CAT History
Our STORY
Formed in 1970, CAT is a non-profit society in Alberta governed by the Societies’ Act, member-approved bylaws, a set of written, Board-approved policies and procedures, and a member-elected Board of Directors. It’s a community theatre organization that has presented live theatre to Central Alberta for over 50 years, making it one of the oldest not-for-profit, volunteer-based community theatre companies in Canada. CAT was warmly received at its inception by the citizens of Red Deer and district and began by performed mostly musicals in various locations including the Memorial Centre and Red Deer College (now Red Deer Polytechnic).
In 1994 CAT assumed operation of the Memorial Centre, a 700-seat venue, from the City of Red Deer. Originally part of the A-20 Training Camp during WWII, what we now know as the Memorial Centre was the camp’s drill hall. It was converted into an auditorium in 1951. At that time the hall was given its current name and renovated to include a memorial wall in the lobby as a tribute to people from Red Deer and district who lost their lives in World Wars I and II.
CAT Studios
The CAT Studios addition was completed in 2002 and consists of an office area, an intimate performance space with fully-licensed concession called Studio Theatre (a.k.a. Nickle Studio), rehearsal spaces, workshops, costumes and props storage areas, an elevator, a Member Lounge with kitchen, plus other areas.
Memorial Centre
The Memorial Centre auditorium hosts concerts, dance recitals, comedians, theatre, and other public events. Its auditorium is the largest soft-seat performing arts facility in the City. It houses 700 seats including 8 permanent wheelchair spaces. It has full theatrical lighting and sound equipment, and newly renovated dressing rooms. The upper lobby has a Box Office and an administration office; the lower lobby has a fully-licensed concession and two main washrooms. The lower lobby also has a passage connection to CAT Studios and their facilities.
Charity
We have been registered as a nonprofit organization with the province of Alberta since 1977, and are also registered with Revenue Canada as a Charitable organization.
# 118842632 RR 0001
CAT Productions since 1970
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1970
Oklahoma (Nov. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
1971
South Pacific (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
The Odd Couple (June Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
1972
Most Happy Fella (Mar. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
1973
The Boyfriend (Mar. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Playboy of the Western World (Nov. Main Stage, RDC)
1974
Annie Get Your Gun (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
1975
Oliver (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Oct. Main Stage, RDC)
Of Mice & Men (Dec., Main Stage, RDC)
1976
Fiddler on the Roof (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Fantasticks (Nov. Main Stage, RDC)
1977
My Fair Lady (May Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
See How They Run (Nov. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
A Christmas Carol (Dec. Main Stage, RDC)
1978
Carousel (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Nov. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
A Christmas Carol (Dec. Main Stage, RDC)
1979
Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Kiss Me Kate (May Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
The Odd Couple (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club Innisfail)
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1980
How the Other Half Loves (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Guys & Dolls (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Same Time Next Year (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1981
Butterflies Are Free (Feb. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Jesus Christ Superstar (May Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Norman Is That You? (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1982
Barefoot in the Park (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Play It Again Sam (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Alberta One Acts Drama Festival (Mar. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
The Sound of Music (May Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Relatively Speaking (July Main Stage, RDC)
Deathtrap (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1983
Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
The King & I (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Chicago (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1984
Star Spangled Girl (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Chapter Two (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
West Side Story (May Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Absurd Person Singular (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1985
Something Familiar (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Arsenic & Old Lace (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Gypsy (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
The Secretary Bird (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
1986
California Suite (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
The Mumberley Inheritance (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Grease (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
A Dish of Cream (Oct. Main Stage, RDC)
Fourposter (Nov. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
The Music Man (Nov. Main Stage, RDC)
1987
Move Over Mrs. Markham (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Four on a Garden (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Camelot (Apr. Main Stage, RDC)
We’ll Meet Again (Sept. Dinner Theatre?)
The Vestry – The Time and the Place (Oct. Dinner Theatre?)
