theatre styles. Some meet the very specific needs of an artistic discipline. To review terms further, please see the Glossary of Terms: Appendix A

Proscenium Theatre (End Stage) The most common theatre configuration is a proscenium theatre. This is a stage that is surrounded by a “picture frame” or the proscenium arch. The audience faces the stage and views the performers on a stage framed by a decorative arch separating the stage from the seating auditorium. The main curtain is usually immediately behind the proscenium.

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Generally the stage also has an apron -- that is, some stage area in front of the proscenium and curtain. A fly tower above the stage area at two and half times the height of the opening is common and desirable as it allows for sets, lights and drapes to be flown up out of sight of the audience. The seating in the audience chamber or house is often raked, on a sloped or stepped floor, and facing the stage in a configuration that allows the best view of the stage from every seat. There may be a balcony depending on the size and footprint of the building.

The Massey, Bernie Legge and Laura C. Muir at Douglas College are proscenium theatres Illustration I 1

STUDIO THEATRE IN PROSCENIUM (END STAGE) FORMAT

Non-Proscenium Theatre This has a stage that is not surrounded by a picture frame separating the audience from the performers. The seating is usually still straight ahead and may be raked or flat. There may be no main curtain and no fly tower. Such theatres are usually used for acoustic music or choral work rather than theatre.

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The Chan Shun Concert Hall and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre are non- proscenium theatres

Thrust Theatre This theatre has the stage that comes out into the audience to bring the action closer. Seating is often on three sides of the peninsula shaped stage. This style of theatre can be used for dramatic productions but more often is used as a concert hall. Acoustic ceiling configuration and wall treatments are included in the design to enhance and maintain a true, natural sound for musicians or singers.

Illustration I 2

STUDIO THEATRE IN THRUST FORMAT

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Arena Theatre (Alley and In-the-Round) This type of staging is where the audience encircles the stage area (theatre in the round) or is seated on two sides facing a stage that extends down the centre of the room. This can vary in size from the very intimate theatre in the round to the size of something like Madison Square Garden with many sizes and variations in between.

Bard on the Beach often plays in arena or in-the-round settings

Illustration I 3

STUDIO THEATRE IN ALLEY FORMAT STUDIO THEATRE IN-THE- ROUND

Flexible Staging - Black Box Theatre or Studio Theatre This style of theatre is a flat floor facility within a square or rectangular space. The size is generally small and intimate. The room is high enough to accommodate a lighting grid with good positions. Seating can be on a rake - usually on risers - and can be positioned in a number of different ways – in the round, surrounding the playing area on all sides, on two or three sides, cabaret style or simply straight on. The stage is also flexible and may be on raised platforms, custom-built for a performance or an area on the floor level. Flexible staging offers many exciting possibilities and is easily adjusted to the type of event planned. The simplicity of the space allows various uses. Many larger theatre complexes have black box theatres available adjacent to their main stages – some as studio theatres and some for use mainly as rehearsal space.

The Evergreen Cultural Centre and the Shadbolt Studio Theatre are examples. The Surrey Cultural Centre has a studio theatre adjacent to its main-stage as does the Chan Centre.

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Photo P 11 Evergreen Cultural Centre

EVERGREEN CULTURAL CENTRE – STUDIO THEATRE END STAGE AND CABARET FORMAT

Municipal Theatres

Operating Models and Programming Mandate It does not matter what kind of a theatre is provided for, there are numerous operating models that can be established. The operating model can be a facility run by a commercial or non-profit organization or by specialized municipal or institutional staff. Nonetheless, the operating model generally reflects the primary artistic or programming mandate of the facility. It doesn’t necessarily mean that no other activity will occur in the theatre, just what the priority will be.

Producing Theatre: The term “producing theatre” usually refers to the company that creates and mounts shows rather than the facility. For instance Royal City Musical Theatre Company is a producing theatre company. When a producer has a theatre at its exclusive disposal, that theatre becomes a producing theatre facility. The Stanley Theatre is the Arts Club Theatre Company’s facility.

