By Layne Christensen ~ ‘Com unity Reporter - ‘THERE’S no business ‘like show business _even if it’s the busi- “ness of the show that . is your calling. . "The News takes a look at _ three’ North Shore personal- ‘ities:who make their moves _ behind the scenes. -Pam Johnston started out ; “wanting. to be an-actor. But : ‘When. she graduated from ° ara’s theatre program, Sauk 0 58; ‘she realized she : would be spending more . “time auditioning and waiting »tables.than on the stage. “7 wasn’t prepared to be a ‘a frustrated actress,” says the NEWS photo Mike Waketield BILL Dow has worked both sides of the stage. His iatest Playhouse pro- duction puts him in the director's chair. Deep Cove resident who ‘turns 42 this month. “I did- n’t really care what I was doing as long as f was in theatre.” ‘She started building props and that snowballed into’set design. The essential qualities of a set designer, according to Johnston: patience, humor, athe ability to get along with people, a sense of design : and a fearless attitude towards hot glue guns. Occupational hazards are few, aside from early disas- ters like the White Rock Summer Theatre production where three walls fell down * like dominos, stopping the action on stage and causing some audience members tc wonder about a plot twist. (“When the screw guns got going they realized it was not quite a part of the play,” jokes Johnston.) Currently, her handiwork can be viewed in Alice: A Play with Music at the Arts Club Theatre through Dec. Conveying the magic of | Wonderland on stage has had its challenges, including the integration of live video animation, but it’s the promise of opening night that spurs her on. “I don’t miss getting any accolades, ‘I’m proud when the whole show comes togeth- er. When it works, there’s an alchemy that happens — an invisible chemistry — something magical.” Bill Dow knows the magic of working both sides of the stage. An acclaimed actor, he’s starred in sev- eral Vancouver Playhouse pro- ductions including last season’s Betrayal, and the Jessie Award-winning plays, Oleanna and Love and Anger. His wife is actor Wendy Noel, who starred in last season’s The Crucible. This month the North Van resident makes fis Playhouse directorial debut with Tons of Money, an English farce that runs through Dee. 14. For Dow, directing and acting are very different in 1 at dae REE mee pe Yew Ve Wednesday, November 27, 1996 — North Shore News — 43 NEWS photo Paul McGrath SET designer Pam Johnston has a house full of props rescued from the many theatre productions she’s worked on. The Deep Cove resident turned to set design when she realized life as an actor would mean more: time off the stage than on. terms of involvement and gratification. “Being on stage is a fabu- lous experience,” says Dow. “You get the collected cnergy and you feed off it. “Directing is more ofa solitary pleasure.” As a director, he is required to worker longer hours over a shorter time. “There’s more upfront work,” he says of the time spent researching the play, nailing down details. Then there are rehearsals, “which is when it really gets * he says. On opening night his involvement vir- tually ceases as he gives the project over to the actors and the stage mauager. He takes a seat in the audience but can’t really enjoy the show, he says, because as a familiar face, he has an cery feeling that he is being watched. Photo submitted DANCER/choreogrepher James Hibbard has had his share of the spot- light, including work in six Elvis movies. Of late, he’s fourid a niche for himself behind the scenes. James Hibbard doesn’t have thar problem. When the veteran choreographer/ dancer takes the stage, all eyes are on his feet nor his face. Ar 53 he is far from hanging up his tap shoes. In fact the Capilano Flats area resident asserts that he is in the best shape in 30 years. “They have to keep up with me,” he says of the teen dancers he coaches in Hoofers Inc., a dance troupe he formed to showcase the talents of gifted teen dancers. A group of his young protigees could be scen danc- ing “guerilla style” outside the Vogue Theatre and various street locations to promote the musical revue Crazy For You at the Vogue earlier this fall. Trained in ballet mod- erne and jazz, he is first and foremost a tap artist. Lately he has added funk and tap to his repertoire — and opera. Hibbard has members of the Vancouver Opera chorus “hoofing” through two scenes he has choreographed for the opera's current pro- duction of Jenufa, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre through Dec. 2. Though not trained as dancers, his opera dancers “absolutely tirst rate,” he says, although we'd hesitate to put them in the same cat- egory as The King. Hibbard worked on six Elvis Presley films, as a dancer and choreographer. He’s also worked with Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Lucille Ball and Bob Hope. On working with the pre- mier tier of first-rate stars, he says: “The ones that are supremely talented, they’re all approachable. “The ones who are not loaded with talent build bar- riers.”