Gabriel Prendergast

Gabriel “Gabe” Maurice Prendergast spent 4 years studying law at the University of Auckland before being bitten by the theatre bug. In 1960 he was accepted as a senior directing student at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in England. After graduation he stayed in Bristol at the Theatre School as an assistant stage manager and learned about every aspect of the theatre. During 11 months he played 20 different roles and in 1964 he helped run the company’s tour of Europe and Israel and also became company manager of the Little Theatre (a subsidiary operation of the Old Vic). In 1968 he moved to the Nottingham Playhouse as manager and stage director of the repertory company and helped produce 11 shows in 9 months. In 1969 a teaching position opened up in the Drama Department at the University of Regina, Regina Campus. He taught stage management and technical theatre training courses, was involved in over 200 productions and was, for a time, the department head. He retired in 1998. He was awarded the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology (CITT) Educational Achievement Award in 2000, this annual award recognizes longstanding career achievement in a technical or related discipline within the Canadian cultural industries. In 2002, Gabriel Prendergast was inducted into the Margaret Woodward Memorial Saskatchewan Theatre Hall of Fame.