This facility has a specific focus. The facility is known for its product more than for the other activities that may occur there. All the operating effort surrounds the production of plays in the examples listed above. There may be others where the focus is opera or symphonic music. In each case the design of the facility and all the ancillary

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services are created primarily to serve this one discipline. The challenge for a producing theatre company is to balance the capital requirements and regular care and maintenance of the facility with the demands of the product: the artistic season.

The Vagabond Players at Bernie Legge Theatre, the Arts Club at the Stanley and the Gateway Theatre in Richmond are producers with facilities.

Rental or Road House Theatre These theatres are designed and built to serve as many different disciplines as possible. Sometimes they are short changed through compromising one element in the name of providing another. At their worst, they do not serve any event well and at their best, they comfortably, and quickly, adjust to symphony, rock music or Broadway musical.

The operation of this facility is focused on providing technical staff that can support the various different rental needs of clients. At the municipal level, the facility encourages and supports the volunteer amateur client, the dance school year end performance as well as the professional needs of a touring artist.

In most municipalities the Rental Theatre is also the home of a number of resident arts organizations such as an Opera, a Light Opera company, a symphony or large pops orchestra and a dance company. The theatre has a regular season of consistent bookings and community perceptions of its success often rise and fall with the success of its resident companies. This interdependence may include the annual high school musical, the local dance school year end performances, and other ethno- cultural events that serve the local residents. The disadvantage to this set season of events is the inability to take up unique and special program rentals for the community or include new arts organizations in prime time. The advantage is that rental work represents a relatively low financial risk since it is not ticket sales- dependent.

New Westminster was fortunate to have the visionary focus of early community leaders in the construction of the Massey. The growth of the Royal City Musical Theatre Company and the Royal City Youth Ballet would not have been possible without the infrastructure in place to support these resident companies.

The Massey Theatre, Michael J. Fox, Bell Centre for the Performing Arts, Civic Theatres of Vancouver are examples of road house theatres.

Presenting Theatre This operating model includes facility management but it also has an artistic mandate to find the best of amateur and professional artistic products and bring them to the stage and the audiences. Presenting theatres will have a budget to “buy” such shows or finance their production and will promote and market their shows or seasons of performances. The priority is the program of different series that meet the artistic interests of the audiences that have come to attend the facility. The theatre’s brand

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and its reputation rests on the programming that it presents. The facility is careful in the rentals that can be included in its season. How those rentals are vetted and what restrictions are placed on potential renters vary from facility to facility.

In some municipal facilities, the presenting mandate has become an equal partner to the rental focus. By establishing a presenting policy, the facility can begin to build audiences and meet the demand for artistic product in its community.

The Vancouver East Cultural Centre, the Shadbolt Centre, the Surrey Arts Centre and Evergreen Arts Centre are presenting theatres, as well as rental facilities.

Educational Theatre Where a theatre’s priority is to be a learning laboratory for students, the staff -- both instructors and supporting technicians -- focuses on maintaining all the necessary elements for this purpose. A theatre that is, for all intents and purposes, a classroom needs to be accessible and available without compromise for teachers and students.

Although for the uninitiated observer such a theatre should also be available for other uses in the community, the reality is that student uses and community uses are rarely a satisfactory and comfortable mix.

Laura C. Muir Theatre at Douglas College, Studio 58 at Langara and the Chandos Pattison Theatre are just a few of the many educational theatres in the region.

Theatre Staff Complement One of the most important staff members that every theatre must have is a Theatre Technician or Technical Director. This is the professional who will care for the asset that is the theatre and its equipment and will assist performers with their show needs. Backing this person up, is maintenance and custodial staff who will clean and repair the facility.

Another is the Theatre Manager, or Executive Director who will serve as the public face of the facility and serve client organizations’ needs both pre-and post show, and set policy for the operation. In a very small facility operation these two roles might be covered by the same person in the early days, but as the facility gets busy, the roles must be separated. The Theatre Manager must look after the program development, the rental contracting and the financial operations of the facility. This is the person who makes the deals with the clients.

