The Belleville Theatre Guild is celebrating 75 years of community theatre with a very special production that looks back at the Guild’s remarkable history while helping build its future.
Scenes & Songs From Our First 75 Years will take audiences on a journey through seven-and-a-half decades of Belleville Theatre Guild productions, featuring memorable scenes and songs representing each decade since the Guild’s founding in 1951.
The five-performance celebration runs September 9–13, with tickets priced at $50.
But this production is about more than celebrating the past. It is a fundraiser for the future of the Belleville Theatre Guild.
Proceeds from the performances will go toward much-needed equipment, repairs and upgrades to the Guild’s aging lighting and sound booth, helping ensure that the Theatre Guild can continue providing high-quality, accessible community theatre for audiences and performers for years to come.
“Seventy-five years of theatre is an incredible milestone, but reaching 75 is also an opportunity to think about the next 75,” said Kodie Trahan-Guay, Director of Public Relations for the Belleville Theatre Guild. “This fundraiser allows our community to celebrate everything the Guild has accomplished while making a tangible investment in its future. Every ticket purchased helps us maintain the equipment and infrastructure that make our productions possible. We hope people will come out, enjoy an unforgettable evening of theatre and know that their support is helping keep the curtain rising for generations to come.”
Directed by Moira Nikander-Forrester, the production brings together 20 talented actors, including both longtime Guild members and newer performers. Each decade of the Guild’s history is represented through a significant scene and song, offering audiences a chance to revisit some of the productions and artistic moments that have shaped the organization.
“For me, this production has been a wonderful journey through the history of our Theatre Guild,” said Nikander-Forrester, Director of Scenes & Songs From Our First 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. 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.”
The production draws on the Guild’s extensive history, moving from Shakespeare and classic works through productions from more recent decades. For longtime Theatre Guild supporters, it offers an opportunity to revisit beloved moments from the past. For newer members and audiences, it provides a glimpse into the performances, people and artistic traditions that have made the Belleville Theatre Guild a fixture in the community for 75 years.
The Belleville Theatre Guild was founded in 1951, and for three-quarters of a century has provided opportunities for local performers, directors, technicians, volunteers and audiences to come together through live theatre.
Now, the Guild is asking the community to help ensure that tradition continues.
A $50 ticket is more than admission to a show, it is a contribution toward the future of community theatre in Belleville. Funds raised will help address the Guild’s aging technical infrastructure, supporting necessary lighting and sound booth repairs and equipment upgrades so that the organization can continue producing quality theatre and creating opportunities for the community.
Audiences have five opportunities to experience this one-of-a-kind celebration:
Scenes & Songs From Our First 75 Years
September 9–13, 2026
Tickets: $50
Tickets: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/bellevilletheatreguild/5826
Box Office: 613-967-1442
Please note: This special anniversary fundraiser is not included in the Belleville Theatre Guild’s 75th Season Subscription Package.
Come celebrate 75 years of unforgettable theatre and help make the next 75 years possible.
