Category: Spotlight on Supporters

Avril and Bob Tyrrell are longtime Belfry patrons and supporters. “We go way back,” Bob remembers, “though I wasn’t always an annual subscriber. There was a time when I bought tickets only to the plays, I thought we would enjoy. But since becoming season subscribers, we haven’t been disappointed in a production in a very long time.”

Supporting local artistic and cultural industries in general and the Belfry Theatre in particular has been a no-brainer for the Tyrrells. “In my opinion, the Belfry Theatre is one of Victoria’s many jewels,” says Bob. “The building itself is a true gem. There’s not a bad seat in the house, the renovated lobby is lovely, and the staff and volunteers are always warm and welcoming. And artistically speaking, with the focus on accessible Canadian theatre, Michael Shamata and his staff seem to be doing everything right.”

Bob founded Orca Books in 1984 as a publisher of regional history, biography, and outdoor guidebooks until he more or less stumbled into the world of children’s books. Among many awards, Orca was named publisher of the year and won a Governor General’s Award. The company gradually built an excellent reputation in the school and library markets in both Canada and the US as one of North America’s finest publishers of books for young readers.

Before retiring from Orca in 2017, Bob served on the Belfry’s Board of Directors and enjoyed the experience. But ‘the play’s the thing,’ isn’t it? “We both love live performance,” Bob says. “I’m passionate about both theatre and jazz (not to mention, flyfishing and single malt whisky). When Orca moved into the US market, I felt very lucky indeed to have an obligation to visit New York a couple of times a year. I would always find time for a play or two, either on-Broadway or off-, and always an evening at the Village Vanguard jazz club.”

Avril was a nurse at the Jubilee Hospital for her entire career. After stints in many departments, she was head nurse of the operating theatres for many years. When their daughter Alexandra was born, Avril transferred to diabetes outpatient education, a somewhat less stressful environment, where she remained until she took early retirement in 2007.

When Avril and Bob recently updated their wills, Bob included a legacy gift to the theatre in his document. “From my own experience, I have a very good idea regarding just how tough it can be to survive in an entertainment market so dominated by our neighbours to the south. And adding a legacy gift to my will was so easy… simple but very satisfying. Long live the Belfry!”

For information on supporting the theatre including joining the Belfry Legacy Circle, please contact Susan Stevenson, Director of Development at susan.stevenson@belfry.bc.ca

It would not be possible for the Belfry Theatre to operate without the services of some 250 volunteers, many of whom you will have encountered greeting patrons, taking tickets, and staffing the concession.

Last year, we sadly lost one of our longest-standing volunteers, Lillian Rabb. She began volunteering for the theatre in 1981, and went on to serve as a team leader, and an advocate for the Belfry. If you ever saw Lillian’s beautiful smile lighting up the lobby, you would be sure to remember it!

The Navy life led Lillian’s family to relocate across Canada and Europe, and Victoria became her long-term city of choice. She worked for Canada Post for a time, but her passion was art: theatre, music, and literature.

Lillian was well-known for her commitment to several other arts and cultural organizations in the city, including the Conservatory of Music, the Symphony, and the Fringe Festival. Her good friend Susan Walker volunteered around town with her. She recalls Lillian sharing her thoughts on performances she had seen at the Belfry and at theatres in Vancouver. Susan reports that she and Lillian agreed that they had never been disappointed with a Belfry performance.

Lillian would sometimes see a Belfry production two or three times, as she was also a subscriber, and one of the first to fill in for volunteers who were sick or out-of-town. When her son Jim settled in Victoria, he became her “plus one” at Belfry performances. He told us that Lillian’s favourite seat was in the centre of the front row. Jim describes his mother as a very quiet person, who always had a book checked out from the library.

Prior to her partner Larry’s death, the couple made the most of life in Victoria. Lillian also loved to travel with family and friends. Her daughter Donna provided these colourful travel memories:

“A string orchestra of Vivaldi at a 900-year old church in Barcelona, and then eating churros and chocolate in the dark passageway (she was still classy doing that); cramming in as many theatre events as we could during a trip to London; stumbling upon numerous festivals in Hawaii; having Stocking Island in the Bahamas to ourselves; and the day there was no line-up and so walked right into the Uffizi in Florence. She loved going to the Stratford Festival with a theatre friend. She also went to Hawaii many times, Mexico, and a trip to Captiva Island, where we rented a house with her and our kids (including her granddaughter Liv, who shared Lillian’s birth date).”