The third role to be filled upon opening of the theatre is the Front of House Manager. This is the person who is responsible for the safety and needs of the audience. Their role along with ushers (who may be volunteers) is more than just taking tickets and seating people. They should be trained in evacuation in case of fire

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or emergency and general first aid and care of patrons. They supervise the facility and watch for damage and vandalism, proper behavior and interaction of the audience. A skilled front of house team is also the facility’s best security.

Other services that will grow as the facility matures and is expected to take on more responsibilities are specialized service staff: sound and lighting operators, stage crew, stage managers, concession staff, box office service, accounting, marketing and promotion, information service, and community development.

Operating Functions The operation of a theatre can also be divided into functions:

• Back of House – stage, equipment, artists & presenters. Primary service providers are the technical director and manager • Front of House (FOH) – seating chamber, lobbies, audience. Primary service providers are FOH Manager and Manager • Administration – booking, scheduling, policy, financial management, presenting. Primary service provider is the Manager with help from TD, FOH, Accounting • Building Maintenance – cleaning, repair, upkeep, heat light, asset. Primary service provider is the Technical Director with Maintenance dept and Manager. • Accounting – payables, receivables, payroll, budget review, presenting. Primary service providers: Accountant, Manager, Technical Director. • Ticket Services – printing, reservations, sales, audience & presenter: Primary service providers: Sales personnel, Manager, FOH.

Operating Staff Roles These roles are time sensitive since administration has to be available during business hours and show staff has to be available for show schedules, often in the evening.

• The show staff includes FOH Manager and ushers, sound operator, lighting operator, on stage technician, and possibly janitors, security, ticket sellers and loaders. These are often, but not exclusively, night jobs and more often than not weekend work.

• The administration, including technical preparation, maintenance, ticket sales and accounting are generally day jobs and mid week work.

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Show Staff A typical schedule for a two to two and half hour evening performance:

3:15 → technical staff arrives 3:30 → show client arrives: load in, LX hang/focus etc 5:30 → dinner break, work stops 6:00 → stage work resumes, sound check, etc → FOH manager and FOH staff arrives, begins set up 6:30 → ticket staff arrives, set up 7:00 → audience starts to arrive 7:15 → mop stage 7:30 → stage clear, doors open, seating begins 8:00 → performance begins 9:15 → intermission 9:35 → second act 10:15 → performance ends, audience exits 10:30 → technicians strike gear, load out → FOH picks up debris, cleans lobby, writes reports → custodial clean up begins 11:00 → technicians re-set equipment, write reports 11:30 This represents an eight-hour work shift, with only one (legislated) meal break for the technical staff and a five to five and half hour work shift for the FOH staff.

Overnight or next morning custodians do cleaning of the facility and dressing rooms, depending on theatre schedules.

Administration Staff

There is a longer cycle for scheduling, contract negotiation, management, finance, PR and planning oriented tasks.

It revolves around these scheduling tasks: • Making the offer (advertising, information distribution, communication) • Taking expressions of interest, meetings with prospective clients • Responding with preliminary information and preliminary cost estimates • Touring facility for prospective users • Booking confirmation process/taking booking deposits • Contracting/further information and security deposits, meeting with clients • Ticketing information and preparation • Technical information gathering, cost estimates, staffing needs assessment, meeting with clients • Advance billing for final charges • Ordering supplies for FOH, concession • Renting equipment if necessary, ordering equipment internally • Show personnel hiring/scheduling including FOH

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• Scheduling custodial, and engineering for heat/cooling/power • Technical preset and systems check • Post show: processing show reports, time sheets, ticket reports, concession/FOH reports • Final billing communication with client/presenter • Finalize client files, record keeping • Process receivables and payables for accounting

And these broader tasks: • Planning, long range and short • Reporting, monthly and annually • Budgeting, financial monitoring • Plant reports, maintenance, equipment logs • Personnel management, hiring, discipline, review • Policy implementation, monitoring and review • Publicity/web site • public relations • internal relations

Use of a Facility It is impossible for a theatre to be busy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, therefore statistics that benchmark the activity in a theatre should be considered within a framework of what is truly possible. Sometimes the limitation on use is staff based or mandate based or simply need based. A major facility like a BC Stadium may only be fully used 25 times a year but each of those uses meets the need of thousands of people - therefore one would not question its value or benefit. The same is true of smaller facilities. If they meet the specific need of a target group for the period identified then their cost benefit should be measured against that benchmark.

