Fonds paa-7244 - Calgary Theatre Singers fonds

The Calgary Theatre Singers (CTS) was founded in 1959 by Eileen Higgin, a singing teacher and the wife of Elgar Higgin, who was also involved in Calgary's musical scene. Eileen founded CTS to help Calgary singers develop their experience on stage; she produced their annual musical productions. The Calgary Theatre Singers were incorporated under the <em>Societies Act</em> on July 30, 1959, to present, produce, manage conduct and represent such amateur plays, dramas, comedies, operas, burlesques, pantomimes, revues, promenade and other concerts, musical and other pieces, ballets, shows, exhibitions, variety and other entertainments that the Society saw fit, as well as to promote, encourage, and assist in the education of amateur performers. CTS's first productions in 1960 were Mozart's "The Impresario" and Kurt Weill's "Down in the Valley." CTS provided scholarships to encourage talented singers, dancers and actors to develop their talents. After twenty years of amateur productions, the 1978 production of "An Evening With Noel Coward" was CTS's first professional production. This change, principally removing "amateur" from their objectives, was approved at the July 5, 1977 meeting of the CTS and registered July 14, 1977 with the Alberta Government. CTS was then the only group in Western Canada specializing in musical theatre. The Calgary Theatre Singers was dissolved in 1980.