It is a time capsule on every page.聽
The recently published Howe Sound Drama Club 1965-2000: A presentation of thirty-five years of community theatre in Squamish B.C. not only chronicles the club鈥檚 84 productions, but it is a snapshot of Squamish and its people at a foundational time in its history.聽
The book is put together in scrapbook fashion with 142 pages of newspaper clippings, photos, playbills and other documents related to the much-loved amateur theatre group.聽
It is part of the Howe Sound Drama Club history project, and a labour of love for the project team of Doreen Ramus, Louisa Jardine-Ourom, Tony Biggin-Pound and Eric Andersen.聽
They sorted through about 5,000 historic items to painstakingly choose the approximately 2,000 that made it to print, said Andersen, who edited the book.聽
鈥淚 wanted to honour those people who had worked so hard over the 35 years I put on the drama club,鈥� said Ramus, who founded the club and was the project leader for the book.聽
Over the years the club was active, approximately 3,000 people were involved in putting on the plays, Andersen estimates.聽
Squamish鈥檚 population didn鈥檛 reach 10,000 until 1981, according to Statistics Canada. Therefore, including the often sold-out audiences, a large proportion of Squamish鈥檚 population was involved in theatre one way or another over the 35 years the club was active.
聽One of Ramus favourite memories was putting on Charley鈥檚 Aunt in January of 1977.聽
鈥淪quamish people loved to laugh at Squamish people,鈥� she recalled with a soft chuckle. 鈥淲e were quite amazed at the audience we had. The place was full.鈥�
Changing times and evolving cultural norms are evident on the book鈥檚 pages. Many of the clippings are from now long defunct newspaper the Squamish Times, for example, and a 1977 playbill for Charley鈥檚 Aunt states, 鈥淣o smoking is permitted in the church.鈥澛�
Plenty of names in the book will be familiar to locals, though for reasons other than what they are known for today.
Al McIntosh, one of the founders of Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival is noted as an actor in See How They Run in 1967; Sea to Sky school board chair Rick Price is featured as an actor in Busybody, performed in 1977.聽
Plenty of other former teachers will be familiar to generations of students.聽
Mayor Patricia Heintzman penned several reviews of performances featured in the book from her time as a reporter for The 小蓝视频 in the 1990s.聽
Biggin-Pound recalled the support of local businesses in what was then a more rough and tumble logging town.聽
鈥淔or example, Timber Queen 鈥� we used to build a huge stage in the arena and all that material was donated,鈥� he said, adding the former company also lent the club a truck to move sets and materials. 鈥淭here was a lot of not only support, but trust in what we were doing.鈥澛�
One thing that hasn鈥檛 changed over the years is the lack of venues that support theatre in Squamish, Andersen said.
鈥淲e have purposely included in the book the plight of the drama club regarding storage, rehearsal and performance space,鈥� he said.
During the club鈥檚 time, the actors used a 鈥渞odent infested鈥� portable for storage and had to scramble for performance space. While productions currently perform at Eagle Eye Theatre, which the club鈥檚 members helped get built, Squamish still lacks adequate venues for theatre rehearsals and storage, Andersen said.
Howe Sound Drama Club 1965-2000 is available for viewing at the Squamish Public Library, the Hotspot Community Resource Centre, The 小蓝视频 office and other community gathering spots.聽
It will also be available for purchase at the Brackendale Fall Fair on Sept. 9 and by email at [email protected].
**Please note, this story has been modified to clarify that the book is available at the library, Hotspot and The Chief for viewing only.聽
