Belleville Theatre Guild celebrates 75th anniversary with community fundraiser
The Belleville Theatre Guild is celebrating a milestone 75th anniversary with a special production that honours its past while helping ensure its future.
‘Scenes & Songs From Our First 75 Years’ will take audiences on a journey through seven-and-a-half decades of community theatre, spotlighting memorable scenes and songs from productions that have helped define the Guild since it was first founded in 1951.
While seventy-five years of theatre is undoubtedly an incredible milestone, the Guild says they must think about how they are going to successfully reach their next seventy-five.
Running from Sept. 9 to 13, 2026, the celebratory event will also serve as a fundraiser to support much-needed repairs and upgrades to the Guild’s aging lighting and sound system, helping the organization continue producing high-quality community theatre for years to come.
“This fundraiser allows our community to celebrate everything the Guild has accomplished while making a tangible investment in its future,” said Kodie Trahan-Guay, Director of Public Relations for the Belleville Theatre Guild. “Every ticket purchased helps us maintain the equipment and infrastructure that make our productions possible.”
Directed by Moira Nikander-Forrester, the five-performance production will bring together 20 local performers, with longtime Guild members performing alongside newcomers. The show will revisit scenes and songs representing each decade of the Guild’s history, with everything from Shakespearean classics to contemporary productions that demonstrate how the guild has evolved over the past 75 years.
“We have had so much fun bringing these scenes and songs back to life, and it has been fascinating to see how our theatre has evolved over the decades,” said Nikander-Forrester. “At the same time, knowing that this celebration will help fund important improvements to our lighting and sound booth makes it even more meaningful. We are celebrating where we have been while helping make sure there is a strong future ahead.”
According to Trahan-Guay, the Guild was founded by people with a shared passion for theatre and has remained true to that vision for three-quarters of a century.
“We make art and present it to the world,” they expressed. “Each production teaches everyone involved something. Hopefully the 75th show teaches people how dedication, perseverance and a love of the craft can unite us all.”
Organizers hope the anniversary show also provides an opportunity for people who have never attended a Belleville Theatre Guild production to experience the talent, passion, and dedication that exists within their community.
“We are all volunteers who are dedicated to the craft of theatre. There is so much history being represented in this production,” Trahan-Guay told Quinteist. “The impact the Theatre Guild has had on our lives is immeasurable. For so many of us theatre gives us more than just a way to have a creative output. It’s a place to find ourselves, see our stories represented and build a community.”
The Guild’s impact extends beyond those performing on stage, with dedicated audience members showing up and attending productions for decades, ensuring the Guild’s success.
“No matter the circumstances going on in their lives, they show up, put everything at the door and come together to make productions happen,” Trahan-Guay told Quinteist.
As part of its 75th anniversary, the Guild has also launched a memory-sharing project, inviting anyone whose life has been touched by the local theatre to submit stories to publicity@bellevilletheatreguild.ca to be featured on its website.
Tickets for ‘Scenes & Songs From Our First 75 Years’ are $50, with proceeds going towards upgrades to the Guild’s lighting and sound booth. Tickets are available through the Belleville Theatre Guild box office at 613-967-1442 or can be purchased online.