Some Assembly is a registered Canadian Charitable Non-Profit Theatre Company that creates original high-quality theatre productions to inspire positive social change.
Our Mission, Vision and Values
Mission: To build community by providing accessible opportunities for diverse youth to work with professional artists on the creation of original high-quality theatre productions to promote awareness, wellness, dialogue, and positive social change regarding issues facing youth.
Vision: Thriving intergenerational communities where all are treated with kindness and respect. Artistic expression is a vehicle for meaningful social change.
Values: Artistic Expression, Collaboration, Inclusion, Equity, Accessibility, Engagement.
Our Programming
Some Assembly provides safe, inclusive, and respectful environments for youth to create meaningful theatre productions with professional artists. Each year, more than 100 new and returning youth participants develop skills and confidence through a range of workshops and creative processes in script development, acting, music, movement, design, film, and facilitation. Participation is free for all youth.
Our professional artists have decades of experience working with youth from diverse backgrounds. Our partner, Vancouver Coastal Health, provides clinicians and counsellors to ensure participants and audience members have access to resources and additional support if required. We also have training and employment opportunities for returning older youth to help as mentors and develop further skills.
Using the power of theatre for positive transformation, youth contributors of Some Assembly theatre productions provide relevance that resonate with young audiences. At past plays, youth audience say they feel part of the larger community because they connect to their peers on stage who validate their concerns, ideas, and experiences.
Our History
Some Assembly began in 2002 as an artist-residency project at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre with Valerie Methot.
Valerie based her project on the artistic methodology she developed for her Master of Fine Arts thesis project at UBC. Using theatre as a tool to address challenges, process trauma, and promote positive social change, Valerie created Treated with Tango, a play to celebrate and honour her friend who died of AIDS. Valerie tailored her methodology to work with youth and professional artists.
We have engaged over 4,000 youth in 34 productions seen by over 40,000 audience members.
Some Assembly is the recipient of the City of Vancouver Youth Award for outstanding contribution to the youth community; the Deryck Thomson Award for exceptional contribution to community building and wellbeing; and the Give a Damn Award for our work with youth.
A warm thank you to all of the incredible artists, technicians and practitioners who have worked with Some Assembly over the years including Chandra Lesmeister and Carolyn Wong who are now on the Board, Trena Hollands, Sharon Bayly, Nicholas Harrison, Ken Hollands, John Webber, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Emma Luna Davis, Alistair Cook, Conor Moore, Devin MacKenzie, Kate Newman, Caroline Liffmann, Katy Harris-McLeod, Mirae Rosner, Steven Roste, Kougar Basi, Julie Martens, Terry Podealuk, Flick Harrison, Ken Lawson and many more. A special mention for Larisa Fayad, whose young life ended too soon but will always be remembered. Thank you to Some Assembly’s past Board Presidents: France Perras, Christine Wheeler and Jeremy Baxter. See our current team by clicking on Current Staff and Current Board.
