Leadership

Christopher Gaze
Artistic Director

Christopher Gaze is best known as the Founding Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, which celebrates its thirty-fifth season in 2024. He hosts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s popular Tea & Trumpets series and also their annual Traditional Christmas concerts.

Christopher plays a leading role in British Columbia as an advocate for the arts in general, and his passionate dedication to Bard on the Beach has fuelled its growth into one of the largest professional theatre companies in Canada, drawing a total of well over two million patrons since 1990.

His many honours include Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal, Honorary Doctorates from UBC & SFU, the Mayor’s Arts Award for Theatre, and the Order of British Columbia.

Read Christopher’s Full Bio

 

 

Claire Sakaki
Executive Director

Claire Sakaki was named Executive Director of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival in 2013.

Prior to Bard, Claire was the Producer of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company, Business Manager for Toronto Dance Theatre, Company Manager for the Weston Playhouse, Founding Producer of Theatrefront and worked in corporate development for the Canadian Opera Company.

Claire is a graduate of the Non-Profit Executive Program (Georgetown University), Income Manager’s Program (University of Waterloo) and Queen’s University (BAH Psychology). Claire received the national John Hobday Award in Arts Management, sits on the Board of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, and is a member of the Labour Relations Committee for PACT, Advisory Committee for Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (vAct) and the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee for the City of Vancouver.

Read Claire’s Full Bio