Pinnacle Playhouse
Encyclopedia
The Pinnacle Playhouse is a theatre in Belleville
, Ontario
, Canada
.
That fall, they met again at a tea room in downtown Belleville
to plan a public meeting in the Corby Library to form a theatre guild in Belleville
.
"The Voice of the People", a play by Robertson Davies
, was one of the first one act plays performed. It went on to win the Eastern Ontario Drama League Festival and was invited to the Dominion Drama Festival
in St. Johns, New Brunswick
, the next spring.
With the onset of television
, the theatre struggled to stay alive with little money or location to operate from. Places were used that ranged from the third storey of a downtown building, to a donated room at the back of a building, to a vacant storefront.
In 1969, the city of Belleville
provided the guild with use of the D.L. Storey Building on Pinnacle Street, which was formerly a Salvation Army
Citadel. The guild members were responsible for all operating costs of the building, including utilities, heat, repairs and maintenance, plus any renovations that are required. It was then renamed the Pinnacle Playhouse and it has been the source of its success ever since.
(which was removed in later renovations). In 1982 – 83 the Belleville Theatre Guild, with donations from subscribers, community groups and local and provincial Governments, renovated the Playhouse to increase seating to 154 and to provide essential space both onstage and off.
In 2002, the Belleville Theatre Guild initiated its “Help Give Us A Lift” campaign to raise funds for an elevator addition, additional wing space, a new box office and a barrier-free washroom. A grant was given by the Ontario Trillium Foundation
. The Guild’s building fund, which had been saved for many years, provided the majority of remaining costs. The balance was raised through donations from businesses and individuals in the community. The most significant of these sponsors have their names engraved in the BTG Walk of Fame (on the sidewalk outside the theatre).
, costumes, a board room, a workroom for our set builders and rehearsal space for upcoming productions.
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
In 1951, a group of friends gathered to read a play for pleasure. They enjoyed it so much they decided they would form a group and perform it.That fall, they met again at a tea room in downtown Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
to plan a public meeting in the Corby Library to form a theatre guild in Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
.
"The Voice of the People", a play by Robertson Davies
Robertson Davies
William Robertson Davies, CC, OOnt, FRSC, FRSL was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best-known and most popular authors, and one of its most distinguished "men of letters", a term Davies is variously said to have gladly accepted for himself...
, was one of the first one act plays performed. It went on to win the Eastern Ontario Drama League Festival and was invited to the Dominion Drama Festival
Dominion Drama Festival
The Dominion Drama Festival was an organisation in Canada that sought to promote amateur theatre across the country. It lasted, in one form or another, from 1932 until 1978.- Founding :...
in St. Johns, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, the next spring.
With the onset of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, the theatre struggled to stay alive with little money or location to operate from. Places were used that ranged from the third storey of a downtown building, to a donated room at the back of a building, to a vacant storefront.
In 1969, the city of Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
provided the guild with use of the D.L. Storey Building on Pinnacle Street, which was formerly a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Citadel. The guild members were responsible for all operating costs of the building, including utilities, heat, repairs and maintenance, plus any renovations that are required. It was then renamed the Pinnacle Playhouse and it has been the source of its success ever since.
Renovations
The Playhouse has undergone many transformations, including the initial upgrade to a 126-seat theatre with a revolving stageRevolving stage
A revolving stage is a mechanically controlled platform within a theatre that can be rotated in order to speed up the changing of a scene within a show...
(which was removed in later renovations). In 1982 – 83 the Belleville Theatre Guild, with donations from subscribers, community groups and local and provincial Governments, renovated the Playhouse to increase seating to 154 and to provide essential space both onstage and off.
In 2002, the Belleville Theatre Guild initiated its “Help Give Us A Lift” campaign to raise funds for an elevator addition, additional wing space, a new box office and a barrier-free washroom. A grant was given by the Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
. The Guild’s building fund, which had been saved for many years, provided the majority of remaining costs. The balance was raised through donations from businesses and individuals in the community. The most significant of these sponsors have their names engraved in the BTG Walk of Fame (on the sidewalk outside the theatre).
Mission
The Belleville Theatre Guild provides quality community theatre to Hastings County. It has presented a wide variety of plays, musicals and theatre-related workshops. For three generations, the guild has brought theatre training through outreach programmes, and opportunities to perform to young people and those young at heart.Annex
The Guild also has a warehouse space called the Annex, which houses set pieces, propsTheatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
, costumes, a board room, a workroom for our set builders and rehearsal space for upcoming productions.