Presentation House Theatre welcomes Keltie Forsyth as Artistic Director
North Vancouver, BC Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories – As Presentation House Theatre (PHT) prepares to bid farewell to its beloved Artistic Director Kim Selody, who is retiring, the company is elated to announce Keltie Forsyth as the new incoming Artistic Director, set to begin in February 2025. Forsyth brings a wealth of experience to this position. She is one of the co-Artistic Directors of Ensemble Theatre Company and currently serves as the Director of Operations at PuSh Festival. The 2025 PuSh Festival will be her third and last in the role.
Forsyth holds Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia and a BA from the University of Alberta’s Department of Drama. She began her career in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) as General Manager of Workshop West Theatre and co-curator of their Canoe Theatre Festival. Forsyth has worked as an arts manager, freelance director, instructor, grant writer, and Associate Artistic Director of Pi Theatre. She has served in a number of teaching roles at UBC, including as the director of the 2018 production She Kills Monsters. Forsyth has been with the PuSh Festival since 2022 as its Director of Operations and will be overseeing the 2025 Festival before transitioning full-time to Presentation House Theatre. She is deeply appreciative of the staff team at PuSh, who have made the work so joyful, and of the community in the lower mainland who have accepted her in a multiplicity of roles.
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Presentation House Theatre,” shares Forsyth. “It is a privilege to build upon the incredible work that Kim, Andrea, the staff and board have done. I am excited to work with, and alongside, the diverse communities from across North Vancouver that Presentation House serves. This position is truly a dream job for me, and I can’t wait to get started.”
PHT Managing Director Andrea Loewen expresses her enthusiasm at Forsyth’s appointment, “I am very excited to bring Keltie on board and work side-by-side with her to lead Presentation House! Her artistic and operational experience shines bright, as does her relational approach, and I know she will do interesting things artistically with our producing, presenting, and community engaged work.”
Selody, whose thirteen-year tenure has seen PHT grow in reach and community impact, reflects on his decision to retire, “After over a dozen years here at PHT, I realized it was a good time for me to step aside and create an opportunity for someone new to get a chance to play here. Our little team has grown the organization, and we have accomplished so much together. It has been a great adventure for me, and I know it will be for Keltie as well!”
“Presentation House Theatre and its artists have experienced wonderful growth under Kim Selody’s leadership, locally and internationally,” says PHT Board Chair, Rafael McRaven. “Looking to the future, I think the North Shore is incredibly fortunate to have Keltie Forsyth joining its communities. She’s one of those special arts leaders that has deep organizational knowledge and artistic prowess.”
Over the coming months, Forsyth will work closely with the PHT team to ensure a smooth transition. Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to connect at www.phtheatre.org/