2018 Hall of Fame Inductee
BURLINGTON, ON – The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is pleased to announce its 2018 Hall of Fame Inductee: Helen Zdriluk (In Memory).
In addition to inspiring and moulding young minds during her time as a drama teacher at Burlington Central High School, Helen Zdriluk was the Founder, Owner, and Artistic Director of Centre Stage Theatre Productions, Burlington, Inc., an intergenerational community theatre and school. She also taught Dramatic Arts at Brock University, completing her master’s at the University in 2010. Peacefully, after a brief illness, Helen passed away on April 26, 2017. She is remembered by all who knew her as a driving force of theatre in Burlington.
Centre Stage is based on Helen’s belief that quality theatre programs produce champions both on and off the stage, that strong theatre programs are able to seamlessly integrate all the arts, that theatre skills mirror life skills, and that we all learn best when we’re engaged and having fun! Centre Stage offers a wide range of drama, music theatre, vocal music, and on-camera classes, in order to provide quality programs for a wide range of students, interests and circumstances. Centre Stage has and continues to create a lasting impression on Burlington through all the students and inspiring performers that walk through its doors.
During her time as a drama teacher at Burlington Central High School, Helen founded Central Company, the school’s extracurricular theatre program – in 1972, and continued to lead and direct it until her retirement in 2004. Throughout that time, Central Company staged well-regarded annual musicals for the Burlington community and developed and mounted several successful one act plays for the Sears Ontario Drama Festival. In recognition of the innumerable contributions she made to building and developing the arts at Central and the countless students whose lives she touched, the theatre at BCHS was recently named in her honour.
The Hall of Fame award, designed by Teresa Seaton, was accepted on Helen’s behalf by her husband, Jerry Zdriluk, at the 2018/2019 Season Launch at The Burlington Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday, May 16.
Established in 2013, The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Hall of Fame recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the performing arts in Burlington. Recipients of this award demonstrate the diversity of artistic accomplishment that comprises the rich cultural tapestry of the City of Burlington. Past Hall of Fame inductees include Burlington Teen Tour Band, Bob Missen for his distinguished career in the Canadian music industry, Gordie Tapp, recognized for his years of service as performer and storyteller on radio, TV and on stage, Rainer Noack, Founder and Program Director of Burlington Student Theatre, Stuart Laughton one of the founding members of Canadian Brass and Lawrence Bonanno who introduced thousands of Burlington citizens to live theatre
-30-
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is a spectacular LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) GOLD certified facility. The Centre is inclusive and respectful to all, combining accessibility with imaginative design and creativity, incorporating accessibility features wherever possible. The mission of The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is to provide the people of Burlington with a broad range of excellent performance opportunities that will both inspire and delight.