Lillian’s children made a generous gift to Belfry in memory of Lillian. They agreed that, given the many years that she devoted to the Belfry, Lillian would have wanted to offer one final gesture of support! “Mom was a voracious reader, could point you to the very best latte in the city, she loved a good thrift find, cherry blossoms, daffodils, the ocean, sunshine, and the smell of freesias. She appreciated good food, fine wine, and quality linens. She was tough, loyal, smart, generous, adventurous, and a cancer survivor, twice. But mostly, she was our beautiful mom, and we will miss her.”

The Belfry is incredibly grateful to have been blessed by Lillian Rabb’s service, patronage, and enthusiasm for more than four decades!

Belfry Supporters Peter & Helen Malcolm / Photo by Justus Lowry

Helen and Peter are big Joni Mitchell fans and one of their favourite songs by her is Both Sides Now. The Malcolms have experienced life from both sides—both sides of the Georgia Straight anyway, having been raised on the lower mainland where they met at a friend’s wedding, then moving back and forth between here and there a few times.

Helen, a schoolteacher and librarian, is credited with introducing Peter to theatre and the arts and making him a more cultured man. That is fortunate—especially as Peter found himself serving on Sidney City Council for a few years, and then as a Mayor of Sidney in 1976, before career opportunities called them back to Vancouver. Peter’s wide-ranging career in finance included working with individual clients in trusts, wills, estates, investments, insurance, and income tax. At one point he worked for the well-known Vancouver businessperson and philanthropist Milton Wong.

Helen has also looked at theatre from both sides of the footlights. Her mother was a community theatre performer and Helen had an early love of acting herself. She very much enjoyed volunteering for a walk on role on the Belfry stage in Michael Shamata’s hit production of the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The Malcolms have been Belfry patrons since they made their permanent move back to Victoria in 2002. They enjoy subscribing as it “gives them a discipline” rather than the risk of missing shows and they appreciate the Belfry’s flexible exchange policy. Now that they have downsized to a nearby apartment, they like walking to the theatre and appreciate the 7:30 p.m. start time on Tues/Wed/Thurs evenings. They enjoy the comfort of the renovated lobby and the opportunity to talk with acquaintances who they wouldn’t see as often otherwise.

The best way this couple can describe their taste in theatre is “eclectic.” Some of the productions they have most enjoyed include the touring production of Bears by Matthew MacKenzie, as well as learning about lighting in Itai Erdal’s memorable tribute to his late mother, How to Disappear Completely. During the pandemic, they steadfastly purchased subscriptions for online programming. Peter points out that every single play does not have to be to his personal taste, confessing that even on that odd occasion when he finds himself staying past intermission more for Helen’s sake, he’s still glad he came out.

Helen and Peter became donors to the Belfry because they like attending the theatre together and believe Victoria should support its own professionally produced theatre. In addition to cash contributions, they also became in-kind auction donors over several years, at the initial request of past Belfry Board Member Gloria Back, donating Scotch to the Belfry’s annual Crush fundraiser. We were only too glad to assist with downsizing Peter’s collection – which at one point was up to 290 bottles displayed on custom-built shelving in their former home! Peter was surprised at how valuable some of his Scotch had become over the years, and says he has never regretted giving up any of these rare bottles to raise funds for the Belfry.

The Malcolms point out that more people who can easily afford to come out to live theatre in Victoria should consider doing so. And the “pay-what-you-want” model we have implemented in recent years to ensure accessibility means that the vast majority can now afford to do just that. We are hoping this production featuring the songs of Joni Mitchell will introduce newcomers who will over the years come to
appreciate the Belfry as much as the Malcolms have.

– Susan Stevenson, Director of Development

For information on contributing donations or donations-in-kind to the Belfry, contact Kate Barry and Susan Stevenson at development@belfry.bc.ca.