Mandate


United Players of Vancouver

United Players of Vancouver Theatre Company is a recognized community theatre company renowned for its exciting and demanding repertoire of high quality successful productions. Part of our mandate is to showcase emerging actors, directors and technicians, many of whom are graduates of Studio 58 and theatre programs from U.B.C., Capilano College, Douglas College and other institutions across Canada. United Players provides them with the invaluable opportunity of demonstrating their skills and talents on the live stage in full view of audiences, theatre critics, and talent agents from local and international companies.
2012 - 2013 Board of Directors Front (L-R): Andrée Karas (President & Artistic Director), John Harris (Treasurer), Joan Bryans (Vice-President Back (L-R): Fran Burnside, Sue Murphy, Vera Gammert, Lara Rose Tansey (Secretary)
Many of our young actors and technicians have subsequently been employed professionally by the Vancouver Playhouse, the Arts Club, Bard on the Beach and various independent theatres, as well as film and television companies. Artistic Directors from various theatre schools have recognized the importance of this exposure for their graduates. A further mandate is to provide classical and critically recognized contemporary plays which seldom appear on professional stage because of inherent costs, to an increasingly appreciative and sophisticated audience. We have also as part of our mandate been actively involved young people in the various technical and artistic aspects of theatre. With hands-on training, they have built and dressed sets, costumes, designed lighting, sound, and were crew members in all our productions. The uniqueness of United Players has been this successful blend of artists of all ages, experience and from all walks of life. The result is an exciting, energetic, creative, and fulfilling environment in which dreams can be realized, careers advanced, achievements fulfilled, and magic created.
A production meeting	United Players was actively involved with the West Point Grey Community Centre in establishing a centre for the performing arts in the Jericho Arts Centre. Nine years of co-operative efforts have transformed this building into a successful live theatre and performing arts centre. A new roof, interior and exterior painting, construction work, hydro upgrading, asbestos removal, extensive lighting, and sound equipment all made possible through funding by the Parks Board, West Point Grey Community Association, B.C. Gaming Commission, Lotto 69, as well as from our own revenue generated from ticket sales, season ticket subscribers, and fund raising.
Of particular importance have been the generous volunteer labour services of many of our members. In the spirit of artistic cooperation and mutual respect, and advantage, we have actively supported many local professional and amateur theatres, and many independent film companies, and schools, in the loan of space, equipment, costumes, props, and personnel for their respective productions. Due to the uncertainties and anticipated reduction of government funding we now have to appeal to corporations, private businesses and the general public for aiding us in our endeavours to continue our productions and courses and at the same time to help finance the completion and the transformation of the facility into a fully-fledged functional Arts Centre for the citizens of Vancouver.