Jordan Davies (left) and Jody Burkholder are the new technical directors at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre (Submitted photos/VDPAC)

By Pete McIntyre

technical directors

New staff lead to changes at Vernon Performing Arts Centre

Mar 22, 2022 | 2:00 PM

Two key technical positions have been filled at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre (VDPAC), which is expecting a busy year ahead.

Okanagan-based theatre tech and former technical director of Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts, Jordan Davies, has accepted the role of technical director 1 (TD1).

Davies is joined by award-winning lighting designer and technical director, Jody Burkholder, who worked for 20 years at the St. Ambroise Montreal Fringe and will now serve as technical director 2 (TD2) for the VDPAC.

Executive director Jim Harding says they were impressed by the number of high-calibre applications from across the country.

“Altogether, the extensive professional TD experience and wide-ranging skill sets covering all aspects of technical production—including their past training and mentoring of inexperienced and emerging student theatre techs—were interchangeable between several candidates. It caused us to rethink how our tech department could work to handle our typically heavy workload more efficiently and effectively. So we adopted a ‘TD1/TD2’ model to begin with, but we are not finished,” said Harding.

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The hirings follow the departure of former technical director Rylee Block and assistant Aaron Quibell, who left in February to separately pursue freelance work on tour and in the movie industry after several years as VDPAC’s tech staff.

“We currently have over 200 dates booked or on hold already for 2022,” said Harding. “And judging by the tremendous response to our first three Spring SPOTLIGHT shows, patrons are clearly eager for live performance, so we believe our bounce-back after COVID may be more robust than we thought. Many previously postponed concerts and show tours are re-booking. Technically, we need to be prepared to meet the returning demand.”

VDPAC hosted 235 dates out of 321 possible dates in 2019, each event requiring varying onsite technical support and tech coordination weeks in advance. The new model will enable the technical directors the flexibility to divide-up the advance work and running shows or events to better manage workloads. They will be supported by paid and on-call techs to fill-out the revamped tech department.

Davies and Burkholder will also be a part of the centre’s conversion of the Marie Fleming Studio to a self-contained, live performance “coffee house-style” venue, to be made available to area performers and emerging artists from various genres in keeping with VDPAC’s planned development and programming options.

“Aspiring student and casual theatre technicians interested in opportunities at the VDPAC can contact Jordan Davies or Jody Burkholder by email at: td@ticketseller.ca