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Langham Court Theatre article
(The following is an article I wrote on behalf of my neighbourhood association's newsletter; it was actually supposed to be a shortish piece about the Theatre's renovation project. But I ended up adding a historical background, which turned it into a feature for The Moss Rock Review [May 2006], a local magazine that the Rockland Neighbourhood Association briefly affiliated with via the Fairfield Community Association. For the article, I interviewed two people from the Theatre who were both very generous with their time. I'd like to keep the article accessible, hence am posting it here.)
Langham Court Theatre Completes Extensive Renovations
By Yule Heibel
It was a dark and stormy night...
Well, it was dark but hardly stormy when I visited Langham Court Theatre last October. I met Mike Chadwick, chair of the Renovation Committee, for a sneak preview of the summer-long renovation work going on behind the scenes. As we entered the theatre, it was clear there was high drama afoot, as rehearsing actors and renovation crews worked side by side with focussed determination, readying for another triumph. The former rehearsed "You'll Get Used To It"; the latter were literally nailing down the final skirmish of a months-long campaign designed to give Langham Court Theatre a structure to be proud of.
While audiences won't notice much of a change in the stage and seating area of the theatre, chances are they'll be pleasantly surprised during intermission when they go for refreshment in the newly renovated lounge. Mid-October, the drywall was up and all the plumbing roughed in. It was after 8 pm, but workers were pulling out all the stops to get the project completed in time for the October 26 Renovation Celebration. When finished, the space will sport a new bar, plus new kitchen and storage area. There's still plenty of wall space for art exhibits, and during warmer months audiences will enjoy the outdoor patio. What's not visible is noteworthy, too: a back wall made of cinder block and wall supports of undersized beams were completely rebuilt, bringing the building in line with modern safety codes.
Upstairs, Downstairs
Let's explore behind the scenes... First, up the stairs behind the lounge, there is now a huge loft where costumes hang in double rows running the full length of the new space. Everything is finally in one place, and visible. This new second storey also provided one of those renovation "uh-oh" moments when crews uncovered the inadequate structural supports in the ground floor structure, which were then rebuilt. But the biggest action occured below stairs, where crawlspaces morphed into full height basements. Dump trucks carried away nearly 60 loads of excavated material. The trickiest part of excavating under an existing structure is in making sure it doesn't collapse into the hole you're digging. Crews used small, bobcat-style excavators that could work around the supports that constantly had to be rigged in place as digging proceeded further along. The end result is perfect: a high-ceiling basement that has a place for everything, a working theatre's dream:
Who ever said that theatre people aren't practical?
What did all this cost, and who was in charge? The renovation budget came to over $510,000. Joint Federal and Provincial grants contributed $310,000, and another $44,420 came from provincial gaming revenue grants. The rest came from Langham Court Theatre's own kitty, which for over a decade those clever actors had nurtured along in preparation of this renovation.
Hoping for some juicy story, I prodded Mike Chadwick: Any renovation horror stories, anything really gothic? Nope, in fact, things went extraordinarily well -- and how unusual is that for a renovation? Much of the credit is due to their general contractor, Paul Terry, a fellow dedicated thespian, who knew from experience how the design of the new spaces had to flow to ensure that they would function properly for the actors and crew working backstage. Having a fellow actor in charge made the whole project come together in just the right way -- and, Mike added, Paul Terry is a top-notch contractor, to boot. The theatre now has 1500 additional square feet of first-rate space that will serve community theatre for decades.
Behind the history scenes
For a vivid account of the Theatre’s history, the person to consult is John Gilliland, whose knowledge is truly daunting. His written accounts include a guide, “Suggested Answers to Frequently-Asked Questions for The Langham Court Open House”; a Tour Guide that includes a detailed history of the structure; and “The History of Langham Court Theatre and the Victoria Theatre Guild,” published for the Theatre’s 75th birthday gala on September 18, 2004. As the gala’s date suggests, the Theatre’s beginnings go back to 1929. The Mimes’ and Masquers’ Guild, founded by five theatre enthusiasts in September 1929, staged its first performance at the Crystal Garden Theatre in early 1930. Since many of the members were teachers, a nickname quickly attached to them, “The Marms and Masters Guild,” which prompted the evasive maneuvre of a name-change in 1931 to The Victoria Little Theatre Association.
