Theatre Woodstock was formed in 1946.
Woodstock Little Theatre (to use its original name) was actually formed twice: in 1934 and in 1946.
Community, or Little Theatre, organizations to promote live amateur theatre only began in Canada after the First World War. Prior to that, most live theatre in Woodstock was provided by travelling theatre groups in the form of minstrel shows, benefits, concerts and one-act plays. Performances, between 1853 and 1893, were usually held in the social hall of the Woodstock Town Hall (now, the upper hall of Woodstock Museum).
Great encouragement to local live theatre was provided when Governor General Bessborough founded the Dominion Drama Festival in 1932. This annual competition judged the performances of Little Theatres across Canada and also recognized their best players.
Woodstock Little Theatre (W.L.T.) was first formed in 1934, by Lee Bennett, Fred Gould, Arthur Farmer, Kathleen Henson and Margaret Thornton. For five years, W.L.T. staged one-act plays at the Town Hall, only stopping when World War II began in 1939.
When the war ended, another group met in September, 1946, to restart Woodstock Little Theatre: Don and Clindie Iredale, Wilf and Barbara Cleaver, Madelon Hicks, Sid Harrison, Louise Glennie, Valerie Smith, Janet Egan and Francis Gibson
London’s Little Theatre group presented ‘Ten Little Indians’, on Dec. 7, 1946, in the Woodstock Collegiate Institute auditorium. Woodstock Little Theatre began its own productions on Jan. 31, 1947, with a series of one-act plays in the recreation hall of what had been, during World War II, the Army Training Centre at the Woodstock Fairgrounds. By May, 1947, productions had moved to the Woodstock Collegiate Institute auditorium and three-act plays were now being presented, such as ‘Blithe Spirit’ and ‘The Barretts of Wimpole Street’. Stage sets were built in the basement of the Oxford Court House, then moved to W.C.I.
A theatre workshop was needed, and the Hunter Street Badminton Club, in effect, donated (sold for one dollar) a piece of property on which the W.L.T. then built a two-storey workshop. In addition, the upper hall of the Badminton Club was rented to provide space for a small theatre, rehearsal room and kitchen. Unfortunately, a fire in 1954 destroyed the workshop and the Club’s roof. Repairs were made, with much volunteer help given to the contractor.
Performances, still presented at Woodstock Collegiate, drew audiences of up to 2000 during the 1950s and early 1960s. But then box-office receipts began to drop as the audience for live-theatre moved away to movies, radio and TV. Woodstock Little Theatre responded, in 1968, by moving performance to the theatre workshop, then by offering theatre and voice training for children at Fanshawe College. Cabaret evenings were arranged and many other measures taken to increase the local interest and audience for live theatre. By 1980, persistence and hard work had increased local support enough to pay for renovations to the theatre facilities at Hunter Street. Its audience was now rewarded with comfortable seating, a non-leaking roof, and a glare-free auditorium. But, it soon became clear that the Little Theatre’s existing facilities were inadequate and suited neither the growing audience nor the technical needs of modern theatre.
Partly funded by Woodstock Little Theatre, a study began in late 1990 into the performance arts needs of Woodstock. Its report clearly established the need for a new theatre. W.L.T. proposed that the then-aging Market Building be renovated to include a 250-seat theatre at its east end. Woodstock City Council accepted the proposal in April, 1994, and the project’s about $2 million cost was split equally between the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Woodstock and Woodstock Little Theatre.
The reworked Market Centre opened to the public in 1996. Its first theatre production was ‘Anne of Green Gables’, which ran from April 12 to 21.
Over the years, Woodstock Little Theatre has taken part in many drama festivals at regional, provincial and national levels. Its productions and players have frequently won honours for best play, director, actor or actress. A name that occurs more than once in its honour roll is that of Lee Bennett: winning Best Actress award in ‘Someone Waiting’, in 1964, and in ‘The Last Real Summer’, in 1988. A recent production, Orphans, won the Best Play award in the 2000 Theatre Ontario Finals.
