Events & Shows
Plays
The Boardmore Theatre offers an annual season of plays, including plays for young audiences, four to five full-length plays, a bi-annual Shakespeare production, a bi-annual Broadway Musical and a one week one-act play festival. This year’s line-up of fantastic productions will be announced soon.
Elizabeth Boardmore and the One Act Play Festival
The Boardmore Theatre gathers yearly for the annual festival of one-act plays. The festival offers the community an opportunity to celebrate live theatre and to share the talents of actors, directors, writers and technicians. In 2004, the festival lost one of its greatest supporters and the Dramagroup one of its co-founders, Elizabeth “Liz” Boardmore.
Liz came to Cape Breton with her then husband Harry Boardmore in 1966. Together they developed a thriving live theatre culture on Cape Breton Island. Their earliest works, done under the auspices of Xavier College and produced on the Lyceum stage, won national acclaim and inspired a generation of talented artists to create classics like The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton Island and the Cape Breton Summertime Revue. From these roots the one-act festival was born in 1971; and in 1990 the CBU Theatre was formally named the Boardmore Playhouse to commemorate the contributions of Harry and Liz.
Reflecting on the work Liz did, despite its scope, and listing her accomplishments, though there were many, seems hollow tribute to the force she was. Liz was the heart of the Dramagroup. Her passion for theatre (which was boundless), her love for her family and friends (whose number remain legion) and her unfailing directness (which was the stuff of which legends are made) found fertile ground at CBU. As her reputation grew, so to did her commitment to the university, to her colleagues and especially to her students. As an educator, Liz had no equal. Ready with criticism, which was always well deserved, and even more ready with praise, Liz taught all who studied with her how to think critically, act morally, and live vibrantly.
Under her firm, yet loving guidance, thousands of students and Dramagroup members gained the self-confidence needed to strive for the loftiest goals imaginable while never losing faith should success prove elusive. Liz, quoting Beckett, encouraged all with, “No Matter. Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better.” Liz recognized talent but she respected hard work more. Her legacy to those who follow behind is her personal example. She continues to encourage us to reach for the stars with our feet firmly planted on the earth. The memory of her standing to lead an ovation, the echo of her “Bravo”, and the reflection of her kerchiefed profile backstage will sustain us as her work remains a shining example of everything to which we aspire.
Workshops
Every year, the Boardmore Theatre provides practical expertise to community theatre groups in the form of workshops. This year, we are looking forward to providing the public with a range of new and exciting workshops.
Festivals
During every Season of Plays, the Boardmore Theatre is home to two different festivals: The Elizabeth Boardmore One-Act Play Festival,Youth Theatre Festival and Cape Breton High School Theatre Festival.
The One-Act Festival provides new and experienced writers, directors and actors with an opportunity to showcase their talents.
During the Youth Theatre Festival, young theatre practitioners from Class Acts Drama School and other community youth drama groups take to the stage and perform in a series of scripted productions.
The Cape Breton High School Theatre Festival is a platform for drama students and teachers from all schools in the community to highlight their work and learn new and exciting skills for the classroom and the stage.
More information regarding festivals can be found here.
Other
The Boardmore Theatre is also an excellent venue for any type of concert or presentation. For more information regarding the rental availability of the Playhouse, please contact todd_hiscock@cbu.ca