Peter Pan (Dec. Main Stage, RDC)
1988
Tribute (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
The Odd Couple – Female Version (Feb. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Singin’ in the Rain (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Air Raid and Siren Songs (Oct. Dinner Theatre, Legion)
1989
Who’s On First? (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
There Goes the Bride (Feb. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
Sweeny Todd (June Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
A Shot in the Dark (Oct. Dinner Theatre, Elks)
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1990
The Man With the Plastic Sandwich (Jan. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
When Did You Last See Your Trousers? (Mar. Dinner Theatre, Elks Club)
The Lady’s Not For Burning (Apr. Main Stage, RDC)
Murder at the Howard Johnson’s (Dec. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1991
Prisoner of Second Avenue (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Rough Crossing (Mar. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Oklahoma (Apr. Main Stage, RDC)
1992
Second Time Around (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Beginnings (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Man of La Mancha (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Ladies in Retirement (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1993
Chief Shaking Spear Rides Again (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Twice Around the Park (Mar. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Brigadoon (Apr. Main Stage, RDC)
Daddy’s Dying, Who’s Got the Will? (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1994
Marriage is Murder (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Cemetery Club (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Nunsense I (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Foreigner (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1995
Don’t Start Without Me (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Button (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Absurd Person Singular (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1996
Nunsense II (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Babes in Arms (Apr. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Steel Magnolias (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1997
Let’s Murder Marsha (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
You Say Tomatoes (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
No Sex Please, We’re British (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Narnia (July Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Evita (Oct. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Wife Begins at Forty (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1998
Deathtrap (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Bedside Manners (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
London Suite (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Phantom of the Opr’y (Aug. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Touch and Go (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
1999
Mousetrap (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Lend Me a Tenor (Mar. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
When the Cat’s Away (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Secret Garden (Sept. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
No Sex Please, We’re British (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Affections of May (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
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2000
You Can’t Get There From Here (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Run For Your Wife (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Jesus Christ Superstar (Mar. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Squabbles (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Sept. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Out of Sight…Out of Murder (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
See How They Run (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2001
Relatively Speaking (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Long Weekend (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Meanwhile Back on the Couch (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Funny Money (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Who’s Under Where? (Dec. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2002
Chapter Two (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
When We Are Married (Feb. Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Alone Together (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Norman, Is That You? (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Return Engagements (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Move Over, Mrs. Markham (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2003
Social Security (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Wild Guys (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
All in Good Time (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Anniversary (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
I Take This Man (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2004
Sinners (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Windfall (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Bingo (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
The Foursome (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