Listening to John Gilliland, one realises that many of the people who figure in the Theatre’s history are worthy of historical inquiry in their own right. How many people know, for example, of the colourful life of Countess Laura de Gozdawa Turczynowicz? Born Laura Blackwell in St. Catharines, Ontario ca. 1877, she went to Europe (mainly Munich and Bayreuth) to sing opera. There she married a Polish nobleman and lived with him on his estate in Suwalki, Poland – in time to witness the invasion of the German army during World War I. By 1916 she published a book, When the Prussians Came to Poland; The Experiences of an American Woman during the German Invasion (New York, 1916), intended simultaneously as testimonial (for Poland), indictment (against Germany), and plea (for American help for Poland). Here Turczynowicz writes that she is “a New York girl,” and her husband a “gallant Pole now serving humanity with the Russian Army as inspector-in-chief of the Sanitary Engineers.” By the late 1920s, however, she is back in her native Ontario, where, prompted by the need to make a living, she seemingly single-handedly founded a Conservatory Opera Society described by the Canadian Encyclopedia as eventually affiliated with the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music). Then, like a female incarnation of another exotically named Vancouver Island serial social entrepreneur, Amor de Cosmos, she came to Victoria in 1930 to found The Victoria Operatic Society (not related to the present society of that name).
According to John Gilliland’s History, Turczynowicz “quickly became aware of the Langham Court auditorium and used it as a rehearsal hall to produce five successful operas at the Royal Theatre with amateur talent during 1931 and early 1932.” By June 1932, she had leased the property and headquartered her society here. There happened to be a considerable overlap in membership between The Victoria Little Theatre Association and The Victoria Operatic Society, with performers active in both groups. Instrumental in their eventual union in 1935 was Victoria lawyer and Operatic Society president Harry Davis, who had joined the Little Theatre in 1933 or ’34. The Society performed its last show in November 1934, but was in short order given a new lease on life as The Victoria Philharmonic Society. A union between the Little Theatre and the Philharmonic Society (reborn in 1935 as The Civic Opera) was then actively encouraged by Davis, who suggested that they jointly take over the lease of the carriage house (present-day Langham Court Theatre). With no little amount of wheeling and dealing, which involved leases, loans, and mortgage defaults, as well as three additional years, The Little Theatre was in 1938 in possession of what we now know as Langham Court Theatre – a building that as late as 1937 still didn’t have toilets or running water.
As the most recent renovation attests, the amenities have certainly changed since then, but what hasn’t changed is the Theatre’s ability to attract and focus the activities of colourful, talented and determined personalities. Not surprisingly, repertoire choices have led to occasional fireworks, sometimes with audience participation. Many of its long-standing patrons don’t mind letting the Theatre know that plays can’t be too racy or contain foul language: anything stronger than a muttered “damn!” is likely to provoke letters. At the same time, the Theatre has had to reinvent itself with fresh material, fed to it by the determined participants who make sure that the show goes on. In the late 1970s, for example, writer, actor, and musician Hetty Clews ensured that the Theatre’s bylaws were rewritten to give full board member rights to youth. Without those changes, Sara Topham (now at the Stratford Festival in Ontario) might not have been a 14-year old teen board member in the mid-90s. Judy Treloar might not have directed “The Killing of Sister George” in 1978. Local writer Joan Austen-Leigh (cofounder of the Jane Austen Society of North America) might not have seen her prize-winning play, “Women’s Work” (written under her married name, Joan Mason-Hurley), produced at Langham Court Theatre. The tradition continues with the inclusion of current vice-president Wendy Magahay’s work in a Canadian textbook anthology, The Act of Writing (also featuring Margaret Atwood, Carol Shields, and David Suzuki, among others).