In an average rental facility in the Metro Vancouver area there is an accepted theatre season of performance activity. It begins in mid September and ends in December for a hiatus of a couple of weeks in January, then runs from mid-January to the end of June. Out of 365 days, the summer months become mostly dark (not used) days – some 90 days that will not be consistently booked. These dark days are usually used for maintenance and care of the asset.

With the 255 days available, it is important to note that change over between major events is a time consuming proposition that is not accounted for on the revenue side of the ledger. The lighting plot and hanging of instruments for the installation of a set must be configured to house positions. Computer programs must often be re-set for each client. In a busy facility this might represent a minimum 1 day out of every 21 which eliminates another 20 days from availability.

It is therefore not unusual to consider a facility that is booked in the range of 225 – 230 days a very active and busy facility -- 250 days is considered to be “maximum capacity” in most operations. This can be true whether the facility is a producing

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theatre or a rental facility. The situation in some school based rental facilities where school activity fills normally non-prime dates makes them unique in terms of scheduling capacity. Sometimes two or more school events or assemblies can take place in a theatre in the same day with minimal set-up or re-setting time. These two booking would be considered as two separated booked events and often account for a facility with high usage statistics.

Audience Attendance Theatre events either come with their own built-in audience or must be promoted and advertised to the general community for ticket sales.

Examples of a built-in audience are year-end dance school performances which have little problem selling their tickets to the family members of all the participants. This is also true of cultural events presented by ethno-cultural communities. These concerts or events are the social meeting of a particular ethnic or immigrant group and provide the social interaction and cohesion for these individuals.

Programs that are presented on the strength of ticket sales to a broad and general audience are most risky. Many considerations go into the success of these types of programs and understanding the cultural sophistication of a community is the particular skill of a knowledgeable artistic director or producer. It is not often that the cost of a general interest, merit-based program can be recovered without sponsorship and grant support.

Merit based programs are difficult to measure through hard outcome numbers. Can the memory or emotional impact of a drama on an impressionable teen be measured as more or less beneficial because of a subsidized ticket price or rehearsal time?

In the arts and cultural field, as in library, pool, arena and parks services programming for impact and results must be considered using different standards than commercial direct cost-benefit equations. Like all “quality of life” services the value of community pride, social cohesion, citizen participation and the development of a city’s identity come into the equation.

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APPENDIX C - PRO FORMA REVENUE ESTIMATES FOR FLAT FLOOR PERFORMANCE SPACE

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APPENDIX D - TECHNICAL DATABASE AND DOCUMENTS

Bernie Legge Theatre

Venue Bernie Legge Theatre Address 51 Third Avenue at south end, Queen's Park, New Westminster Telephone 604-521-3055 Fax Website Vagabondplayers.ca Admin Contact Pres.: Ken Fynn Admin Telephone 604-433-2142 Admin Email Tech Contact Des Renard Tech Telephone Tech Email [email protected] Lobby Notes Intimate lobby at back of house, accessible from building front as well as wheelchair access at lobby rear. Lobby Capacity 80 Concession At lobby left Service Areas Cashier at lobby right. Washrooms Recently renovated, at code levels House General An intimate (38' X 23') 140 seat room, shoebox style, well maintained, recent décor Seating Style Single level, middle aisle Fixed Seats 140 Wheelchairs 4 Stage Type Proscenium, apron Width 37' Depth 20' Trim Height 9' (teaser) Apron Width 21'

Apron Depth 5' Wing Stage left 6'

