In the early 1940s a very talented and highly
dedicated teacher taught drama in Room 14 at Western Canada High
School. Her name was Betty Mitchell and her methods were avant-garde at
the time. Her pupils were so inspired to continue in theatre after
leaving high school that Miss Mitchell constituted an amateur theatre
company. This was the birth of Workshop 14. From 1959 through 1965
Workshop 14 thrived. It later amalgamated with the Musicians and Actors
Club, housed in the old Isis Movie House, across the railway tracks on
First Street S.W., and became Mac 14.
By the end of the 1960's Theatre
Calgary emerged from Mac 14 and it was felt that a community theatre
arm should continue in the footsteps of what had been a noble element
in Calgary's theatre scene. Workshop Theatre emerged and mounted its
first season in 1969-1970.
Workshop Theatre is Calgary's longest
running community theatre organization. This volunteer-operated
organization performs four main stage productions during the year all at the Pumphouse Theatre.
Workshop Theatre produces some of the best community theatre in Calgary with
past and present hits from the New York and London stages using
non-equity performers and backstage crews from the Calgary area.
Workshop Theatre is committed to providing local theatre enthusiasts an opportunity to develop and master their performance and stagecraft skills.
40 Years and counting!