Does the reader detect bias in my focus on the talented women in the Theatre’s history, past and present? Perhaps the Countess’s ghost influenced my choices – but rest assured, the menfolk are equally talented. One hopes that Mr. Gilliland’s excellent histories will be posted on the Theatre’s website, or published in a longer account as a book.
If you haven't gone to Langham Court Theatre recently, catch their last play of this season, “Maggie’s Getting Married,” June 8-24 (directed by Judy Treloar). Or consider an upcoming season subscription. You'll participate in a lively community theatre enterprise: Langham Court Theatre has an annual seating capacity of 15,000. Around 200 people are involved in its shows. For every show, a set number of tickets is donated to local charities, who then resell the tickets to raise money for their own projects. It's a thriving theatre ready to welcome audiences for years to come. It's also aware that its kitty now needs refueling from the fount of milk known as human philanthropy -- donations are more than welcome.
Langham Court Theatre, 805 Langham Court Victoria, BC V8V 4J3. Tel.: 384-2142. Website: http://langhamcourttheatre.bc.ca/
At Left:
Cover of the 1964-65 season program booklet, illustrated with an original sketch of the Theatre by Winifred Lugrin Fahey, soprano and composer (the light opera Bride Ship, based on the historical arrival of ships bringing young women to the colony of Fort Victoria in the 1860s). Collection: Langham Court Theatre
Langham Court Theatre Completes Extensive Renovations
By Yule Heibel
It was a dark and stormy night...
Well, it was dark but hardly stormy when I visited Langham Court Theatre last October. I met Mike Chadwick, chair of the Renovation Committee, for a sneak preview of the summer-long renovation work going on behind the scenes. As we entered the theatre, it was clear there was high drama afoot, as rehearsing actors and renovation crews worked side by side with focussed determination, readying for another triumph. The former rehearsed "You'll Get Used To It"; the latter were literally nailing down the final skirmish of a months-long campaign designed to give Langham Court Theatre a structure to be proud of.
While audiences won't notice much of a change in the stage and seating area of the theatre, chances are they'll be pleasantly surprised during intermission when they go for refreshment in the newly renovated lounge. Mid-October, the drywall was up and all the plumbing roughed in. It was after 8 pm, but workers were pulling out all the stops to get the project completed in time for the October 26 Renovation Celebration. When finished, the space will sport a new bar, plus new kitchen and storage area. There's still plenty of wall space for art exhibits, and during warmer months audiences will enjoy the outdoor patio. What's not visible is noteworthy, too: a back wall made of cinder block and wall supports of undersized beams were completely rebuilt, bringing the building in line with modern safety codes.
Upstairs, Downstairs
Let's explore behind the scenes... First, up the stairs behind the lounge, there is now a huge loft where costumes hang in double rows running the full length of the new space. Everything is finally in one place, and visible. This new second storey also provided one of those renovation "uh-oh" moments when crews uncovered the inadequate structural supports in the ground floor structure, which were then rebuilt. But the biggest action occured below stairs, where crawlspaces morphed into full height basements. Dump trucks carried away nearly 60 loads of excavated material. The trickiest part of excavating under an existing structure is in making sure it doesn't collapse into the hole you're digging. Crews used small, bobcat-style excavators that could work around the supports that constantly had to be rigged in place as digging proceeded further along. The end result is perfect: a high-ceiling basement that has a place for everything, a working theatre's dream:
- A new rehearsal space. Since current productions use the stage, new productions must be rehearsed elsewhere. Directors, who spend between 6 to 10 weeks rehearsing the cast, typically had only 3 weeks to rehearse on-site, given the limited time between plays. Before renovating, the cast went off-site to rehearse, but now everyone can be in one place, in the theatre building.
- Well-designed dressing rooms, with nearby bathrooms.
- A "green room" where actors can gather while they wait to go on stage.
- Great access to the stage and other working areas.
