Mike Busswood is a 61-year-old retired Telus electrician who has been pursuing his passion for theatre 鈥� alongside his wife Cathe 鈥� for more than 30 years.
Now, the 91原创 City thespian is being honoured for all the work he鈥檚 done on and off the stage in more than 60 different plays through the Lower Mainland 鈥� from Chilliwack to West Vancouver, but primarily his work with the 91原创, Surrey and White Rock theatre groups.
A lifetime achievement award was bestowed on Busswood during a recent Community Theatre Coalition awards evening in White Rock.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be recognized by your peers鈥� I guess that means I haven鈥檛 blown up too many things,鈥� he added with a chuckle.
鈥淣o, I was pleased. It was a very nice ceremony,鈥� Busswood said, noting that family and friends in the theatre business got up and 鈥渟aid nice things about me. They lied. Which is appropriate at these things,鈥� he joked.
But, on a brief, serious note, Busswood said nomination in itself was an award in his view, never expecting to actually receive the large glass trophy that is now place prominently on their living room bookshelf.
He had to interject, however, that his wife Cathe won the same award two years early, and that her trophy is on the higher shelf.
鈥淗ers is on top. It鈥檚 the typical one upmanship of us theatre people, you know,鈥� he jabbed.
But it鈥檚 nice to look at, he said of his award. 鈥淚t reminds me that I do have longevity going for me.鈥�
While he performed in musicals in high school in Vancouver, Busswood blames his wife for pulling him back into the world of theatre back in 1983.
A decade out from school, Busswood thought his theatre days were behind him when Cathe coaxed him to get involved in the Abbotsford production of Arsenic and Old Lace.
鈥淭heatre then became our hobby,鈥� he said, noting their daughters Samantha and Kaitlyn have since become immersed in community theatre, as well 鈥� both on and off the stage. And his girls spoke about 鈥渄ear ol鈥� dad鈥� during his award presentation.
91原创 Players past-president Mary Renvall also congratulated Busswood for receiving the award, commenting on his 鈥渋mmense dedication鈥� to community theatre, and thanking him for 鈥減aving the way for artists to come.鈥�
In addition to bringing home the lifetime achievement award, Busswood was also singled out as best director in the 2016-17 theatre season, for his work on Surrey Little Theatre鈥檚 The Dixie Swim Club.
Leading this comedy on the Clayton Height stage was his second turn in the director鈥檚 chair, and obviously it paid off.
He was reluctant to take much of the credit, saying 鈥淎s a burgeoning director, if you will, picking a play with five middle-aged women in it, you pretty quickly learn your place. You have ideas. They have ideas鈥� Let them do their ideas first. It鈥檚 safer that way. After 35 years of marriage what else do you do? But the results was a good one.鈥�
Half the success for any play, 鈥� whether a high school production, amateur theatre, or big Broadway productions, is getting the right people in the right roles, and he said that with Dixie it all fell together.
Other local award winners
Busswood wasn鈥檛 the only local award winner at the CTC ceremonies on Sept. 9, and in fact, he wasn鈥檛 the only family member to bring home some bling.
, who is traditionally stage manager in most productions, earned best supporting actress for her role in Dixie, where she played one of five Southern women.
While the couple appreciated all the accolades, Busswood said there鈥檚 no time to revel in the fame.
They both have to focus on the here and how, buckling down on work for their two upcoming productions.
Cathe, a 58-year-old office manager for a notary public has returned to her more common role as stage manager for 厂尝罢鈥檚 upcoming production of , opening Oct. 26 in the historic Clayton Heights playhouse.
Meanwhile, Busswood has thrown himself in 鈥� again as director 鈥� with the White Rock Players production of 鈥� a Gothic ghost story opening Oct. 13.
More accolades to go around
A member of the SLT team also garnered the best lead actor, that going to Grant Vlahovic, for his role in Homechild.
And all the local awards were not restricted to those working on SLT productions.
91原创 Players earned a few accolades, including the best lead actress performance that was given to Kristine McCallum for her role as Rothstein in the Grandkid.
McCallum was 鈥渢ruly surprised,鈥� as she just recently returned to the stage after university, and managed to tackle the role while working full time,鈥� Renvall said.
鈥淪he came out on a whim and voila鈥�,鈥� and it too paid off, she elaborated.
91原创 Players received 14 nominations for this year鈥檚 CTC awards, in various acting, directing, and design and production categories.
The biggest honour came at the end of the night. The final award of the evening is always the best overall production, and Renvall was honoured her team received the award 鈥� even if they have to share it with Surrey, she joked.
厂尝罢鈥檚 Dixie Swim Club tied with 91原创 Players鈥� Old Love for best overall production.
Renvall described Old Love as a heartwarming comedy. It was their winter production written by Norm Foster.
鈥淭he creative team and directors Barb Coulter and Raymond Hatton fostered something beautiful with the lead actors Gemma Martini and Ken Boyd,鈥� Renvall said in her capacity as the show鈥檚 producer.
鈥淚t made you want to stand up and cheer for both of them,鈥� she added, 鈥渢hrilled for everyone for their hard work.鈥�
The Players also don鈥檛 have much time to bask in the glory of their win, said Renvall. The team is gearing up to present Shelagh Stephenson鈥檚 . That play opens Oct. 19.
Meanwhile, the coalition represents more than 30 amateur theatre groups in the Lower Mainland, and the recent awards given out reflect the best showings during the 2016-17 season from all participating clubs.
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