BTC 150 Vignettes Project

Bite-Size History Plays for All

Vance and Tabatha performing at the Backroom Theatre

Overview

When Col Moody brought the Royal Engineers in 1858 to establish the settlement that was to become New Westminster, his contingent included a theatre group. In spite of limited resources, one of the first things his men did was to build a “theatre”—that tradition lives on in New Westminster (see the note in the box at the end)!

History can be dry as dust to many people—theatre makes it come alive, makes it real.

The Backroom Theatre Club, in collaboration with the Arts Council of New Westminster, is issuing a Call for Plays to the many playwrights in New Westminster to write short play vignettes, of about 10 minutes duration, on any New Westminster history theme of their choice. These vignettes will be produced throughout 2009 to celebrate New Westminster’s 150th anniversary.

It is expected that the vignettes will provide theatrical snapshots of what life was like in New Westminster in the past 150 years. 

Be sure to check out the example vignettes and our How To article.

Acting is in our blood:

“…Amongst the other buildings, a store house used as a theatre was shewn us. It is of course exclusively for the Engineers - officers and men, and we hear the acting is admirable.”
- 6 march 1861, Sophia Cracroft writing about the Royal Engineers