History

 

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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 4th and 5th 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 group draws actors, singers, dancers, carpenters, and a host of others from Elgin, nearby communities, and from as far away as Chicago. It draws its audience from the same area with most of the people living in and around Elgin.

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

It Runs in the Family - 2003

The Nerd - 2003

The Nerd - 2002

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

Annual meeting of ETC members - June 1957

Newspaper ad for 1998-1999 season.

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.

Membership card number 1, issued September 2, 1953.

Ticket to The Heiress for Saturday, October 24, 1953.

Ticket to The Heiress for Saturday October 24, 1953.

Elgin Cultural Arts Commission award - May 1996

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).

See the Photo Gallery for photos from selected productions.

ETC Play List by Season - 1952 to 1960

1952The Male Animal
1952-1953Detective Story Philadelphia StoryStalag 17
1953-1954The HeiressAngle In the PawnshopMister Roberts
1954-1955Come Back Little ShebaTen Little IndiansThe RobeThe Curious Savage
1955-1956My Three AnglesNight Must FallFirst Lady
1956-1957SuspectTwelfth NightSabrina Fair
1957-1958The Miner's Daughter or Trapped in a ShaftWitness for the ProsecutionTeahouse of the August Moon
1958-1959Death Takes a HolidayThe MousetrapBus Stop
1959-1960The Happiest MillionaireSummer and SmokeThe Girls in 509

ETC Play List by Season - 1960 to 1970

1960-1961Goodby My FancyThe Desperate HoursBlithe Spirit
1961-1962The Hasty HeartThe Man Who Came to DinnerPatterns
1962-1963You Can't Take it with YouRebeccaThe Silver Whistle
1963-1964Affairs of StateArsenic and Old LaceThe Willow and I
1964-1965Guest in the HouseOur TownBell Book and Candle
1965-1966Ah, WildernessCaine Mutiny Court MartialThe Fantasticks
1966-1967LilliomThe Wisdom of EveThe Boy Friend
1967-1968The Great SebastionsRansomPool's Paradise
1968-1969The Miracle WorkerNever Too Late
1969-1970Send me no FlowersAll The King's Men

ETC Play List by Season - 1970 to 1980

1970-1971The Odd CoupleDon't Drink the WaterA Thousand Clowns
1971-1972Front pageYou're a Good Man Charlie BrownThe Gazebo
1972-1973Dark of the MoonMary, MaryRope
1973-1974Roar of the Greasepaint Smell of the CrowdThe Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-The-Moon MarigoldsThe Last of the Red Hot Lovers
1974-1975Cat on a Hot Tin RoofPlaza SuiteGypsy
1975-1976Status Quo VadisFox River AnthologyYou Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's RunningGodspell
1976-1977Through a Child's EyesGodspellMatchmakerA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1977-1978FanfareApple TreePlay it Again Sam
1978-1979Finishing TouchesBreath of SpringCarnival
1979-1980See How They RunGaslightThe Sunshine Boys

ETC Play List by Season - 1980 to 1990

1980-1981Mr. ScroogeHarveyWhere's Charley
1981-1982Something's AfootMr. ScroogeLittle Mary SunshineSteambath
1982-1983Hay FeverThe HomecomingStop the World, I Want to Get Off
1983-1984Twelve Angry MenA Christmas Carol: Scrooge and MarleyJesus Christ SuperstarBus Stop
1984-1985Barefoot In the ParkWizard of OzOn Golden PondThe Fantasticks
1985-1986Sound of MusicGift of the Magi/Partridge in a Pear TreeBad SeedOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1986-1987AnnieIts a Wonderful LifeBrighton Beach MemoriesStory Theatre
1987-1988CarouselChristmas CarolBiloxi BluesA Little Night Music
1988-1989Guys and DollsIts a Wonderful LifeHarveyOnce Upon a MattressHouse of Blue Leaves
1989-1990Music ManMiracle on 34th StreetBroadway Bound Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect UpDon't Drink the Water

ETC Play List by Season - 1990 to 2000

1990-1991South PacificChristmas CarolDo Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect UpDial M for Murder
1991-1992OliverLife With FatherWhat a SpotPlaza Suite
1992-1993Fiddler on the Roof The Long Christmas Dinner and Amahl and the Night Visitor Glass MenagerieThe Odd Couple (female version)
1993-1994Annie Get Your GunChristmas SpectacularOn Golden PondBakers Wife
1994-1995Born YesterdayRagsCrimes of the HeartJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatShoah - Anne Frank and the Holocaust
1995-1996Fame The MusicalCinderellaMerrily We Roll AlongMarvin's RoomAmadeus
1996-1997GodspellAuntie MameThe Secret Garden
1997-1998You Can't Take It With YouI Hate Hamlet
1998-1999NunsenseArsenic and Old LaceA Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
1999-2000The Boy FriendBiloxi BluesDon't Drink The Water

ETC Play List by Season - 2000 to 2010

2000-2001DraculaBroadway BoundLend Me A Tenor
2001-2002RumorsThe NerdForever Plaid
2002-2003Perfect WeddingIt Runs in The FamilyCabaret
2003-2004Sly FoxThe Bleacher BumsLittle Shop of Horrors
2004-2005No Sex Please, We're BritishThe UnderpantsPippin
2005-2006Night of The Living DeadGodspellMoon Over Buffalo
2006-2007The Haunting of  Hill  HouseChildren's Letters to GodGet Smart
2007-2008See our Current Season for details
2008-2009
2001-2010

 

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This site was last updated 02/02/08