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Wing Stage right 10' Crossover Through basement and/or outdoors Flys None Pit None Underfloor Plank Surface Painted masonite Main Drape Gold canvas on hand pull Legs On track Borders None Travellers None Scrim None Cyclorama None Dimmers 30 older 1.2K dimmers (5 packs of 6) LX Console Unknown Fixtures Unknown Company Switch None House LX Separate Audio Console Unknown Mains Unknown Monitors None Outboard Computer with SFX, CD and cassette playback Stage Communications Clearcomm Loading At grade Rehearsal Hall None Star Dressing Room(s) In basement Chorus Dressing Rooms None Green Room Basement / doubles as storage Storage Recently renovated in basement Amenities Costume workshop and storage, set construction area General A small community theatre with excellent governance, well-supported by the City, and nicely suited to its current location in New Westminster BC

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Raymond Burr Theatre Venue Burr Theatre Address 530 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC Telephone c/o 604-521-3711 Fax 604-521-3895 Website city.new-westminster.bc.ca Admin Contact Brian Markel Admin Telephone 604-527-4510 Admin Email [email protected] Tech Contact Tech Telephone Tech Email Lobby Notes Street entrance from Columbia, odd shape, greatly affected by upstairs renovation Lobby Capacity 200 Concession Open to auditorium, upper house right Service Areas Food storage and service off lobby, offices off lobby Washrooms Not to code, requiring renovation House General Original design not in evidence due to much renovation and re-demise. Seating Style Mixed Fixed Seats 213 Wheelchairs 4 Stage Type Proscenium Width 63' Depth 18' Trim Height 19'-6" Apron Width 30' Apron Depth 3' Wing Stageleft 12' Wing Stageright 14' Crossover Behind upstage wall Flys None Pit None

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Underfloor Plank Surface Painted plank Main Drape Cotton on hand pull Legs None Borders None Travellers None Scrim None Cyclorama None Dimmers Non-working LX Console None Fixtures Small assortment of non-maintained dismounted fixtures. Company Switch None House LX Separate Audio Console None

Mains None

Monitors None Outboard None Stage Comm None Loading At grade through lobby Rehearsal Hall None Star Dressing Not scheduled Chorus Dressing Not scheduled Green Room Not scheduled Storage Limited storage available in unfinished basement and crawl space Amenities None General

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Lecture Theatre at Justice Institute Venue Justice Institute of BC Lecture Theatre Address 715 McBride Blvd., New Westminster, BC Telephone 604-525-5422 Fax Website jibc.bc.ca Admin Contact Richard Epp Admin Telephone 604-528-5525 Admin Email [email protected] Tech Contact Tech Telephone Tech Email Lobby Notes The lecture theatre's lobby is the atrium of the Justice Institutes main building Lobby Capacity 300 Concession Facility food services Service Areas Washrooms Shared with other Institute facilities, all to code House General A gently raked seating area facing a minimal stage, well maintained and consistent in décor with the Institute. Seating Style Lecture Fixed Seats 200 Wheelchairs 4 Stage Type Platform Width 16' Depth 8' Trim Height n/a Apron Width n/a Apron Depth n/a Wing Stageleft n/a Wing Stageright n/a

Crossover n/a

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Flys n/a Pit n/a Underfloor Plank Surface Finished plank Main Drape None Legs None Borders None Travellers None Scrim None Cyclorama None Dimmers A Strand Environ system with house light dimming only. LX Console Strand Environ Fixtures Room fixtures only Company Switch None House LX As noted Audio Console Integrated - Crestron Mains n/a

Monitors n/a Outboard None Stage Comm n/a Loading Through auditorium at grade Rehearsal Hall None Star Dressing None Chorus Dressing None Green Room None Storage None Amenities Shared amenities with Institute General A nicely furnished lecture theatre but unsuited to performance use.

