Borja Brown
We’re happy to announce Borja Brown will be joining the UBC Theatre and Film staff, facilitating the use of the many rehearsal, classroom and performing spaces, and the technical direction needs of our staff, faculty, students and rental clients.
Bio:
Borja’s passion for theatre production was sparked at Hillside Secondary School, The day after graduation Borja hopped a bus to The Banff Centre for Fine Arts and has never looked back. She continued her studies at Simon Fraser University and Niagara College Theatre Centre, from which she graduated with Honours.
With expertise in stage management, lighting design, technical direction and production management, Borja’s extensive career has taken her across the globe. Borja’s professional career started at Expo 86 on the stage management team for National and Special Days, which featured a new international show every morning. Borja then became the Technical Director at the Firehall Arts Centre, where she worked with many of Vancouver’s most influential theatre creators.
While at the Firehall, Borja developed a passion for dance and in 1992 joined Toronto’s award winning contemporary company Dancemakers. As Lighting Designer and Technical Director, Borja designed three of Serge Bennathan’s new works and oversaw both national and international tours including Germany and the company’s premier in New York City at the prestigious Joyce Theatre.
Borja honed her logistics skills in event management. She has worked with Vancouver’s top event producers including Fireworks Marketing Group and BC Event Management. For nearly twenty years she played a key role in creating signature award winning events; favourite projects include – Victoria’s Commonwealth Games, the Half Time show for the Grey Cup, BC International Conference on Aids, a complete overhaul of the Van Dusen Flower and Garden Show events for Amway Japan (in Hawaii) and Volkswagen (in Japan), as well as sponsorship fulfillment for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Borja has been mentoring students and junior colleagues throughout her career. She had three years experience working for the Douglas College Stagecraft program, where she led students in hands on, practical instruction including carpentry, lighting, and general shop and backs stage safety. After leaving Douglas, Borja continued to serve as an occasional guest lecturer for the program as well as leading lighting design workshops for the Langara College Display and Design Program.
Most recently Borja served as production Manager for The Cultch. During her four-year tenure she oversaw the grand re-opening of the York Theatre, and coordinated over twenty main stage presentations and sixty rentals shows each year, including the creation of Vancouver’s favourite new holiday classic – The East Van Panto.