From humble beginnings, Theatre Ancaster is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary
Amazing evolution for group that began as a decade of musicals produced with students from Ancaster High School
Light the candles. Cut the cake.
Theatre Ancaster, once the new kid on the block, is TWENTY.
What began in 1982 as a decade of high school musicals produced with students from Ancaster High School evolved into a highly professional, community theatre company in 1993, first performing as part of Ancaster’s Bicentennial Celebrations.
Many were involved in the company’s leap from school shows with 200 students to a company to rival area theatre groups.
Gord Conroy, Ralf Hakenberg and Al Croxall pulled-off the big transition and are still involved in what is today an ever-expanding Theatre Ancaster program.
Spokesperson Croxall recalls sitting on his back deck with Conroy and Hakenberg mulling over a request from the town’s Arts Council to do something for Ancaster’s big celebration.
“Just like Mickey Rooney, one of us said, ‘Let’s put on a show.’ So, we put together Broadway Hits Ancaster. People came. They liked what they saw. And we were in the business of making theatre.”
After several revue shows, the group tackled “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1995.
“It was a move toward doing big musicals with acting as well as song and dance. And there were more challenging sets, costumes, props and theatre demands,” Croxall says.
In 1997 Theatre Ancaster was formed from these many roots and the group performed “Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” to great acclaim.
“We had such good audience response,” Croxall recalls. “And we had a great facility at Ancaster High School for the staging of our productions. We were blessed because there were so many people who wanted to perform with us.”
“It’s all about learning,” Croxall says. “There’s a team of us who have learned about directing. Others have learned various aspects of stagecraft. We always think quality. We hire the very best musicians to play. And we insist that people are able to hear and see. That’s paramount.”
Over the years Theatre Ancaster has been lucky to have fine singers who do justice to the scores chosen.
“It’s quality and luck,” Croxall says. “Not everything we do is perfect. Some shows are naturally better than others, but this is, after all, a training ground for people who want to perform.
“We never want anyone to look bad. And yes, we’ve cheated now and then. We’ve used offstage voices to back up those out there carrying the show. And we’ve changed keys for songs to make things easier for the people on stage. Why not?”
Croxall says the choice of shows is always difficult.
“There are shows, like ‘Chicago,’ we’re dying to do but the rights are not available. And there are others that are, frankly, too difficult for us to produce. When we find just the right thing, like last season’s ‘Shrek,’ the box office goes through the roof.”
Not-so-popular productions for Ancaster over the years were “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in 2013, “Little Shop of Horrors” in 2000 and “Aida” in 2011.
“Who knows why some things sell and others don’t?” Croxall says. “Theatre Ancaster makes all of its shows as professional as possible, but we know we’re an amateur company. We don’t pretend to be anything else.”
Croxall thinks one of the reasons the company does so well is because it is not a closed shop. “We’ll take a risk on people. New people coming in are welcomed because they are vital to the group continuing. We’re fortunate to have lots of younger members now to take over the big jobs so we older ones can relax a little.”
Another thing: the company has always had a good rapport with local businesses that help sponsor shows.
“We don’t pay our performers,” Croxall says, “but some technical people are given remuneration, though sometimes they pay it back. We do find that now we sometimes have to pay to get people to do what we used to do for free.”
This season Theatre Ancaster is producing “Annie” in November and “Legends Gone Too Soon,” a musical entertainment in April. Both will be performed on the Ancaster High School stage.
The company’s Firehall Series will include “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in September and “Love Notes” in February. To find out about these, as well as Theatre Ancaster’s Young Company and Chorus shows, check out their website, TheatreAncaster.com.
To see some of their stagecraft, visit Fieldcote Museum where you can see Eliza Doolittle’s Ascot dress, Belle’s ball gown from “Beauty and the Beast,” the Mad Hatter’s outfit from “Shrek” and Joseph’s coat from you know which show.
Future plans for Theatre Ancaster include a Classics Program for people over 55 who want to be involved in shows done as concerts. “Company” will be the first of these.
Croxall says the company he helped found 20 years ago “is transitioning to younger people who are taking over the board of management as well as key positions.”
“I’m 77 and it’s time to pull back a little,” he laughs. “But doing this has kept me young. I watch kids coming into the theatre and they’re grandchildren of people I worked with 20 years ago. It’s all part of the history,” he says with a laugh.
We’re fortunate to have lots of younger members now to take over the big jobs so we older ones can relax a little. AL CROXALL
Gary Smith has written on theatre and dance for The Hamilton Spectator for more than 35 years.