Metro's First Season

According to Vancouver's Sun Newspaper in 1964, Metro's first season was a smash hit.

In that first 1963-1964 season, Metro was operating from a small Kitsilano Theatre at 4th and Arbutus.

The season opened with a Vancouver Little Theatre production of "The Hollow" by Agatha Christie, and then followed with no less than 16 further productions including "Our Town", "The Glass Menagerie", "Picnic" and "The Chiltern Hundreds". Joan Eastveld, who appeared in "The Hollow", remembers that premiere show being well received. "I think it helped give some impetus to the whole idea of Metro," she said. As Vancouver Little Theatre's representative on Metro's original Board of Directors, Joan recognized the potential of Metro and later went on to appear in more Metro productions than any single actor to date, her credits including "Little Boxes", "The Woman in a Dressing Gown", "Move Over Mrs. Markham", "Lloyd George Knew My Father" and "Ghost on Tiptoe".

The eleven companies that combined to present Metro's inaugural season were Vancouver Little Theatre Guild, Richmond Community Players, Emerald Players, John Howard Players, Gastown Players, and La Troupe Moliere. Altogether, some 216 actors and 209 production personnel were involved in mounting the varied fare that season, and more than 25,000 paying customers - 52 percent capacity - came through the doors. By the end of the season, the Society's membership stood at 864.

Metro's Board of Directors that year was headed by the late Laurence S. Drummond, supported by an executive comprising of Reginald Atherton, Gordon K. Allan (later to become Metro's second President), Roger Bain, Richard Tipple and Ruth Cunningham, who subsequently served as production director for five years.

Founding Personalities

Among the founder members of the Society were Esmond Lando, Helen Chandler, Mrs. Jean Southam, Frank McMahon, Walter Koerner, Mr. and Mrs. VanDusen, Mrs. H. MacMillan and Don Pool, who was to serve as Metro's third President for seven years, and group organizational members such as the City of Vancouver, MacMillan Bloedel, B.C. Tel and The Vancouver Sun.

On staff for Metro's first year of operation were Lloyd Berry, production coordinator, actor/director; Sam Payne, production advisor; Charles Defieux, production advisor; and Gordon Smith, house manager. The list of stage directors included John Parker, Franklin Johnson, Anthony Holland (later to become Langara's Studio 58 program director), Laurie Lynds and Dorothy Goldrick, offering some indication of the experience and know-how that undoubtedly contributed to performance and production qualities that first season.

In the Society's annual report covering that 1963-64 season, president Drummond commented: "It is interesting to note that the best productions were given by groups who recognized the challenge offered by this new concept and, accordingly, they contributed that extra effort so necessary if high standards are to be reached and maintained. However, with all the groups the underlying theory of the Metro concept was evident in the spirit of co-operation that was exhibited while at the same time retaining competitiveness in artistic productions. This spirit bodes well for the future success of the venture in presenting a sophisticated membership higher quality and more attractive productions."

The need to work steadily to improve performance and production standards, then, was uppermost in the collective mind of Metro's executive from day one of operation and, throughout the years, strenuous efforts have been made to keep that approach as a guiding principle of the Society.

The plans to convert the old Marpole movie theatre on S.W. Marine Drive into permanent premises for the Society had been in the making before the start-up of operations in Kitsilano. In fact, the original intention was to have the South Vancouver location ready for the first season. However, City building codes required more elaborate renovation than originally anticipated, with the additional funds required still needing to be found.

With Donald Cromie heading the fund-raising committee, which included J.V. Clyne, Metro went to work to garner the monies needed to open the second season in Marpole. Support in print from 'The Sun's' Jack Richards and 'The Province's' Mike Tytherleigh helped keep the campaign before the public.

In addition to the City's contribution, the Koerner Foundation provided a grant and, together with encouraging support from individuals and groups across the city, the campaign succeeded, and Metro's move to it's present premises became a reality in September, 1964.

Glittering Opening Night Gala

After an Open House and a glittering, evening-dress-only opening night gala, the first show in the new theatre was a White Rock Players' production of 'Dark of the Moon', with Franklin Johnson and Barbara Carlin in major roles. James Barber of 'The Province' wrote of 'Dark of the Moon': A good play well executed, and one that sets a standard for Metro that is worthy of their investment. Amateur theatre seems to have come into its own at last.

Other productions that 1964-65 season included 'The Wise Have Not Spoken' by the Emerald Players, 'Blythe Spirit' by Richmond Community Players, 'Twilight Walk' by Burnaby Players and 'The Mikado' by the Greater Vancouver Concert Society.

Challenges Met - Problems Overcome

Along with the euphoria of working in a well-equipped and now a permanent space came the inevitable challenges that new groups face, having to do mainly with overall production standards, along with some scheduling issues. Some of the member theatre groups were not as organizationally sound as others and could not always deliver a production as originally scheduled.

President Drummond had noted that there was too wide a range in quality of productions at the completion of the first season and this problem was to continue throughout the next. There were also some very valid concerns amongst the member groups about the advantages or disadvantages of the cooperative arrangement. As Jack Richards commented in his Lively Arts column in 'The Sun': "Many members in all the clubs fear attendance at Metro may seriously affect attendance in local club productions." This was a very valid concern since the arrangement in place during the first two seasons was for member groups to present their shows locally before transferring them to Metro as part of its regular season. The logistics of moving shows from another location to Metro presented problems of a financial nature as well as a design nature (designing a set to fit in two different venues). But the main concern from Metro's perspective was to close that quality gap from one production to another. If Metro was to attract season ticket holders and expect the walk-in business to grow through word-of-mouth, performance and production standards would have to be kept evenly high from production to production.

