Frank Venables Theatre recipient of Canada Cultural Spaces Grant

The Frank Venables Theatre, operated by the Oliver Community Theatre Society, is very pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Government of Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.

The grant has gone towards acquiring specialised equipment to enhance and upgrade the theatre. The funds received covered in part the purchase of a synthetic Marley dance floor, condenser microphones and twelve LED light fixtures.

The Marley dance floor provides a safe, non-slip surface suitable for all genres of dance. It also protects the stage from damage caused by tap shoes or rosin for ballet pointe shoes. Having a Marley floor makes the theatre more attractive to renters as they no longer have to provide their own, saving time and labour.

The condenser microphones have been installed over the stage. The purpose of the microphones is to captures acoustic instruments and un-amplified voices and feed them into the sound board in the control booth, where the sound from the stage can be enhanced if required for all patrons, and be sent into the existing hearing loop system for broadcast to patrons who use hearing aids. 

 The twelve light fixtures are now available to be used as “side lights” to light the stage from the wings or as extras on stage. These lights offer designers increased options and flexibility, and provide an ease of use as lights do not have to be removed from the existing lighting grid.

The Frank Venables Theatre is a modern, fully-equipped community theatre available for rent for a wide range of performing arts activities from dance and music, to theatre, children’s events and community activities. With its spacious lobby and ample stage, the theatre boasts sophisticated lighting and audio systems. We are proud to welcome groups from within the Okanagan and around the globe. The theatre opened in 2014, literally rising out of the ashes of the historic art-deco style Venables Auditorium which burned to the ground in the fall of 2011. With 400 seats and state-of-the-art theatrical equipment, Frank Venables Theatre is the premier performing arts facility of the South Okanagan.

In memory

In loving memory of

Marie Evelyn New (nee Evans)

October 8, 1923 – December 7, 2017

Evie was born in New Westminster, moving to Oliver at the age of three with her pioneer family in 1926. They settled on a ten acre farm west of the Town.

Evie attended school becoming very involved in sports, later to become an avid golfer and bowler.

Evie married Wheeler New, April 10, 1941. Both enlisted in the Army. Wheeler was sent overseas, Evie became an office clerk in Victoria. After leaving the army they lived in several locations in the Rock Creek, Mabel Lake areas. When they returned to Oliver in the sixties, Evie worked for the High School while Wheeler became a school bus driver.

Evie started painting with her mother Georgiana in the 1950s and became an accomplished artist. Evie has been a member of the Oliver Art Club (Oliver Sagebrushers) and the Oliver Community Arts Council for many years. As well as attending numerous workshops she also instructed, her forte being Pastel Portraits and Watercolor Flowers. Her paintings may be seen in many homes and businesses. Her passion for art kept her painting until now at 94.

Evie became an honored member of the Elks Royal Purple, a long time member of the Oliver Legion, and the Oliver Senior’s Center. She and Wheeler spent many years coaching bowling. She was a member of the Fairview Golf Course and later the NK’MIP Canyon Golf Course. Her home is decorated with many trophies from both sports. Bridge and Bingo were also favorite pastimes.

Evie (L), Agnes (C) and Sally (R)

Evie was predeceased by her husband Wheeler, Father David Evans, mother Georgiana Evans, sisters Agnes Sutherland, Esther Dawson, and brothers Tom Evans and Clark Evans.

Evie will be deeply missed by her brother David Evans, and sister Olive Barrett, nieces Sally Franks, Leslie Potter, Linda Payne, Teresa Sommerville, Judy Harpur. Mary Wills, Peggy Lindgren, Gloria Crookes, Lorraine Anderson, Corrine Jones, Barb Evans, and Rene Sutherland, nephews Fraser, David and John Sutherland, Andy and Mark Evans, Rob Evans, and Wade Kohl. The Ackerman family, Eddie, Eileen. Alma , Muriel and Jean.

Aunt Evie was great aunt to many and loved by all. Her greatest desire was to be able to remain in her own home as long as possible, this was made possible by Linda who lived with her this past year and her niece Sally whom she called her “Manager.” Her delight was to spend time on the Ranch with Judy and golf with her nieces. Cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska with her nieces and their spouses were very special times for her.

Thanks to Dr.Yves Thomas and the awesome, compassionate nursing staff for making her life as fulfilled as possible.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Heart and Stroke or the charity of your choice.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday December 16, 2017 at the Oliver Legion Hall.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to www.nunes-pottinger.com

Arrangements entrusted to Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Services& Cremation, Oliver Osoyoos.

At the end of life what really matters is not what we built;

not what we shared;

not our competence;

but our character;

and not our success, but our significance.

Live a life that matters.

Live a life of love.

Your Passport to Dance

Two spectacular evenings of dance await audiences this season when the Frank Venables Theatre continues its annual series of local, national and international dance. Each year professional artists and their companies are invited to Oliver to present a range of dance styles from classical to contemporary, cultural to fusion.

This year’s Passport to Dance travels from Mexico to Spain then back to Canada with the renowned Flamenco Rosario. Share these artists’ passion for flamenco’s raw, emotional power and disciplined musicality. Their newest work, “La Monarca – The Monarch and the Butterfly Effect” is described as emergent, beautiful and unexpected.

The celebrated Okanagan dance company Ballet Kelowna returns this year with four stunning new works by four female choreographers. The evening, entitled “Elles – Extraordinary Dance created by Women” demonstrates Ballet Kelowna’s continuing success in encouraging, promoting, and developing Canadian dancers and choreographers.

This season’s Passport to Dance makes a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer. Passports offer tickets to both dance performances for only $20 for students and children, while adult passports cost $55. That’s a 40% discount over the door price for young people and over 20% for adults.

On Tuesday February 6th Ballet Kelowna will deliver the very best of contemporary ballet while Flamenco Rosario, with their mix of authentically traditional and contemporary dance, arrive on Oliver’s Frank Venables stage on Monday April 9th.

The Passport to Dance is available at www.venablestheatre.ca or through the box office Tuesday thru Thursday, 10 am to 3 pm. Drop by or call 250-498-1626. The box office is in the theatre lobby at 6100 Gala Street, on the corner of Fairview Road, Oliver.

Take a voyage into the performing arts with the Venables Theatre Passport to Dance.