History of Theatre Terrific
Established in 1985 by founder Connie Hargrave, Theatre Terrific stands as Western Canada’s oldest inclusive disability theatre company. Founded on the vision of creating space for disabled performers, it became one of the country's pioneering mixed-ability arts organizations. Today the company serves as a vital gateway into professional performance for artists of all abilities, offering a welcoming artistic home to those who may not fit traditional post-secondary theatre requirements.
The company's artistic journey began under its first Artistic Director, Sue Lister, who led Theatre Terrific through its initial decade. The company launched its debut production, Leonard Angel’s musical revue Dancing on the Head of a Pin with a Mouse in my Pocket, at the 1986 Vancouver Fringe Festival. Shortly after, Theatre Terrific established its student-focused Direct Access outreach program in 1987, followed by province-wide school tours featuring integrated casts of abled and disabled actors. By 1992, the company joined the Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance and began garnering international attention, earning a special Jessie Richardson Theatre Award in 1994 for its distinctive mandate.
Image: Actors perform Zoetic at the Heart of the City Festival, 2022
Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, Theatre Terrific evolved under the creative guidance of successive artistic leaders, including Jamie Norris, co-artistic directors Elaine Avila and Trevor Found, and Liesl Lafferty. In 2005, Susanna Uchatius assumed the role of Artistic Director, steering the company into a transformative era that shifted focus away from explicitly disability-centered themes toward universal human experiences. Under her long-running leadership, the company produced groundbreaking original plays such as doGs, Dirty White, and Hello. The company's leadership transition continued with Laen Hershler in 2024, followed by Kevin Jesuino in 2025.
Over nearly four decades, Theatre Terrific has staged more than thirty large cast Vancouver Fringe Festival productions. Its artistic footprint spans local parks, streets, and traditional stages throughout the Lower Mainland, reaching across British Columbia into Kelowna, Powell River, and Prince George, as well as national audiences in Alberta, Toronto, and the Maritimes. Beyond Canadian borders, the company has shared its work internationally, taking productions and workshops to London, Barcelona, and Warwick.
Renowned for its bold, accessible productions, Theatre Terrific explores complex themes—from intimacy and myth to non-traditional families—with care and curiosity. By replacing traditional conventions with innovative, collaborative methods and prioritizing accessible aesthetics, Theatre Terrific creates a transformative environment where artists of all backgrounds thrive.
Awards
Nominated for Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition | 2020
Angelo Moroni and Mary Jane Paquette were nominated by the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards for Outstanding Sound Design or Original Theatre Composition, Small Theatre for their work on Theatre Terrific's production of HELLO.
Finalist- Artistic Risk Award | 2018
The Vancouver Fringe's Board of Directors awards this prize for risk-taking in Fringe theatre to the artist or group of artists who best pushes the boundaries of theatre.
Nightswimming Pure Research Award | 2011
to Susanna Uchatius and James Coomber under the banner of Theatre Terrific by Nightswimming, Toronto and SFU School for Contemporary Arts in order to support inclusive voice exploration. The subsequent online publication of Experiencing Sprechgesang – Theatre’s Forgotten Instrument online at Nightswimming: Pure Research Archive.
Inclusion Through Innovation Award | 2013
Celebrating diversity, innovation, equality and accessibility in Metro Vancouver BC was awarded to Artistic Director Susanna Uchatius for the inclusive theatre practice lived and produced by Theatre Terrific.
EGNI’S EYE | 2014
Professional production was chosen by the School of Theatre, Performance and Cultural Policy Studies, University of Warwick for scene presentation at the International Federation of Theatre Research International Conference.
Jessie Nomination | 2016
Theatre Terrific - NOW Representation and Inclusion Award – For persistent and ongoing commitment to inclusive casting and creative processes. One of five finalists.