Sources:
Community, or Little Theatre, organizations to promote live amateur theatre only began in Canada after the First World War. Prior to that, most live theatre in Woodstock was provided by travelling theatre groups in the form of minstrel shows, benefits, concerts and one-act plays. Performances, between 1853 and 1893, were usually held in the social hall of the Woodstock Town Hall (now, the upper hall of Woodstock Museum).
Great encouragement to local live theatre was provided when Governor General Bessborough founded the Dominion Drama Festival in 1932. This annual competition judged the performances of Little Theatres across Canada and also recognized their best players.
Woodstock Little Theatre (W.L.T.) was first formed in 1934, by Lee Bennett, Fred Gould, Arthur Farmer, Kathleen Henson and Margaret Thornton. For five years, W.L.T. staged one-act plays at the Town Hall, only stopping when World War II began in 1939.
When the war ended, another group met in September, 1946, to restart Woodstock Little Theatre: Don and Clindie Iredale, Wilf and Barbara Cleaver, Madelon Hicks, Sid Harrison, Louise Glennie, Valerie Smith, Janet Egan and Francis Gibson
London’s Little Theatre group presented ‘Ten Little Indians’, on Dec. 7, 1946, in the Woodstock Collegiate Institute auditorium. Woodstock Little Theatre began its own productions on Jan. 31, 1947, with a series of one-act plays in the recreation hall of what had been, during World War II, the Army Training Centre at the Woodstock Fairgrounds. By May, 1947, productions had moved to the Woodstock Collegiate Institute auditorium and three-act plays were now being presented, such as ‘Blithe Spirit’ and ‘The Barretts of Wimpole Street’. Stage sets were built in the basement of the Oxford Court House, then moved to W.C.I.
A theatre workshop was needed, and the Hunter Street Badminton Club, in effect, donated (sold for one dollar) a piece of property on which the W.L.T. then built a two-storey workshop. In addition, the upper hall of the Badminton Club was rented to provide space for a small theatre, rehearsal room and kitchen. Unfortunately, a fire in 1954 destroyed the workshop and the Club’s roof. Repairs were made, with much volunteer help given to the contractor.
Performances, still presented at Woodstock Collegiate, drew audiences of up to 2000 during the 1950s and early 1960s. But then box-office receipts began to drop as the audience for live-theatre moved away to movies, radio and TV. Woodstock Little Theatre responded, in 1968, by moving performance to the theatre workshop, then by offering theatre and voice training for children at Fanshawe College. Cabaret evenings were arranged and many other measures taken to increase the local interest and audience for live theatre. By 1980, persistence and hard work had increased local support enough to pay for renovations to the theatre facilities at Hunter Street. Its audience was now rewarded with comfortable seating, a non-leaking roof, and a glare-free auditorium. But, it soon became clear that the Little Theatre’s existing facilities were inadequate and suited neither the growing audience nor the technical needs of modern theatre.
Partly funded by Woodstock Little Theatre, a study began in late 1990 into the performance arts needs of Woodstock. Its report clearly established the need for a new theatre. W.L.T. proposed that the then-aging Market Building be renovated to include a 250-seat theatre at its east end. Woodstock City Council accepted the proposal in April, 1994, and the project’s about $2 million cost was split equally between the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Woodstock and Woodstock Little Theatre.
The reworked Market Centre opened to the public in 1996. Its first theatre production was ‘Anne of Green Gables’, which ran from April 12 to 21.
Over the years, Woodstock Little Theatre has taken part in many drama festivals at regional, provincial and national levels. Its productions and players have frequently won honours for best play, director, actor or actress. A name that occurs more than once in its honour roll is that of Lee Bennett: winning Best Actress award in ‘Someone Waiting’, in 1964, and in ‘The Last Real Summer’, in 1988. A recent production, Orphans, won the Best Play award in the 2000 Theatre Ontario Finals.
Sources:
- ‘The Market Centre Grand Opening March 24, 1996,’ Woodstock Museum brochure
- The Earl of Bessborough - www.gg.ca/history/bios/bessborough_e.html
