Our Governing Corporation & Resident Amateur Theatre Company

Mission Statement

The Goderich Little Theatre Exists:

· to facilitate, promote and present live community theatre for Goderich and area

· to provide high quality productions that entertain and educate our audiences

· to maintain and improve our historic Livery theatre for the benefit of the organization and the community at large.

Values Statements

We value and support other forms of artistic expression.

We affirm that we are a volunteer organization.

We strive to mentor and encourage youth.

We welcome participation by all interested members of the community.

Proudly one of the Country's longest running "little" theatres, the Goderich Little Theatre began in the autumn of 1946 as the Goderich Dramatic Club.

Organized by Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Peters, meetings of the newly formed drama club were held at the Peters' residence. There were no public performances, simply members of the group performing for the rest.

The group became a formal organization in 1947, and meetings were held at MacKay Hall for readings and discussions.

In 1948 the Goderich Dramatic Club sponsored and hosted the Annual Drama Festival, where local and area groups performed one act plays for an adjudicator and an audience at MacKay Hall.


During the years 1953-1954 the name changed to Goderich Little Theatre and it began performing its own productions independently from the Annual Drama Festival. Plays went on at MacKay Hall until 1983 when the Goderich Little Theatre moved its productions to

The Livery.

Since then, the dedication and vision of many skilled volunteers has brought the GLT up to a very high standard in performing arts projects.

 

From Stable to Stage...

"We may not be BIG, but we're small"

Records indicate that the rear portion of The Livery was erected during the 1840's as a harness shop by Samuel Seegmuller, trader in hides and whiskey along the Huron Trail between Guelph and Goderich. By 1878 A. M. Polley had added two sections, also in Maitland River stone, to the front of the early shop to accommodate his livery stable business. After the turn of the century, when horses gave way to automobiles, the building became the first local car dealership. In 1974 it was transformed into a building centre.
By 1978 it was slated for demolition. Goderich Town Council, however, recognizing the historical importance of the building, forestalled the demolition, allowing time for a private citizen, interested in the preservation of historic buildings, to intervene with a down payment on the property.
A local architect recognized its potential as a theatre. Soon, a group of enthusiasts formed the Goderich Arts Foundation, dedicated to the recycling of The Livery as a focal point for promotion of the Arts. The Livery building was purchased by the Goderich Little Theatre (GLT), with the support of this community, several years later.
The Livery, as a non-profit corporation under the GLT, opened in 1983 as the community’s Arts Centre and has met with much success in the last two decades.
 

WHAT THE LIVERY HOUSES NOW....

STAGE PLAYS

Each season, The Livery presents a number of theatrical productions under the flag of the Goderich Little Theatre. Using the talents of hundreds of volunteers, both young and old, the community can experience quality dramas, comedies, musicals and historical presentations.

FILM

The Livery also runs a film series between September and April of national and international films not generally available to patrons in rural Ontario . Working with the Toronto Film Festival and Film Circuit Board we offer up to 7 films per season. A volunteer committee orchestrates the entire program and the audience averages 1500 per season.

MUSIC & FESTIVALS

Whether showcasing professional performing artists from across the country or presenting local talent, The Livery takes pride in each event. These licensed concerts vary in theme and highlight a variety of genres such as jazz, blues, slapstick comedy, opera scenes, magic acts...you name it.

The Livery is also home to the international festival in Goderich, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. The Livery becomes a classroom for a top-notch sound course, private concert hall and common room for international performers and teachers during the Festival’s college at the beginning of August.

The Livery has also played host the the West Coast Blues Fest for two successful years. It is the stage for the "Main Event" hosting up to 3 Blues acts and sees up to 400 eager Blues enthusiasts.  

YOUTH PROGRAMS

 In recent years, the Livery has had the pleasure of hosting a number of programs for young performers, including the incredibly successful “ Actors Without Equity”  and an joint initiative with GDCI - Drama in the Community, as well as the popular "Gairbraid Theatre Company". It has the arts and theatrical training ground for our community youth and offers a unique and well-equipped facility for their training.

PRIVATE RENTALS

 The Livery is a popular meeting space for non-profit charities. In the last few years, we're proud to be host to many community awareness and fund-raising campaigns for the Cancer Foundation, Scouts Canada, IODE, OSPCA, GDCI Drama, Rotary Club, Goderich BIA, Canada Youth International, McKay Choristers, Canadian Parents for French, Alzheimer’s Society, Reuben R. Sallows Art Gallery and Breast Cancer Foundation.