Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company closing down
Posted March 10, 2012 7:39 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The spotlight is fading after 49 seasons at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company.
It’s being forced to close down because of money troubles.
After an emergency meeting, theatre board chair Jeff Schulz says they couldn’t find anyone to help out with their debt.
It’s been a few tough years.
“We saw our sales go down,” he says. “We were also in a temporary production facility and our new building was delayed because of the economy and the Olympics.”
15 workers and more than 200 annual performers and stagehands are very upset but Schulz says it was their final option.
They had been mulling what to do, even seeking help from the City of Vancouver.
“We’ve approved a 50th season but we had to get through the short term and cover some of that debt and we were just unable to,” he adds.
NDP Arts Critic Spencer Chandra-Herbert feels it’s a sign of the economy and government cuts.
“There are many, many challenges facing arts and culture in BC and as you see the Playhouse has folded because of that,” says Chandra-Herbert, whose first job was at the Playhouse.
Meanwhile, Schulz says unless someone comes forward with hundreds of thousands of dollars, the curtain will close for the final time tomorrow night with the last performance of ‘Hunchback‘.