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Laura C Muir Theatre Venue Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at Douglas College Address 700 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC Telephone 604-527-5400 Fax 604-527-5095 Website douglascollege.ca Admin Contact Admin Telephone 604-527-5362 Admin Email Tech Contact Scott MacDonald Tech Telephone 604-527-5267 Tech Email [email protected] Lobby Notes A shared lobby, gallery and hall space is accessed from the outdoor concourse off Royal Avenue. Lobby Capacity 275 Concession No Service Areas Shared with other College departments Washrooms Shared with College, all to code House General A well-designed, raked auditorium with variable acoustics. Seating Style Continental with aisles Fixed Seats 350 Wheelchairs 4 Stage Type Proscenium/apron Width 72' Depth 27'-8" Trim Height 18' to teaser Apron Width 49'-7" Apron Depth 13'-11" Wing Stage left 12' Wing Stage right 13' Crossover Behind upstage drapery line Flys A 40' grid supporting 16 single-purchase

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counterweight fly lines of which 3 are free Pit No Underfloor Plank Surface Painted Masonite Main Drape Red velour, motorized Legs 3 Borders 2 Travellers 2 Scrim 1 black Cyclorama 1 Dimmers 102 Strand CD80 2.4K with digital control LX Console ETC Expression 72/144 Fixtures A good selection of conventional fixtures, a few automated fixtures. Company Switch None House LX Integrated

Audio Console Mackie 32 channel

Mains Centre, HL and HR speakers Monitors 2 wedges Outboard CD, minidisk, cassette playback, some digital processing Stage Comm Clearcomm Loading Off 7th avenue - at grade Rehearsal Hall Yes, shared Star Dressing 2 Chorus Dressing 2 Green Room Yes Storage Limited Amenities Access to other College facilities and amenities. General Very well maintained and professionally operated theatre.

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Massey Theatre Venue Massey Theatre Address 735 Eighth Avenue, New Westminster, BC Telephone 604-517-5900 Fax 604-517-5901 Website masseytheatre.com Admin Contact Jessica Schneider Admin Telephone local 112 Admin Email [email protected] Tech Contact Don Parman Tech Telephone local 116 Tech Email [email protected] Lobby Notes Entrance on eighth avenue to a spacious, corridor-style lobby - shared with the Plaskett Gallery. Stairs to an upstairs lobby supporting balcony patrons. Lobby Capacity 500 main, 200 balcony Concession Adjacent to Plaskett Gallery Service Areas Washrooms Shared with School facilities House General Well maintained, but generally unimproved audience chamber Seating Style Orchestra with aisles, balcony with aisles Fixed Seats 1260 Wheelchairs 8 Stage Type Proscenium, apron Width 79' -9" Depth 30' usable Trim Height 20' Apron Width 38' Apron Depth 14' at centre Wing Stageleft 24'-6" Wing Stageright 15' Crossover Hard crossover along upstage Flys 47' high unrated wooden grid, 1 deadhung

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electric, 3 electrics on winches, 1 deadhung drape, 3 traveller drapes on winches, all other lines classic hemp and pinrail Pit 38' wide by 14' deep at centre Underfloor Plank Surface Marmoleum Main Drape Red velour, hand operated Legs 1 Borders 3 Travellers 3 Scrim none Cyclorama 1 Dimmers 270 Colourtran series 1 2.4K dimmers wired one circuit per dimmer LX Console ETC Insight 2 Fixtures Approximately 250 conventional fixtures, plus spares and parts, and 2 long-throw followspots Company Switch 400A and 70A House LX Integrated with stage system Audio Console Crest X-8 HS 40-channel Mains Meyer M'elodie line arrays Monitors 4 EV SX300 flown, 8 EV Outboard Cassette, CD, MP3 playback, 2 digital effects units, 8-channel compressor/gate Stage Comm Clearcom, 2 channel to Loading Truck height loading dock with plate. Dock is 26' wide and 19' long, can accommodate 48' truck Rehearsal Hall No Star Dressing 4 - 4 person Chorus Dressing 2 - 8 person Green Room Storage Various storage locations for both transient and permanent storage. Amenities Board room, production offices, meeting

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rooms, classrooms (on request), full service backstage with scene shop, power tools and storage General The Massey is the largest proscenium, full- service, publicly-accessible theatre facility outside of Vancouver It is efficiently governed by the Massey Theatre Society and professionally operated by competent, experienced personnel.

