The History of SMP
Our organization began in 1982 at St. Martin’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
A parishioner, Lisa Broughton, initiated the performance of two religious plays by Dorothy Sayers: The Zeal of Thy House and The Man Born to be King. However, it was ten years later in 1992 that Bill Bourns, the then Choir Master, and Organist at St. Martin’s Church, encouraged a group to present a Victorian Evening. Following that, two presentations of the Gilbert & Sullivan play Trial by Jury were staged in April of 1993, produced and directed by Bill. In those early days, the group was simply referred to as “St. Martin’s Choir and Friends”.
In 1994 a cabaret, produced and directed by Peter Isaac and Cathy Dallimore, was staged. The Players really took root, however, when Howard and Cathy Dallimore and Peter and Valerie Isaac put forward the idea of presenting an English pantomime. The result in 1996 was a four-show run of Cinderella, put together by a group of about 90 people calling themselves “St. Martin’s Players”. In 1997 the panto was Babes in the Woods followed by Red Riding Hood in 1998. The next year, for a change of pace, another cabaret was produced: Players 99.
Each year thereafter SMP has produced a stunning array of pantomimes and other comedies, which can be viewed by clicking below.
In 2003, to maintain financial integrity, the members decided to incorporate the society. On the 13th of February, 2003 SMP Dramatic Society was officially incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia.
1982
Our organization began at St. Martin’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
1992
Bill Bourns encouraged a group to present a Victorian Evening. Following that, two presentations of the Gilbert & Sullivan play Trial by Jury were staged in April of 1993, produced and directed by Bill.
1996
A four-show run of Cinderella, put together by a group of about 90 people calling themselves “St. Martin’s Players”.
2003
On the 13th of February, 2003 SMP Dramatic Society was officially incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia.
2004
A youth production was decided upon and in December of 2004 the one-act play The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was staged.
2021
As you can appreciate, we have had to completely shut down all our Spring plans for live theatre due to safety concerns related to the pandemic. Indeed we were in rehearsals for a fabulous production of “Circle Mirror Transformation”, as well as a Youth production (“Wizard of Oz”) that had both casts and crews all fired up, so as you can imagine, we were devastated at having to come to a complete and utter stop. It is not safe to rehearse, nor perform.