Every summer Bard is delighted to team up with the talented folks at UBC Opera for some spellbinding thrills and trills. We caught up with UBC Opera Ensemble’s Director, Nancy Hermiston to find out more about her love of opera, special guest stars and the hard work it takes to become a great opera singer.

Barbara Pollard’s interview back in July was so popular we were delighted when she agreed to share some more of her ‘behind the scenes’ moments. In this post, Barbara describes the challenges and fun she had with the costume team in bringing Queen Gertrude to the stage for Hamlet.

With the end of the season just around the corner, we asked a few of the Company members to share their favourite moments from their summer at Bard. This week Todd Thomson (Laertes, Hamlet / Orsino, Twelfth Night) reveals his fear of not being able to pull off a convincing fight scene without getting skewered in the process!

The fabulous Colleen Wheeler, in her 12th season at Bard this summer, is thrilling audiences in her colossal role: Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth Rex. We caught up with Colleen to hear about her experience at Bard and what she likes to do in her time off.

Tell us something about you people don’t know.

At Bard, we aim to entertain! But did you know that you also entertain us? Since April, our Box Office superstars have been taking note of some of the witty, obscure and hilarious things our patrons say when they email or call in. Here are 13 of our favourites so far. Enjoy!

You’re in Athens, Greece circa 487 BC, where you and thousands of other citizens journey to a magnificent amphitheatre to celebrate Dionysus: the God of the grape harvest, wine-making and wine.  The theatre festival is free although seating is determined by your social standing. The play you’re watching is not as good as you’d hoped so what do you do? Pick up a stone, food or any nearby object and hurl it the stage! Oh, and feel free to boo and hiss – it’s totally encouraged if the performance is sub-par!

Actor Daniel Doheny jumped straight out of college and on to the BMO Mainstage this year where he is playing no less than six roles in Hamlet and Twelfth Night. Was it luck? Hard work? Good timing? We asked Daniel how he got the gig, and what it’s like to be a young newbie at Bard on the Beach.

It’s your first time performing at Bard; how are things going so far? Is it all that you expected and more? 

Back in May we posted a story about a bear sighting in downtown Vancouver. Well, that lovely bear made its way to Vanier Park and has become an audience favourite as Ned Lowenscroft’s pet in Elizabeth Rex.

During the day at Bard on the Beach there is a presence that takes over the entire Vanier Park site. Mostly it moves in packs and sometimes alone, with an insatiable hunger for all things Shakespearean. This presence is commonly known as “The Young Shakespearean.” Over the last 19 years, Bard has seen over 2000 Young Shakespeareans walk through our gates and come out the other side as changed individuals. A now 14-year-old Marlee Spicer gave us her account of what it’s like to take part in our annual summer workshops. 

We’re delighted to have Dr. Nicholas Harrison return to Bard on the Beach for his 16^th season as our Fight Director. As a young boy, Nic saw a little movie called Star Wars, an event that would change the rest of his life. Here’s his story on how he became a Fight Director and the opportunities and challenges of this season’s plays.