WHO: Guy Doucette, 25, co-artistic director and production manager of Back Burner Productions (BBP); Andrew Cromey, 25, head of video production, actor and playwright for BBP; Eric Hopkins, 24, co-artistic director and general manager of BBP; Cameron Harding, 23, sound designer, engineer and musician for BBP.
WHAT: A Rosedale-area house turned theatre space/gallery.
COST: $2,600 plus utilities.
THE STORY: This open-concept space nestled into a quiet neighbourhood niche wasn’t originally intended to be the headquarters of the small theatre company Back Burner Productions, run by Guy Doucette and Eric Hopkins. “We were originally drawn to it because of the neighbourhood and open concept,” says Doucette, reminiscing back to the summer of 2006, when they first moved in.
Looking at the home creatively, the pair of performers began using it as rehearsal space but as the need arose for a cheap venue to host their company’s show, the basement was moulded to suit their needs.
From theatre, dance and spoken word, the venue quickly opened up to all mediums of art and the ground floor became an art gallery. “I was always keen on having a facility that catered to all different art forms, a very interdisciplinary centre,” says Doucette. “We started just doing theatre shorts but as it progressed I wanted to open it to more artists, I didn’t just want to monopolize it for theatre artists.”
Back Burner Productions presents The Patio Plays, Aug. 21-24, 28-31. 11 Lonsdale. PWYC. www.back-burner-productions.com.