Vancouver Bard on the Beach founder recognized with national honour
The man behind an iconic Vancouver summertime theatre has been recognized with a great honour by the Canadian government.
Christopher Gaze, the founding artistic director of Bard on the Beach, has been appointed to the Order of Canada, which is one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
The Governor General of Canada, Louise Arbour, announced 61 new appointments today, recognizing people who have made “extraordinary and sustained contributions to our nation.”
“The Order of Canada recognizes those whose contributions help us see our country and our place in the world with greater clarity and purpose,” said Arbour.
In the list of the 61 appointees, Gaze is described as a “visionary arts leader.” It lauds his five-decade career of performance, education, and advocacy.
Gaze called it an “honour beyond anything I could have imagined.”
“Canada gave me the chance to spend my life doing work that has brought me immense joy and purpose. To be recognized in this way is deeply moving, and receiving the honour in the same year I published my memoir makes it an especially memorable moment for me,” he said, in a release.
Gaze founded Bard on the Beach in 1990, growing it from a single production under a tent in Vanier Park to one of the largest theatre companies in Canada. It is a not-for-profit Shakespeare festival. This summer, it is showing The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Goblin:Oedipus, and Antigone.
“Christopher’s vision, generosity, and unwavering commitment to excellence have profoundly shaped Vancouver’s cultural landscape and inspired generations of artists and audiences,” said Claire Sakaki, executive director of Bard on the Beach, in a release.
The Vancouver theatre founder has received other notable honours, including the Order of B.C. in 2012 and was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours List earlier this year.
Several other locals received the Order of Canada, including Michael J. Fox, Trevor Hurwitz, Prakash Vinodrai, Robert Quartermain, Lorne Segal, David Fung, and Christine Sinclair.