Culture and Whistler, most people would regard that as an oxymoron. After all this is just a resort town, but it is also a community with close to 10,000 year-round residents, and as such people with families and roots in the community.
That¹s a lot of people who quite possibly are looking for more than a round of bar hoping to pass the long winter nights. Of course there are
refreshments of a more horizontal nature, plus the old standby of curling up in front of the fire with a good book, or as is more often the case these
days, in front of the TV with the latest video release.
But in the interests of bringing more diverse entertainment to this idyllic mountain burg, and to hopefully help avoid the incipient onslaught of cabin
fever, a few passionate individuals have managed to cultivate the seeds of a local performing arts community.
And as much as I would enjoy writing headlines like, ³Crazed Australian decapitates roommates with snowboard,² I applaud them for their tireless
efforts, for which they ask nothing in return, except for possibly your applause.
To understand where the performing arts in Whistler originated, we have to go back to the start of that crazy mixed up decade that has come to be known
as The ¹90s.
In November 1991 a small acting troupe ? The Whistler Players, first formed in 1989 ? put on a production of the Wizard of Oz at the Whistler Conference
Centre. Featuring a cast of over 40 it was the then high point of live theatre in Whistler. From there they mounted over a dozen productions in the
next six years. None were of the scope of The Wizard of Oz, but by 1997 The Whistler Players had a cast of about 50 regulars to call on.
Unfortunately they had no real venue and had to rely on the availability of high school gyms or hotel ballrooms in lieu of theatre space. In fact, some
of their most popular plays were Monty Python, Fawlty Towers or their own Chairlift Revue sketches performed in local bars.
Lack of real theatre space and the inevitable intrusion of families and careers led to the dissolution of the troupe in 1997.
Now, with the completion of Maurice Young Millennium Place earlier this year, Linda Marshall ? one of the founding members of the theatre group,
along with Lauren Kyle Boyle ? has brought them back to life.
³We¹ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for a theatre,² she says. ³Now that we have Millennium Place we can go back to doing two productions a
year.²
Linda, a wedding and corporate events planner, worked with the Victoria Operatic Society before coming to Whistler in 1985. She says she loves the
energy of the theatre, ³but more than that, I love putting a project together.²
She remembers her past successes with the group and the awards they won through Theatre B.C. competitions in Vancouver and Victoria.
³We had a really tight group of teens, who are living all over the world now. Some of them are still acting.²
She is optimistic about the future of theatre in Whistler, and as always prefers to be the person behind the curtain, rather than on stage. She has a
practical streak despite her theatrical aspirations.
³We have to pay a fee for the use of (Millennium Place), so the group has to be viable. We¹re not going to do anything experimental. We plan on doing
plays that have a certain mass appeal.² She points out that there is not a lot of family entertainment in Whistler
and hopes in the future to do a Disney musical, mentioning: ³We have a couple of really talented soloists.²
When The Whistler Players re-formed this past summer in anticipation of performing a pantomime version of Cinderella, which had four highly
successful performances earlier this month, about 15 of the original members showed up for the auditions. Not bad considering Whistler¹s transitory
population. Among the group was Michele Bush, who came on as director of the play.
Michele, unlike Linda, has always loved acting. She had acted in school plays and shortly after arriving in Whistler in 1991 she learned of the
Whistler Players. She jumped at the chance to be on stage again.
³I joined them for the first Monty Python and Fawlty Towers sketches, plus I did an original sketch called Communication Problems,² she says.
She remembers that in the beginning it was easier for the Players.
³The big hotels had a lot of unbooked hotel rooms, so they had to put someone in there. Of course once they got busy we went to the end of the
line.²
Since 1997 Michele has done murder mysteries for corporate clients, as well as her own interactive comedy play, Maxine and Blair¹s High School Reunion,
which is along the lines of Tony and Tina¹s Wedding. She has also performed the play in local bars and restaurants. You may also have encountered her on
Whistler¹s cobblestone streets in the summer, where she acts as The Fashion Police. She is still enjoying the success of Cinderella, which played to two
sold out performances at Millennium Place.
³I¹m really jazzed with the audience response,² she says enthusiastically. ²The media have been calling non-stop since opening night,² she jokes.
Bush admits it was a long three months of auditions and rehearsals leading up to the performances.
³Once you¹ve heard every line a thousand times nobody laughs anymore, so you really wonder if you¹re funny at all and start to question what you¹re
doing.²
After nearly 10 (sometimes frustrating) years in Whistler theatre Michele is still surprised by the commitment people are willing to make.
³There¹s a real mix of pros and non pros. Some have theatre training and years of experience, and for others it¹s their first time ever on stage.²
She was pleased to find that 15 of the original players are still in the valley, and she hopes to rebuild the troupe now that they have an actual
theatre.
But Millennium Place has its draw backs. The theatre was built mostly with live music in mind and it has no real dressing rooms or wings. As well, a
theatre group needs to rehearse for months and The Whistler Players simply cannot afford to pay to use the theatre for rehearsals; nor can Millennium
Place afford to donate the space. The Westin hotel donated the use of a ballroom for rehearsals, but of course that is space The Whistler Players
cannot always rely on in the future.
Still Michele is undeterred and expects ? like Linda ? that they will continue to put on productions.
³As long as it¹s nothing too elaborate. I basically do comedy and I¹m not really interested in doing anything else.²
That would include musicals, but she does express interest in doing Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is currently being considered by Between Shifts,
a Squamish acting troupe headed by Cathy Daniels, who was co-director of Cinderella.
One of the major hurdles facing The Whistler Players, or any other arts group in Whistler for that matter, is co-ordination and co-operation within
the community. The umbrella group for arts in Whistler is the Whistler Community Arts Council, headed by John Housman.
³I want to put Whistler on the map for the arts as well as for recreation,² Housman says.
Ambitious, to say the least, for an organization that, as Housman says succinctly, ³still has to figure out how to fund ourselves and how to
organize ourselves.²
He talks about future film festivals, music festivals and independent groups such as Whistler Players.
³The question is what is our niche? We don¹t just want to be another Sundance or Aspen.²
He considers that the performing arts just might be Whistler¹s ³niche² and doesn¹t rule out another venue being built somewhere down the line, as well
as perhaps an arts school.
For the moment, however, Millennium Place is what we have and before we can talk about the future we have to see if it will be a success. It¹s still too
soon to say, but early indications are encouraging, according to Gille Easdon who is responsible for the marketing of Millennium Place. She points
out that the entire complex was built on donations and that they operate without a budget.
³We have to work with what¹s appealing and bring in that crucial 25-35 year old demographic, as well as families.²
To her that means comedy and possibly musicals, anticipating that ³serious² theatre might still be a tough sell in Whistler. She adds that a lot of
touring theatre and music groups are attracted to Whistler despite the small venue because, ³well after all, it¹s a pretty nice place to come to, so we
have incentives that other small towns can¹t offer.²
Locally she feels that people haven¹t seen Millennium Place as a place to go quite yet, but she is convinced that, ³Once people see it and enjoy their
time here, they¹ll want to come back.²
One of the advantages of Whistler is the diverse population it attracts, people from all over the world come here to live work and play. It¹s
inevitable that out of such diversity there will be a significant group of theatrically talented people, or at least people with the passion to put
something back into their new home. Hopefully there will continue to be a place for those people to showcase their
