Main Street Theatre: History
(L-R) Daryl King, Josh Drebit, and Ryan Beil
star in Main Street Theatre Company’s
production of David Mamet’s
American Buffalo.
Photo: Stephen MalloyIn August of 2008 Daryl King approached Ryan Beil about mounting some kind of independent theatrical production during the fall of that year.
Over beers in a crowded Kitsilano pub, ideas were bandied about: it should be contemporary. It should be a classic. It should be complicated. It should be challenging to stage. But above all else, it should be a good fucking script with killer fucking parts that they've always wanted to play. With a couple of pints behind them, they settled on David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. It was also decided that the production would be staged at Little Mountain Studios, an art gallery at 26th and Main on Vancouver's East Side. Perhaps it was an arbitrary decision at the time: in a venue-strapped city, you go where you can go. With what's available. With what's affordable. But the company would become so creatively attached to Little Mountain's intimacy and location that they found the inspiration for the company's name: Main Street Theatre.It should be contemporary. It should be a classic. It should be complicated. It should be challenging to stage.
With a sold out run, and two Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Nominations (Best Production and Best Supporting Actor, Alex Ferguson) Main Street Theatre landed firmly on the map of the Vancouver Theatre scene.
In the following weeks Daryl and Ryan's idea grew from an ambitious conversation to a concrete plan, with the addition of Josh Drebit and Stephen Malloy to the Creative/Production Team. All four artists shared the same drive to collaborate on a fantastic play and present it to the community. A team of talented actors stepped up, and took a chance on the fledgling theatre company, agreeing to be in the show for no money, in a shoebox with no central heating. Bill Dow, Alex Ferguson, Ian Butcher, Michael P. Northy, and Patrick Keating joined Ryan, Josh, and Daryl to fill out the cast, with Stephen directing and designing. The Main Street Theatre Equity Co-op was born!
The show that started out as a gamble turned out to be a huge success. With a sold out run, and two Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Nominations (Best Production and Best Supporting Actor, Alex Ferguson) Main Street Theatre landed firmly on the map of the Vancouver theatre scene.
Apparently, when irons are hot, you strike them quickly, before they have a chance to cool down.
But what was most exciting to the group was the cultivation of an eclectic and hungry audience that filled the rickety seats of Little Mountain Studios night after night. Apparently, when irons are hot, you strike them quickly, before they have a chance to cool down. Bearing that in mind, Josh, Ryan, Stephen and Daryl worked toward mounting a second production, back in Little Mountain Studios, the following year. Not yet done with David Mamet, American Buffalo was chosen. There were fewer parts to play (Buffalo is a three hander) and fewer seats to sell. Stephen Malloy, who designed both Glengarry and Buffalo, set the show in the tiny storefront portion of Little Mountain. It was a smaller production than the company's first, but it packed the same devastating punch.
Under Malloy's direction, the show turned into another sold out success, cementing Main Street Theatre as a permanent fixture in Vancouver's theatre community. With a commitment to producing the best plays possible on a regular basis, in super intimate environments, the company humbly submits its name to the pile of things to see and do while in Vancouver, BC. Please continue to enjoy our work, and thank you for your interest.