A Christmas Cactus (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2005
Same Time Next Year (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Curious Savage (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Corpse (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
A Bedfull of Foreigners (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Caught In the Net (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
2006
Opening Night (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Self-Help (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
When the Reaper Calls (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Brighton Beach Memoirs (March Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
One-Act Play Festival “Come to the Cabaret” (June, Nickle Studio)
Weekend Comedy (Oct. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Nuncrackers (Nov. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
A Christmas Carol (December, Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
2007
A Bench in the Sun (Jan. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Blithe Spirit (Feb. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
Theft (Apr. Dinner Theatre, BKI)
One Act Play Festival “Come to the Cabaret” (June Nickle Studio)
Shrunken Heads (Oct Dinner Theatre BKI)
Ethan Claymore (Nov Dinner Theatre BKI)
2008
Guilty Conscience (Jan Dinner Theatre BKI)
Anne of Green Gables (Jan Main Stage, Memorial Centre)
Sylvia (Feb. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Drinking Alone (Mar. Dinner Theatre BKI
One Act Play Festival “Come to the Cabaret” (June Nickle Studio)
Having Hope at Home (Oct. Dinner Theatre BKI)
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of a Christmas Carol (Nov. Dinner Theatre BKI)
2009
And Then the Lights Went Out (Jan. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Shirley Valentine (Jan. Nickle Studio)
Perfect Wedding (Feb. Dinner Theatre BKI)
The Nerd (Mar. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Alice in Wonderland (June Main Stage Memorial Centre)
Novel House (Oct. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Forget-Me-Knot (Nov. Dinner Theatre BKI)
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2010
Outlaw (Jan. Dinner Theatre BKI)
The Love List (Feb. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Heatstroke (Mar. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Pull up the Drawbridge (May Nickle Studio)
One Act Cabaret (June Nickle Studio)
Waiting For the Parade (Oct. Dinner Theatre BKI)
Dry Streak (Nov. Dinner Theatre BKI)
2011
Jenny’s House of Joy (Jan. Dinner Theatre BKI)
The Reluctant Resurrection of Sherlock Holmes (Feb. Dinner Theatre BKI)
The Nun’s Trail (April Dinner Theatre BKI)
2011
Sexy Laundry (Oct. Dinner Theatre City Centre Stage)
Maggie’s Getting Married (Nov. Dinner Theatre City Centre Stage)
The Christmas Tree (Dec. Nickle studio)
2012
Fishing for Frank (Jan. Dinner Theatre City Centre Stage)
Booster McCrane P.M. (Feb. Dinner Theatre City Centre Stage)
The Psychic (March Dinner Theatre City Centre Stage)
Asylum (April City Centre Stage)
Greater Tuna (Sept Memorial Centre)
My Three Angels (Nov Memorial Centre)
2013
Bloom (Feb Nickle Studio)
On Golden Pond (Mar Memorial Centre)
Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Apr Nickle Studio)
Butterflies are Free (Sep. Nickle Studio)
Steel Magnolias (Nov City Centre Stage)
Cinderella Dances with the Stars (Panto) (Dec Memorial Centre)
2014
Sylvia (Jan. City Centre Stage)
The Oldest Profession (Feb Nickle Studio)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Mar City Centre Stage)
Looking (May Nickle Studio)
Rounding Third (Oct Nickle Studio)
My Narrator/The Death of Me (Nov Quality Inn)
2015
Deadly Murder (Jan Quality Inn)
Wrong Turn at Lungfish (Feb Nickle Studio)
Sadie Flynn Comes to Big Oak (Mar Quality Inn)
Wild Dust (Oct Quality Inn)
37 Postcards (Nov Quality Inn)
2016
Gladys in Wonderland (Jan Quality Inn)
Evelyn Strange (Mar Quality Inn)
The Fox on the Fairway (Oct BKI)
Making God Laugh (Nov BKI)
2017
Soul Mate (Jan BKI)
The Melville Boys (Feb BKI)
5 Women Wearing the Same Dress (Mar Nickle Studio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet (Sep Nickle Studio)
Buying the Moose (Oct BKI)
Self Help (Nov BKI)
2018
Unnecessary Farce (Jan BKI)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: One Acts (Feb Nickle Studio)
Mending Fences (Mar BKI)
Some Girl(s) (Apr Nickle Studio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four (Jun Nickle Studio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Second Stain (Sep Nickle Studio)
Crimes of the Heart (Oct/Nov BKI)
Every Christmas Story Ever Told and Then Some (Nov/Dec BKI)
2019
Cliffhanger (Jan/Feb BKI)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: (Feb Nickle Studio)
Real Estate (Mar BKI)
Blood Relations (May Nickle Studio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: (Jun Nickle Studio)
The Love “row” Boat (Nov BKI)
Whole-In-One (Dec BKI)
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2020
Willow Quartet (Jan BKI)
As Long As We Both Shall Live (Feb BKI)
Fully Committed (Mar Nickle Studio)
2021-22
All Together Now (Oct Memorial Centre)
Miracle on 34th Street (Nov Festival Hall)
Fully Committed (Feb Festival Hall)
Hilda’s Yard (March Festival Hall )
2022-23
Comfort Cottages (Oct. Festival Hall
An Act of Imagination (Nov. Festival Hall)
The Lonely Diner (Feb Festival Hall)
Stag & Doe (Mar Festival Hall)
2023-24
The Memory of Water (Oct Nickle Studio)
The Charitable Sisterhood Christmas Spectacular (Nov Festival Hall)
The Gentleman Clothier (Feb Festival Hall)
The Birds and Bees (Mar Festival Hall)
On a First Name Basis (Jan Nickle Studio)