Type Public Artistic Director Kathryn Shaw Administrative staff 5 Province British Columbia Colors Black, White | Established 1965 (1965) Academic staff 18 Phone +1 604-323-5227 Founded 1965 | |
Former names Arts program, Vancouver City College (1965 - 1970) Address Langara College, 100 W 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z6, Canada Profiles | ||
Studio 58 is a professional theatre training school in Vancouver, British Columbia. A part of Langara College's Theatre Arts Program, the school offers a three-year program for acting students and a two-year program for production students. A Bachelor of Fine Arts is offered with an additional year of study through a partnership with Capilano University. It is distinguished as one of the top theatre schools in Canada and the only conservatory-style theatre training program in Western Canada.
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The school auditions hundreds of people across Canada but only sixteen students are accepted per semester. The school has around 72 students for both its three-year acting program and two-year production program. Studio 58 operates a small theatre and presents 4 full-length productions annually as well as a smaller presentation of a student created show in a separate space. Professional directors and designers are hired to work on each production, and occasionally guest performing artists. Studio 58 productions are open to the public and reviewed by the Vancouver media.
History
The school was founded in 1965 as a small theatre arts course first held on the King Edward Campus of Vancouver City College, now Vancouver Community College. Led under the direction of Antony Holland the course grew into a full program. In 1970, the program moved to new facilities on the Langara Campus and became known as Studio 58, named after the room number of the original theatre space. The theatre program has subsequently moved into new buildings but the name remains to this day.
In 1985, Holland stepped down as the Artistic Director and Kathryn Shaw stepped into the role. The same year, Jane Heyman moved into the newly formed position as Associated Director until 2005. She was replaced by David Hudgins, a graduate of the program.
Development in 2012 led to a partnership of theatre programs in Vancouver where a Bachelor of Fine Arts is offered graduates through an additional year of study at Capilano University.