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APPENDIX E - STUDY METHODOLOGY

Research and Information Gathering

Documents: New Westminster Arts Strategy 2008 Art and Culture Policy for the City of New Westminster 1998 Feasibility Analysis for the Proposed Burr Theatre Project 1996, Proscenium Architecture + Interiors Inc. Organizational Development for Raymond Burr Performing Arts Centre Society – Key Arts Associates Ltd (Duncan Low and Marjorie Maclean) Oct. 2003 Exploring the Vision, Theatre in New Westminster, NW Arts Council website Massey Theatre Facility Assessment Study Proscenium Architecture +Interiors Inc 1997 Vagabond Players, History and background paper Justice Institute Booking History Justice Institute web based booking information, mandates and regulations Douglas College Theatre Booking History Douglas College web based booking information, instructions, contracts, mandates Massey Theatre Business Plan Massey Theatre technical specifications Massey Theatre architectural CAD drawings Vancouver Civic Theatres Booking History

Municipal Studies Waterfront Study 1996 New Westminster Strategic Plan 2007 – Draft Official Community Plan 2007 New Westminster Tourism Plan 2007 Livability City Strategy 2008, with staff report Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2008, Draft – PERC 2008 Other confidential City reports and Studies

References: Strategies for Regional Arts and Cultural Development in Greater Vancouver 1999 Creative City Network 2002, Facility Development 101, Sue Harvey,

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A Case for Investing in Arts, Culture and Heritage Infrastructure, 2007, Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts Facility Life Cycle Stages, from Hughes Condon Marler Architects 2004 (Community Recreation Facilities Assessment Study Phase 1) as quoted in Under Construction, Canadian Cultural Infrastructure 2008 Under Construction, Canadian Cultural Infrastructure 2008 - Centre of Excellence, SFU Creative City: Cultural Plan for Vancouver 2008-2018, and Facilities Priorities Plan 2008 - 2023 – City of Vancouver

Interviews with City: Mayor and Council: Mayor Wayne Wright, Councilors: Betty McIntosh, Calvin Donnelley, Bob Osterman, Jonathan Cote, Lorrie Williams, Bill Harper Paul Daminato, City Administrator Beverly Grieve, Manager of Planning Lisa Spitale, Director of Development Services Dean Gibson, Director of Parks and Recreation Joanne Edey-Nicoll, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation School District 40 SD #40 Trustee, James Jansen Doug Hibbins, Project Manager Trillium Dr. John Woudzia, Superintendent Massey Theatre: Eric Pattison, board member and architect Jessica Schneider, Executive Director Don Parman, Technical Director Bernie Legge Theatre: Ken Fynn, President, Vagabond Players Isabel Mendenhall, Past President Laura C Muir Theatre: David Duke, Dean, Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts, Douglas College Angela Hubert, Performing & Creative Arts Events Liaison Officer Scott MacDonald, Technical Director Justice Institute: Richard Epp, Director of Facilities Backroom Theatre: Paul Minhas, Heritage Grill Community Arts Council: Susan Wandell, President Cornerstone Planning Group: Ana Policzer, Senior Associate Brenda Beck, Director of Strategic Planning

Non Profit Arts Organizations in New Westminster Elizabeth Elwood-Vagabond Players John White, NW and District Concert Band & arts education professional, Renee Bucciarrelli- City stage and professional actor/Director/Educator,

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Diane Johnson – Board Member, Royal City Youth Ballet, Col Leslie Dean, Royal Westminster Regiment Volunteer Band, Margaret Watkins, Royal City Musical Theatre Dolores Kirkwood, Royal City Youth Ballet Andrée St Martin, Executive Director, New West Arts Council, Susan Wandell, Pres. New West Arts Council, Heidi Mueller, New West Arts Council, John Davies, New West Symphony, Isabel Mendenhall, Vagabond Players, Nigel and Patricia Brooke, Shadows and Dreams Theatre, Tony Antonias (past director of Burr Theatre) Felicia Costea, Romanian Cultural Society Victor Villamera, Philippine Theatre producer Elizabeth Kozlowsky, Polish Popular Theatre, Polish Fishing and Hunting Club Sum Kamachi, Delboro Social Club Caroline Huebchen, Irish Dancers Victor E. Obosi, African Heritage Society and Afrikadey Festival

