Gabe Prendergast

PRENDERGAST, Gabriel (Gabe) (1934-2000)
Actor, Director, Educator

Gabriel Prendergast was born in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand, to parents Maurice and Colleen on January 23, 1934.

He spent 4 years studying law at the University of Auckland before being bitten by the ‘theatre bug’. After a three month trip across Asia in 1960 Gabe discovered that he’d been accepted as a senior directing student at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in England.

After graduation, with no real prospects for employment and a new baby, Gabe and wife Audrey decided to stay in Bristol at the Theatre School as an assistant stage manager and learn 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. Though he knew nothing of Regina except ‘that it was a place of sub-zero temperature’ Prendergast accepted the job and he and his family moved to Regina.

Prendergast retired in 1998 from the Department of Theatre at the University of Regina. He taught stage management and technical theatre training courses, was involved in over 200 productions and was, for a time, the department head. Many of his former students have gone on to enjoy professional careers all across North America.

Gabriel shared the last years of his life with his partner Sharon Blue, enjoying his four daughters and his grandchildren, he retired in 1998.

Gabriel Prendergast, Professor Emeritus, 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 he was inducted into the Margaret Woodward Memorial Saskatchewan Theatre Hall of Fame.

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