About a year ago, Margaret Shearman said the idea for Pivot Theatre started taking shape.
Shearman, the artistic director and founder of Pivot, said she used to be with Surrey Little Theatre.
It was in June of 2021 that Surrey Little Theatre and Langley Playhouse officially merged, ending the Surrey theatre’s 59-year history.
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“When they decided to merge with Langley, I realized that there was a huge vacuum in Surrey and we needed a community theatre,” explained Shearman.
“About a year ago it sort of started taking shape and I called it Pivot because no matter was roadblocks we come across, we need to pivot around them or go over them, through them, under them, just not let things stop us.”
It was this spring, though, Shearman said that Pivot really got going. She added the group recently got its non-profit status.
And with that, Pivot held a yard sale at the Newton Cultural Centre to help fund its first production for later this year: “My Blue Heaven” by Jane Chambers. It will run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 6 at the centre.
The show presents two different comedic scenarios in the life of a committed long-term couple, Josie and Molly, who relocate to a decrepit farm from New York City in the late 1960s.
“It’s about two women who are lifelong partners and they chuck all the big city stuff and go to a small farm and one loves it, one hates it and it’s just really, really sweet. It’s also normalizing people,” she said.
“The issues aren’t because you’re gay or because you’re a different colour. You’re a human being, you wake up, this is what life is for everybody.”
Shearman said theatre can be “so traditional sometimes that you stick with the Agatha Christies and you stick with what’s safe, but we want to do things that are more inclusive, more relevant, make it more accessible to all of the public.”
With Pivot Theatre, Shearman said she’s “looking to break down barriers that way and we invite everyone, all directors, all actors, anyone who wants to be a part of a community that creates.”
“Technically, theatre is a small city. We can use any talent you have and any talent you want to learn, we can help you with it. That’s what we want to do, like if you can sew or paint or cook or direct or act or organize or type, anything.”
While Pivot is still just starting out, Shearman said “it’s just the beginning” and she hopes to do classes and workshops in the future.
Tickets for “My Blue Heaven” will be on sale after the summer, along with membership and subsciption information.
To find out more, visit pivottheatre.ca.
– With files from Tom Zillich
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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