- Proper archive storage. John Gilliland is the Theatre’s archivist, and by default his house became the designated storage depot. He can now reclaim significant square footage.
- A space for props.
- A space for carpentry and sewing workshops ...to create more props and costumes.
- Removal of an oil-fired furnace, thanks to a very up-to-date electrical system. The theatre had a heat pump system for years, but because of the old wiring system's baroque (if not broke) idiosyncracies, it only worked for part of the building. It couldn't be used throughout, and the oil furnace was kept as backup. Now, with new 600 amp service, the heat pump can do what it was meant to do, while the oil tank and furnace exit, stage right, taking their space-gobbling ductwork with them.
Who ever said that theatre people aren't practical?
What did all this cost, and who was in charge? The renovation budget came to over $510,000. Joint Federal and Provincial grants contributed $310,000, and another $44,420 came from provincial gaming revenue grants. The rest came from Langham Court Theatre's own kitty, which for over a decade those clever actors had nurtured along in preparation of this renovation.
Hoping for some juicy story, I prodded Mike Chadwick: Any renovation horror stories, anything really gothic? Nope, in fact, things went extraordinarily well -- and how unusual is that for a renovation? Much of the credit is due to their general contractor, Paul Terry, a fellow dedicated thespian, who knew from experience how the design of the new spaces had to flow to ensure that they would function properly for the actors and crew working backstage. Having a fellow actor in charge made the whole project come together in just the right way -- and, Mike added, Paul Terry is a top-notch contractor, to boot. The theatre now has 1500 additional square feet of first-rate space that will serve community theatre for decades.
Behind the history scenes
For a vivid account of the Theatre’s history, the person to consult is John Gilliland, whose knowledge is truly daunting. His written accounts include a guide, “Suggested Answers to Frequently-Asked Questions for The Langham Court Open House”; a Tour Guide that includes a detailed history of the structure; and “The History of Langham Court Theatre and the Victoria Theatre Guild,” published for the Theatre’s 75th birthday gala on September 18, 2004. As the gala’s date suggests, the Theatre’s beginnings go back to 1929. The Mimes’ and Masquers’ Guild, founded by five theatre enthusiasts in September 1929, staged its first performance at the Crystal Garden Theatre in early 1930. Since many of the members were teachers, a nickname quickly attached to them, “The Marms and Masters Guild,” which prompted the evasive maneuvre of a name-change in 1931 to The Victoria Little Theatre Association.
Listening to John Gilliland, one realises that many of the people who figure in the Theatre’s history are worthy of historical inquiry in their own right. How many people know, for example, of the colourful life of Countess Laura de Gozdawa Turczynowicz? Born Laura Blackwell in St. Catharines, Ontario ca. 1877, she went to Europe (mainly Munich and Bayreuth) to sing opera. There she married a Polish nobleman and lived with him on his estate in Suwalki, Poland – in time to witness the invasion of the German army during World War I. By 1916 she published a book, When the Prussians Came to Poland; The Experiences of an American Woman during the German Invasion (New York, 1916), intended simultaneously as testimonial (for Poland), indictment (against Germany), and plea (for American help for Poland). Here Turczynowicz writes that she is “a New York girl,” and her husband a “gallant Pole now serving humanity with the Russian Army as inspector-in-chief of the Sanitary Engineers.” By the late 1920s, however, she is back in her native Ontario, where, prompted by the need to make a living, she seemingly single-handedly founded a Conservatory Opera Society described by the Canadian Encyclopedia as eventually affiliated with the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the Royal Conservatory of Music). Then, like a female incarnation of another exotically named Vancouver Island serial social entrepreneur, Amor de Cosmos, she came to Victoria in 1930 to found The Victoria Operatic Society (not related to the present society of that name).
