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We're turning 46 this year! Since September 1975, Green Thumb Theatre has been producing and touring professional live performances that explore social issues relevant to the daily lives of children, youth, and young adults.

For the first time in almost two years, we are beyond excited to finally be able to get back to our core activities – touring!

While the last 18 months have allowed for digital exploration and innovative adaptation, and while we remain in adherence to all provincial health protocols, the prospect of being back in the van, visiting schools and venues this season is thrilling.

As we enter into our 46th season, we can’t help but marvel at the grit and adaptability shown by staff and artists during an incredibly challenging period. Their hard work is allowing us to offer an incredibly diverse slate of programming in our upcoming season, with three in-person tours set to hit the road and two digital offerings for teens.

Katey Hoffman’s brand new play Like It or Not (themes of evolving friendships and social media) hits the road this fall and will finally get its premiere after being postponed due the pandemic; and Katey Hoffman’s What If will charm audiences both locally and throughout Ontario this spring.

For Secondary school students, Rachel Aberle’s award-winning piece, The Code (themes of harassment and cyberbullying), returns in the spring with a tour throughout Saskatchewan, as well as a local Lower Mainland tour and a run at the Waterfront Theatre in partnership with Carousel Theatre for Young People.

After a successful digital run, Still•Falling (themes of mental health) by Rachel Aberle will be back for a one-week digital livestream run, taking place over CMHA’s National Mental Health week. After multiple years of successful touring and strong audience response, the show has been re-envisioned to now offer two performance options featuring either Nina or Nick as the lead character.

Another Green Thumb favourite, CRANKED by Michael P. Northey (themes of addiction and recovery) has been reworked for a digital format and includes some incredible updates to really speak to today’s youth – including new beats and a brand new original track as well.

Not only will youth have the ability to watch these two livestream performances in their classrooms, the general public will also have access to two public livestreams for each run.

Along with continuing to develop new works, we're bringing back our Playwrights' Gym Program this season - a 4-week paid writing intensive for emerging and mid-career playwrights to develop skills specific to creating touring Theatre for Young Audiences.

It is no secret that the live performance sector was one of the hardest hit industries by the pandemic, with productions coming to an immediate halt and mass job loss. With your support, we were able to not only keep our doors open, but offer gainful employment at a time when artists were suffering.

As the challenges young people face only grow more complex and long-lasting, we believe that it is more important than ever to keep our work accessible to as broad an audience as possible, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location. As always, our shows this season are accompanied by resource and activity guides and will support vital conversations in an engaging and accessible way.

If you have the means, please consider contributing to our 46th Anniversary Campaign by September 15 and support Green Thumb as we kick-off our season. Your support will help bring live professional theatre to youth, whether that be on the gym floor or virtually beamed to their classrooms or homes.

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With gratitude,

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Breanne Harmon

General Manager

gm@greenthumb.bc.ca

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PS. Giving is easy! Donate online or by mailing a cheque to:

Green Thumb Theatre

5522 McKinnon St.

Vancouver, BC V5R 0B6

You can also support us all season long by becoming a monthly donor!