Information gathered outside of New Westminster: Andrée Karas, United Players of Vancouver, Jericho Arts Centre Bill Elliott, Theatre BC – Board member of Festival BC Ann Marsh, Theatre BC Marketing and promotion Ian Forsyth, Director of Cultural Affairs, North Vancouver Laura MacMaster, Executive Director, Place des Arts, Coquitlam Margo Gram, Theatre Manager, Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver Rae Ackerman, Manager of Vancouver Civic Theatres Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles, Executive Director, Alliance of Arts & Culture Vancouver Elizabeth Keurvorst, Executive Director, Creative Cities Network of Canadian Municipalities Patrick Montgomery, Executive Director, Evergreen Cultural Centre, Coquitlam Inlet Theatre, Port Moody Shadbolt Arts Centre – James Cowan & Studio Theatres Steven Goodman, Manager District Theatre Technical Operations, Bell Performing Arts Centre, Surrey Barb Wolfe, Performing Arts Coordinator, Surrey Arts Centre, Surrey Cheryl Hutcherson, The Metropolitan Cooperative Theatre Society Robert Hamilton, DWD Technical Consulting Associates Douglas Welch, DWD Technical Consulting Associates

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APPENDIX F - CONTACT INFORMATION

Theatre Websites:

Abbey Arts Centre abbeyarts.com Arts Club Theatre artsclub.com Capital College (University) capcollege.bc.ca/theatre Centennial Theatre centennialtheatre.com Chan Centre chancentre.com Civic Theatre Vancouver city.vancouver.bc.ca/theatres Inlet Theatre cityofthearts.ca Evergreen Cultural Centre evergreenculturalcentre.ca Kay Meek Centre kaymeekcentre.com Massey Theatre masseytheatre.com Michael J. Fox Theatre michaeljfoxtheatre.ca Chief Sepass Theatre sd35.bc.ca/lfa/chief_sepass_theatre.html Terry Fox Theatre terryfoxtheatre.com The ACT theactmapleridge.org

Existing Mid-size Studio Theatre Websites

Harbourfront, Toronto www.harbourfrontcentre.com/whoweare/venuerentals/enwave.cfm

Roundhouse, Vancouver www.roundhouse.ca (virtual tours available)

Festival Place, Sherwood Park www.festivalplace.ab.ca

New Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland www.osfashland.org/plays/theatres/new.aspx

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INDEX

MAPS, CHARTS, ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND TABLES A - Maps Map of New Westminster Theatres ...... 8 Regional Map ...... 7 C - Charts Comparative Regional Theatres Seat Capacity and Booked Days ...... 23 Major BC Theatres sorted by date of opening ...... 19 Massey Theatre Bookings by Clients ...... 16 Massey Theatre Client Bookings by month ...... 50 Michael J. Fox Audience Sources ...... 12 New Westminster Theatre Booked and Committed Blocks Chart ...... 14 Selected Theatre of Surrounding Municipalities ...... 20 I - Illustrations Alley or In the Round Theatre Format ...... 75 Proscenium Theatre format ...... 73 Thrust Theatre Format ...... 74 P - Photographs Bernie Legge Theatre Photos ...... 34 Future SFU experimental Studio Theatre - Digital Rendering ...... 26 Laura C. Muir Theatre Auditorium...... 53 Massey Theatre Auditorium ...... 40 Photo of Lecture Theatre at Justice Instiute ...... 58 Photo Renderings of SFU Dance Arts Studio ...... 18 Photos of Bell Performing Arts Centre and Evergreen Arts Centre ...... 21 Photos of Interior of Evergreen Studio Theatre ...... 76 Surrey Arts Centre Theatre Auditorium ...... 23 T - Tables Studio Theatre Square Footage Estimate ...... 32

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