According to John Gilliland’s History, Turczynowicz “quickly became aware of the Langham Court auditorium and used it as a rehearsal hall to produce five successful operas at the Royal Theatre with amateur talent during 1931 and early 1932.” By June 1932, she had leased the property and headquartered her society here. There happened to be a considerable overlap in membership between The Victoria Little Theatre Association and The Victoria Operatic Society, with performers active in both groups. Instrumental in their eventual union in 1935 was Victoria lawyer and Operatic Society president Harry Davis, who had joined the Little Theatre in 1933 or ’34. The Society performed its last show in November 1934, but was in short order given a new lease on life as The Victoria Philharmonic Society. A union between the Little Theatre and the Philharmonic Society (reborn in 1935 as The Civic Opera) was then actively encouraged by Davis, who suggested that they jointly take over the lease of the carriage house (present-day Langham Court Theatre). With no little amount of wheeling and dealing, which involved leases, loans, and mortgage defaults, as well as three additional years, The Little Theatre was in 1938 in possession of what we now know as Langham Court Theatre – a building that as late as 1937 still didn’t have toilets or running water.
As the most recent renovation attests, the amenities have certainly changed since then, but what hasn’t changed is the Theatre’s ability to attract and focus the activities of colourful, talented and determined personalities. Not surprisingly, repertoire choices have led to occasional fireworks, sometimes with audience participation. Many of its long-standing patrons don’t mind letting the Theatre know that plays can’t be too racy or contain foul language: anything stronger than a muttered “damn!” is likely to provoke letters. At the same time, the Theatre has had to reinvent itself with fresh material, fed to it by the determined participants who make sure that the show goes on. In the late 1970s, for example, writer, actor, and musician Hetty Clews ensured that the Theatre’s bylaws were rewritten to give full board member rights to youth. Without those changes, Sara Topham (now at the Stratford Festival in Ontario) might not have been a 14-year old teen board member in the mid-90s. Judy Treloar might not have directed “The Killing of Sister George” in 1978. Local writer Joan Austen-Leigh (cofounder of the Jane Austen Society of North America) might not have seen her prize-winning play, “Women’s Work” (written under her married name, Joan Mason-Hurley), produced at Langham Court Theatre. The tradition continues with the inclusion of current vice-president Wendy Magahay’s work in a Canadian textbook anthology, The Act of Writing (also featuring Margaret Atwood, Carol Shields, and David Suzuki, among others).
Does the reader detect bias in my focus on the talented women in the Theatre’s history, past and present? Perhaps the Countess’s ghost influenced my choices – but rest assured, the menfolk are equally talented. One hopes that Mr. Gilliland’s excellent histories will be posted on the Theatre’s website, or published in a longer account as a book.
If you haven't gone to Langham Court Theatre recently, catch their last play of this season, “Maggie’s Getting Married,” June 8-24 (directed by Judy Treloar). Or consider an upcoming season subscription. You'll participate in a lively community theatre enterprise: Langham Court Theatre has an annual seating capacity of 15,000. Around 200 people are involved in its shows. For every show, a set number of tickets is donated to local charities, who then resell the tickets to raise money for their own projects. It's a thriving theatre ready to welcome audiences for years to come. It's also aware that its kitty now needs refueling from the fount of milk known as human philanthropy -- donations are more than welcome.
Langham Court Theatre, 805 Langham Court Victoria, BC V8V 4J3. Tel.: 384-2142. Website: http://langhamcourttheatre.bc.ca/
At Left:
Cover of the 1964-65 season program booklet, illustrated with an original sketch of the Theatre by Winifred Lugrin Fahey, soprano and composer (the light opera Bride Ship, based on the historical arrival of ships bringing young women to the colony of Fort Victoria in the 1860s). Collection: Langham Court Theatre
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Watch
Great article. I saw "Visiting Mr. Green" there a couple of years ago. Nice to know the renovations will ensure the viability of the theatre long into the future. It seems such a beloved and accepted part of the neighbourhood but I can imagine the uproar if it had never existed but was proposed today. The area residents would be up in arms. "A theatre! In our residential neighbourhood! Think of the parking! The crowds! The noise! The kittens! Nevah!!!"
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