Photo courtesy of Vancouver Heritage Foundation

In 1964, a gritty little theatre opened on the second floor of an auto repair shop in downtown Vancouver.  Located along a strip of Seymour Street then frequented by pimps and drug dealers, the venue was given little chance of survival, as pointed out in a great article in the Vancouver Sun.

Fast-forward 50 years and the Arts Club Theatre Company is Vancouver’s premiere showcase for musicals and dramas.  Over the years, the company has staged hundreds of plays and musicals, many of which have woven themselves into the fabric of Vancouver life.  These include both international sensations like The Odd Couple and Driving Miss Daisy and local hits like It’s Snowing on Saltspring and Red Rock Diner.

And from its humble beginnings, the theatre has expanded to multiple locations throughout the city: first moving to its Granville Island Stage in 1979, then opening the Revue Theatre next door in 1983 and finally refurbishing the Stanley Theatre on Granville Street in 1998.  With a consistent mix of commercial, mainstream hits and experimental, alternative productions, the Arts Club has stood the test of time, not to mention introduced some Canadian icons to the world, including Michael J. Fox and Michael Buble.

In honour of its upcoming golden anniversary, the theatre is trotting out some old favourites and bringing in some new crowd-pleasers for the 2014 season.  Here’s a quick peek at just a few of the productions scheduled for the months ahead:  Continue reading:
Mary Poppins, Spamalot and Shakespeare: Arts Club Theatre’s 50th Anniversary lineup announced