By: Carson T. (Youth Council Member)

Theatre has had an important place in Ottawa’s heart, beginning with amateur plays being performed in pubs and then the formation of the Ottawa Drama League, known today as the Ottawa Little Theatre. The theatre began with the meeting of the Canadian Federation of University Women in 1913. They had originally called themselves the Society for the Study and Production of Dramatic Arts and became the first Canadian branch of the Drama League of America.

The Ottawa Drama League’s first performance featured three one-act plays presented at the Russell Theatre on the corner of Queen and Elgin Streets, which is close to where the National Arts Centre is today. Two years later the league performed in the auditorium of the Victoria Memorial Museum, which today is the Canadian Museum of Nature. This was a very significant moment for the group, and marked the beginning of its growing popularity.

Trouble befell the group when the fire of Parliament in 1916 led to them losing their stage in the Victoria Memorial Museum because the House of Commons was temporarily moved there. The group also lost many members to the First World War but they continued to perform at the Russell Theatre and in 1923 began to fundraise for a permanent location.

In 1928 the Ottawa Drama League officially bought their first theatre, which had originally been an Eastern Methodist Church located on the corner of King Edward Avenue and Besserer Street. Their first show, which was loved by the audience, was “Anthony and Anna” written by St. John Ervines.

Although it was thought that the theatre would not survive through the Great Depression, the Ottawa Drama League proved the doubters wrong. Thanks to the fact that larger British and French groups were no longer touring, the little theatre was given room to thrive. It was during this time that the Dominion Drama Festival was created by Governor General Bessborough in 1933. The Festival brought together amateur Canadian plays from across the country, serving as Canada’s national theatre. For the first five years, the festival was held in Ottawa and hosted by the Ottawa Drama League. The Dominion Drama Festival was shut down during the Second World War, but in 1947 was brought back and continued to circulate throughout the country until it was closed in 1978.

The Ottawa Drama League endured many challenges throughout its creation, and its history is one of perseverance and inspiration. The promotion of theatre in Ottawa and throughout the country allowed for a love of theatre to take hold in the community. In 1951 it changed its name to the Ottawa Little Theatre, and continued to thrive even though they were facing competition such as the Canadian Repertory Theatre, and the opening of the NAC in 1969. A year later their location caught fire, and although it was thought that the Ottawa Little Theatre was finished, they proved that history repeats itself by rebuilding and continuing to thrive.

The Ottawa Little Theatre celebrated its 100^th anniversary with two displays in the Bytown Museum’s Community Gallery in 2013.

Par: Carson T. (membre du conseil)

Ottawa a toujours accordé une place de choix au théâtre, d’abord avec des pièces jouées par des amateurs dans des bars puis avec la formation de l’Ottawa Drama League, aujourd’hui connue sous le nom d’Ottawa Little Theatre. Le théâtre a commencé par un rassemblement de la Canadian Federation of University Women, en 1913. Celle‑ci, appelée à l’origine la Society for the Study and Production of Dramatic Arts, est devenue la première section canadienne de la Drama League of America.

Pour son premier spectacle, l’Ottawa Drama League a présenté une pièce en un acte au théâtre Russell, à l’angle des rues Queen et Elgin, près de l’actuel Centre national des Arts. Deux ans plus tard, la troupe joue dans un auditorium du Victoria Memorial Museum, ancêtre du Musée canadien de la nature. Ce moment critique marque le début de la popularité croissante de la troupe.

Celle‑ci connaît un moment difficile en 1916, lorsque l’incendie du Parlement la déloge du Victoria Memorial Museum où siège provisoirement la Chambre des communes. La Première Guerre mondiale contribue également à réduire le nombre de membres de la troupe, qui continue néanmoins de jouer au théâtre Russell et qui, en 1923, lance une collecte de fonds pour se doter d’un lieu permanent.

En 1928, l’Ottawa Drama League achète officiellement son premier théâtre, une ancienne église méthodiste située à l’angle de l’avenue King Edward et de la rue Besserer. La troupe offre comme premier spectacle une pièce de Saint John Ervine, Anthony and Anna, que le public apprécie grandement.

On pensait que le théâtre ne survivrait pas à la Crise de 192l, mais l’Ottawa Drama League donne la preuve du contraire. Les grandes troupes britanniques et françaises ne poursuivant plus leurs tournées, le petit théâtre peut continuer de s’épanouir. C’est à cette époque, en 1933, que le gouverneur général Bessborough crée le Dominion Drama Festival. Ce festival, qui présente des pièces jouées par des amateurs canadiens de tout le pays, sert de théâtre national. Au cours des cinq premières années, le festival a lieu à Ottawa, sous la férule de l’Ottawa Drama League. La Seconde Guerre mondiale a l’effet d’interrompre le festival, mais en 1947, celui‑ci reprend et continue de circuler dans tout le pays jusqu’en 1978, date à laquelle on y met fin.

L’Ottawa Drama League surmonte de nombreux obstacles tout au long de son existence, faite de persévérance et d’inspiration. La promotion du théâtre à Ottawa et dans tout le pays conduit la collectivité à apprécier le théâtre. En 1951, le théâtre change son nom pour celui d’Ottawa Little Theatre, et il continue de s’épanouir malgré la concurrence du Canadian Repertory Theatre et l’ouverture du CNA en 1969. Un an plus tard, le théâtre prend feu, et malgré la conviction que l’Ottawa Little Theatre ne survivra pas, l’histoire se répète et le théâtre, reconstruit, continue de fleurir.

L’Ottawa Little Theatre a célébré son 100^e anniversaire en présentant, en 2013, deux pièces, dans la salle communautaire du Musée Bytown.