The Great Canadian Theatre Company — whose mandate, as the name suggests, is to prompt examination of Canada and its place in the world — celebrates its 50th anniversary this season with a mix of comedies, musicals and dramas, including a world premiere.
The GCTC’s current location at Holland Avenue and Wellington Street has boosted the neighbourhood too, drawing audiences and increasing foot traffic to nearby restaurants, cafés and shops.
The 2024-25 anniversary season debuted Sept. 24 with The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine, a classic Canadian comedy about a couple living in a cramped basement apartment where they must navigate cohabitation.
Artistic director Sarah Kitz told Capital Current the debut production was inspired by a conversation with director Geoff McBride. McBride had said that he wished he could direct a cartoon on stage. “I thought to myself, well, I know what play that could be. And if it’s that play, it must be these actors,” Kitz said.
Drew Moore, the lead actor playing Ernest in the anniversary’s debut show, said he was honoured at being chosen for the 50th anniversary. “GCTC is like a home to me,” he said, noting that it was the theatre where he did his first professional performance. Over the past 10 years, he has returned multiple times to take part in various productions.
The GCTC lobby is also where he met his current partner, Maryse Fernandes, who stars in the production as Ernestine. Moore said this production was on his bucket list because of its silly nature and his longstanding desire to perform in a two-hander, a play with only two main characters.
A brief history of GCTC
The GCTC was founded in 1975 by professors and students from Carleton University, who initially held performances on campus. Peter Robb, a former journalist with the Ottawa Citizen, worked at the GCTC from 1982 to 1985, during the pivotal years when the company was establishing itself as a professional theatre organization.
The original theatre, on Gladstone Avenue, was where Robb worked in the 1980s. “It was originally a truck garage … but because it was sort of a big open building, you could put a theatre in there quite successfully. And that’s what they did.”
Robb took the job at the GCTC out of necessity, but he was no stranger to the world of theatre. Robb says, “I had interest in theatre … I liked the process … there’s something about working with like-minded people on a goal that’s right in front of you.” While he worked at GCTC, it competed with two other independent theatre companies. By the time he left, GCTC was the only one left.
In establishing GCTC, Bill Law, Robin Mathews, Greg Reid, Larry McDonald and Lois Shannon decided it would feature all-Canadian programming. This commitment to Canadian stories and culture continues to be a cornerstone of GCTC’s mission.
A positive community impact
John March, a 15-year employee at a nearby restaurant, The Wood on Wellington, says, “Over the years they have provided an influx of people coming to the theatre that have … used restaurants around the neighbourhood.”
March, who has enjoyed many performances at GCTC with his daughter, speaks highly of the venue’s impact on the community. “I know the staff is fantastic. We see the staff in here all the time. They’re great,” he says.
Wellington West BIA Executive Director, Aron Slipacoff says the GCTC is “the iconic pillar in Wellington West.” The BIA says it is actively seeking future collaborations with the GCTC to foster community engagement.
Artistic director Kitz says that GCTC has made a massive contribution to the surrounding community. “I think GCTC is partly responsible for the heartbeat of the theatre community, not wholly responsible, no one company can ever do that. But it’s stitched into the fabric of culture in Ottawa and particularly, of course, the theatre scene,” Kitz says.
50th Anniversary Lineup
Following The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine is the world premiere of Beowulf in Afghanistan, on Nov. 12, which focuses on a Canadian soldier who believes he is Beowulf, blending the ancient with modern military experiences. FLOP! An Improvised Musical Fiasco, is a spontaneous musical comedy taking place Dec. 10.
As the season progresses, it features Why It’s Impossible, on Jan. 21, which explores the nuances of mother-daughter relationships and navigating difficult conversations. The season concludes March 18 to 30, 2025 with Vierge, a coming-of-age story of four Congolese-Canadian girls navigating Christianity and a new church community.
“Over the years, you know GCTC has managed to be in tune with its times, but also generally putting on good work and building up a sense of professionalism about the place,” says Robb.
“I think, that’s what you get after 50 years, you sort of get a tradition, a history.”
