The Martlet

Intrepid Theatre Club and Metro Studio may be looking pretty swanky in the coming months, as a $45,000 government grant will offer the venues a new facelift.

The grant, which came from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the B.C. Arts Council, was given to Intrepid Theatre at the end of March, and will be used to make much-needed improvements to its venues.

Those improvements will include the purchase of a new riser system for the Metro Studio to improve sightlines, increase the seating capacity from 130 to 200, installing a concrete wheelchair ramp and creating onsite storage for the venue.

Intrepid Theatre Club will also see the purchase of a collapsible riser unit to improve venue flexibility, as well as a renovation on bathroom facilities to bring the building up to code.

Intrepid Theatre’s General Manager, Ian Case, says that while the theatre wasn’t expecting the funding, it comes as a welcome relief.

“We’re not exactly sure where this money came from [in governmental budgets] but, when we heard about it, we called the B.C. Arts Council and told them what we hope to do, in terms of renovations, and that we could use the help,” Case said. “I was surprised to hear about it, but my own suspicions are that the council saw the arts cuts coming in advance and stashed this away to help minimize the damage.”

The five-year-old Metro Studio has long needed an upgrade, says Case. Currently, spectators have trouble seeing over each other’s heads with the level gallery, and the building is largely inaccessible to disabled people.

“We wanted to create a sustainable project with the theatre, where we can rent it out to people who need the space, and improve the theatre-goers’ experiences. Now, we can do that,” he said.

Renovations should start in the next few months and, because the contractors are able to build the risers and other equipment off site, Case believes Metro Studio and Intrepid Theatre Club will only be out of commission for five to seven days during the summer. Everything should be ready in time for the Victoria Fringe Festival in August, if all goes well.

In order to get the project fully off the ground, Intrepid Theatre will match the grants with $25,000 in individual donations and fundraising to complete the technical upgrades, including a new soundboard and entrance for Metro Studio.

“We’ll be looking to our donors and patrons to make donations and help us get all the way there,” said Case, adding that Intrepid accepts donations through their website now, as well as over the phone or by mail.

Every little bit helps, Case says, and it’s tax deductible.

More than that, supporters are fostering a vibrant scene, right in their own town.

“Intrepid prides itself on making theatre accessible, fun and open to everyone,” Case said. “The theatre itself has a lot of impact on the community. It’s worth supporting.”

To help Intrepid Theatre, visit their website at intrepidtheatre.com, or call 250-383-2663.