Richmond’s Gateway Theatre is the latest local company to reveal its upcoming season. Even before the pandemic, Gateway Theatre was developing plans for a different, and experimental, way of working. This work has helped the 38-year-old organization weather the COVID-19 era of uncertainty and adaptation.
“This adaptive way of working instilled in us the ability to question the status quo, to be open to new ways of doing things, to consider, test, and learn from new ideas, and to explore our way forward. This all stood us in good stead during the pandemic and in the process of rethinking and reimagining our artistic offerings,” says Camilla Tibbs, Executive Director.
Listening to what the community needs, Gateway Theatre has learned it can offer more than just “traditional” theatre while keeping performing arts as its primary means of expression. This weekend, Barbara Tomasic,Director of Artistic Programs and Jasmine Chen, Artistic and Community Producer, announced Gateway Theatre’s artistic offerings for the 2021-2022 season, and its 2021-2022 Company in Residence.
“We’re thrilled to be reconnecting with our audiences through the joy of live performing arts. We look forward to sharing in a sense of wonder and reuniting with our community with this season’s artistic offerings,” says Gateway’s artistic leadership team, Barbara and Jasmine.
Gateway Theatre’s season will start off with a live, family-friendly free community event Hallows’ Eve Pop-up Theatre the end of October. In December, Gateway will welcome back its first in-person, indoor audiences since February 2020 with A Broadway Holiday, a concert featuring everyone’s favourite festive show tunes. To ring in the Lunar New Year in February, Lantern Festival lights up Gateway’s Studio B with an immersive experience following the Chinese traditional tale of Nian. Marchwill bring one-person powerhouse, JD Derbyshire, in the award-wining hit show, Certified. The artistic offering scheduled for April 2022 will be announced at a later date.
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Gateway Academy, a performing arts program that shapes future community leaders and encourages students to find their own unique voices and value their individual qualities.
It was also announced that New(to)Town Collective would be Gateway Theatre’s 2021-2022 Company in Residence. The Residency will support New(to)Town’s continued exploration of pedagogy, physical theatre, and accessibility in theatre training. In addition, Gateway Theatre will be supporting the development of New(to)Town member Davey Calderon’s Big Queer Filipino Karaoke Night.
The Gateway Theatre 2021-2022 Season includes
To keep all patrons, staff, artists, and the community safe, all of Gateway Theatre’s artistic offerings will be adhering to the most current provincial health guidelines and orders.
Hallows’ Eve Pop-up Theatre
-October 23 & 24, 2021 at Gulf of Georgia Cannery
-October 30 & 31, 2021 at Aberdeen Centre
Artwork by Keely O’Brien, Story & Characters by Jasmine Chen
A free family-friendly community event based on last year’s Hallows’ Eve Paper Theatre Kit, in a life-size version
A Broadway Holiday
-December 16 – 23, 2021Created by Christopher King and Barbara Tomasic
Directed by Barbara Tomasic
Musically Directed by Jenny Anderson
A festive concert features Broadway hits such as “Meet Me in St. Louis”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and many other favourites, performed for a live audience in the MainStage with a digital stream available.
Lantern Festival
-February 2022
Created by Stephanie Wong and Marina Szijarto
An immersive walk-through experience, in Studio B, celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year with bright lights, exciting sounds, and vibrant colours to ward off the ferocious monster, Nian.
Certified
-March 8 – 20, 2022
Written and performed by JD Derbyshire
Directed by Roy Surette
Comedian and certified insane person JD Derbyshire performs for a live audience in Studio B in this memoir-play trying to break the stigma around mental health.
For more details on each performance, ticket sales, and updates on further spring artistic offerings visit gatewaytheatre.com