Terry Fox Theatre has a new manager.
And he's looking for volunteers to give him a hand to run the Port Coquitlam venue that's attached to the high school on Riverwood Gate.
Maple Ridge resident Rick Rinder, who started on the job last November, said he's starting from scratch and would like ushers, front-of-house staff and technical and web support from the community.
To help, email [email protected].
A Banff School of Arts-trained performing stage manager for 35 years - including at the Vancouver Playhouse and at various arts centres around Western Canada - Rinder replaces the Port Coquitlam Theatre Society (formerly known as the Theatre Advisory Group, or TAG), a non-profit group that had a rocky relationship with School District 43 and bowed out of its operating agreement last June.
Rinder said his vision is to create a balance between the school's needs and community bookings for the 336-seat theatre.
And he has has some big plans in mind for partnerships with the school such as launching a state-of-the-art stagecraft program.
"We have such a beautiful theatre here and it's a shame the school doesn't have a course that teaches youth how to design and build sets," he said. "They can use that experience as they go on for further education such as Capilano University."
