GGG strives to create and present hip, exciting theatre, developing new works and forms in conventional and unconventional spaces accessible to a diverse audience. Oh yeah, and we LOVE musical theatre.
Founded in 2002, GGG’s mandate is to create and present contemporary professional theatre in Canada; to create opportunities and employ driven, multi talented emerging theatre artists in Victoria; to advance and foster development of new works and forms of theatre in conventional and unconventional spaces accessible to a diverse audience.
GGG began as an adhoc group of students from the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria. GGG’s name is derived from the title of a song from the musical, Gypsy. This would prove to define the style and nature of the work that was to come. Founded by Clayton Baraniuk, Jane Gaudet, and RJ Peters with a workshop of Gilbert and Sullivan music, over the following eight years Gotta Getta Gimmick became one of the biggest sources of opportunity for emerging theatre artists in Victoria.
Upon graduation from the Canadian College of Performing Arts, in the summer of 2002, the group began almost a decade long relationship with local tourism and entertainment giant The Butchart Gardens, creating opportunities for more than 50 emerging professional artists in over 20 different productions, with more than 1000 performances in and around the Greater Victoria area.
Gotta Getta Gimmick incorporated as a non-profit society in 2007, after 5 years of operation on a project-by-project basis. With administrative responsibilities mounting as quickly as the production schedules, founding member Clayton Baraniuk was enlisted in the role of Artistic Producer, bringing a renewed energy to the administration and a mandate to develop a more consistent presence for the company both as a source of opportunity as well as originality.
In 2009, the company created the role of Artistic Director, and with it the commitment of Brad L’Ecuyer to fill the position. The use of Artistic reflects the nature of Brad and Clayton’s relationship as co-administrators, as Brad is Gimmick’s original music director, while Clayton was production manager.
While carving out a niche in Victoria, GGG has generated interest and excitement for their brand of music theatre, attracting support, partnership and collaboration with some of Victoria’s most exciting theatre and arts institutions and organizations. GGG’s fresh approach to music theatre has seen a variety of unconventional locations from basements to orchards, sidewalk to staircases, steadily building a community audience and feeding the regions hunger for quality professional productions. Opportunities continue to blossom though Gotta Getta Gimmick’s uncanny ability to provide detailed, innovative productions, adapted to their surroundings and audience.
