The Elgin Theatre Company (ETC), known until July 1, 2005, as the Elgin Community Theatre, was founded in the spring of 1952 as an evening adult education class at Elgin Community College (ECC). Its first production was The Male Animal on April 4^th and 5^th 1952 and its first full season of plays started in the fall of 1952. For over 50 seasons, ETC has continuously produced high quality adult entertainment for Elgin Illinois and the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

From its founding until the late 1960's ETC was supported by and closely associated with ECC but with its own governing body. Later it became a fully independent group. ETC was incorporated as a tax exempt not for profit corporation in 1970. Since its first production, ETC has been financially self supporting (however ETC gratefully accepts grants and donations from both private and public bodies).

The major functions of the group are:

• production of plays and
• education in the theatre art

The groups artistic direction has emphasized a mixture of popular musicals, comedies, dramas, and mysteries. ETC has attempted to meet the needs of a range of people with such offerings as Bus Stop, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Cane Mutiny Court Martial, South Pacific, Dracula, The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Cinderella, On Golden Pond, Steambath, The Fantasticks, Arsenic and Old Lace, Nunsense, Cabaret,  and Marvin's Room. The group tends not to produce many experimental, children's, or classic plays.

Other notable parts of ETC's history include:

• During the 1970's and early 1980's ETC produced the Elgin Summer Youth Theatre for the City of Elgin.
•  ETC has held numerous training classes and field trips for its members to improve their skills, both on stage and off stage.
• ETC has received numerous awards over the years. It has been rated by drama critics for many years as one of the best community theatres in the western suburbs of Chicago.
• ETC has held two play writing contests for Elgin authors. Its first play writing contest in 1975 and 1976 was held to celebrate the history of Elgin as part of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution.
• ETC produced its first musical, The Fantasticks, at the end of the 1965-1966 season. Fox River Anthology, produced in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution, was its first production of an original play.
• The name of the group was changed from Elgin Community Theatre to Elgin Theatre Company on July 1, 2005.
• ETC has produce the following original plays:

               Fox River Anthology - 1975
               Through a Child's Eyes - 1976
               Fanfare - 1977
               Its a Wonderful Life - 1986 and 1988
               Christmas Spectacular - 1993
               Shoah - Anne Frank and the Holocaust - 1995

Playbills

The following is a small selection of covers from ETC playbills over the years.

It Runs in the Family - 2003	The Nerd - 2002	The Silver Whistle - 1963
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? - 1990	Miracle on 34th Street - 1989	Pools Paradise - 1968
What a Spot - 1992	The Miracle Worker - 1968	The Long Christmas Dinner and Amahl and the Night Visitor - 1992
Ah Wilderness - 1965	Sabrina Fair - 1957	The Miner's Daughter or Trapped in the Shift - 1957
The Music Man - 1989	Gypsy - 1975	The Wisdom of Eve - 1967
Auntie Mame - 1997	Thru A Childs Eye - 1976	Twelve Angry Men - 1983

Historical Photos And Other Items

Photos from selected past and current productions can be found on the Photo Gallery page.

Annual meeting of ETC members - June 1957

Newspaper advertisement for the 1998-1999 season as published in The Courier News on October 8, 1998.

Membership card number 1, issued September 2, 1953.

Ticket to The Heiress for Saturday October 24, 1953.

One of several awards given, over the years, to the Elgin Theatre Company by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission for its "valuable contributions to culture and arts in Elgin." This award was present to ETC on May 1, 1996, by then Mayor Kevin Kelly at a ceremony held in Lords Park.

ETC Play List by Season

The following tables list each of the plays ETC has produced during each of its seasons (except for 1952, all seasons start in the fall of the first year listed).

• ETC Play List by Season - 1952 to 1960
• ETC Play List by Season - 1960 to 1970
• ETC Play List by Season - 1970 to 1980
• ETC Play List by Season - 1980 to 1990
• ETC Play List by Season - 1990 to 2000
• ETC Play List by Season - 2000 to 2010

See the Photo Gallery for photos from selected productions.

ETC Play List by Season - 1952 to 1960

ETC Play List by Season - 1960 to 1970

ETC Play List by Season - 1970 to 1980

ETC Play List by Season - 1980 to 1990

ETC Play List by Season - 1990 to 2000

ETC Play List by Season - 2000 to 2010

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This site was last updated 02/02/08