Metro had never been one to avoid a challenge, so after much soul searching, during the third season the Society took a course of action that has been maintained to the present day: that is, to become a theatrical production house that mounted it's own season of shows, thereby keeping artistic and technical control over all shows presented on Metro's stage (except, of course, shows brought in on a rental basis). Once this policy was established, Metro was off and flying!

The cream of the crop of non-professional performers and production personnel started to come Metro's way, with the effect of raising the theatre's standards, in most instances, to a higher level than usually seen in community theatre. Though no concerted attempt was made to actually create such a trend, this influx of talent at Metro was to be expected. Actors by nature are "gypsies," moving around from company to company in an attempt to work at the best levels possible and to develop individually as performers. Though some would have you think otherwise, there are a number of non-professional actors, directors, stage management, crew, and theatre administrators who are serious about theatre and who work hard to improve their abilities even if, for various reasons, they are unable to pursue a professional career.

The word amateur" means "for the love of" and there is no doubt that Metro Theatre, to this day, is successful because the people involved truly love the theatre and and offer their talents "for the love of" theatre.

Quality Directors

Directors also draw actors, and that first season as a production company, Metro brought in quality directors such as Sam Payne, Otto Lowy and Tom Kerr, all of whom made their mark in professional theatre locally and across the country. Tom Kerr, for instance, went on to be the artistic director for the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "The quality of directors was especially important to us in trying to improve standards and keep them at a high level," said Ruth Cunningham who, along with Desmond McManus and Harry Tindall, served on Metro's production committee during the mid- and late sixties. It was this committee's responsibility -- and a vital and all-embracing one it was -- to select the stage fare and overlook every aspect of production. Ruth, who was the Society's first general secretary and had worked in the early days at Kitsilano, eventually took over on a full-time basis as Metro's production director in January 1969, a function she fulfilled until mid-1974. Ruth had one main goal in mind: to serve audiences best by providing the very best theatre possible. "That's what you must always be working to do in this business," she said."All the other reasons for doing theatre, from an individual or collective standpoint, are secondary to that."

Growing Years

The early seventies were "growing" years for Metro as the development of local professional theatre grew apace. Braced by an annual provincial grant, Metro was able to compete reasonably well with the growing list of companies vying for the theatregoers' dollar. To some extent, this was achieved by using a mix of professional actors and the better non-professional performers, as well as well-qualified directorial and design personnel. It was a policy that served a useful purpose so far as the local theatre community in general was concerned, helping build an audience for live theatre that was of benefit to all companies. It served actors well, too. Professionals gained opportunities to perform roles that would not otherwise have been available to them, as well as offering some initial directorial experience.

Actors of the calibre of Robert Clothier (Relic on CBC-TV's 'Beachcomber' series), Graham Campbell (a long-time Stratford Festival company member), Owen Foran (The Shaw Festival), Ted Greenhaigh (at The Citadel in Edmonton) and Anthony Holland were among several Equity members who appeared in Metro productions over this period, and non-professional actors gained valuable experience in working alongside them.

Metro also gained a reputation for developing young talent, and professional performers such as Ruth Nichol, Brent Carver, Brenda Robins, Michael Fawkes, Anthony Bekenn and Duncan Regehr gained early onstage experience at Metro before moving on to theatre schools and major theatres across the country and abroad. If Regehr's name isn't familiar, he went on to play the title role in the CBS-TV special, 'My Wicked, Wicked Ways: the legend of Errol Flynn' which aired in January 1985. Young technical talent such as Jeffrey Dallas, Les Erskine and Rob Moser learned and honed their skills at Metro, and now earn their living in theatre, film and television. In many ways, then, Metro had become a cultural landmark as predicted in the 1963 'Sun' editorial.

The Shows Keep Going On

Memories of Metro are legion, of course, and there isn't space here even to attempt to record them. Suffice it to say, there isn't much that hasn't happened onstage and elsewhere at Metro since 1963/64.

Many incidents are much more amusing in retrospect than they were at the time, causing some hectic, hair-pulling moments for those involved. Nevertheless, in the age-old theatre tradition, the show went on. And season after season, the shows have kept going on.

Opinions are many and varied as to what role Metro fulfills in the local theatrical community at large. It is not a new question by any means. For many years Metro Boards have grappled with it, trying to define and express in action a special function and place for the theatre, caught as it is in a no-man's land of sorts between professional companies and marginal amateur organizations.

One thing is certain though, Metro has made a definite contribution to the local theatre scene, both in terms of audience development and in nurturing new talent. And whether or not its role can ever be defined in a definitive way, Metro has established a special place of its own. One suspects that that special place exists, not so much on paper as a tenet of some kind, but in the minds and hearts of people who frequent Metro, either to work or to sit back and enjoy.

In short, Metro is still in business today because it has continued to heed Samuel Johnson's words: 'For we that live to please, must please to live.'