Membership
Central Alberta Theater would not exist without the hundreds of dedicated volunteers of all ages and skill levels, who have contributed their time, talents and energies towards creating one or more of our 42 seasons.
To become a member of Central Alberta Theatre is to become a member of a dynamic organization. The camaraderie shared by our volunteers, their love of the theatre, and the enjoyment our casts and crews feel during performances is what community theatre is all about. Membership is not limited to those that work on our annual season of productions; we are always on the lookout for people who might like to volunteer to work one of the events at the Red Deer Memorial Centre, help maintain our facilities, become committee or board members, or simply assist with one our many tasks. No experience is necessary just a love of theatre and a wish to be part of something greater.
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Why get involved?
Here are some reasons:
- Learn a new skill - For example, scene decorating, stage carpentry, hunting down or creating impossible-to-obtain props, sewing spectacular costumes, stage management, theater administration leadership, and volunteer organization. We also have many opportunities where no prior skill is required and better yet we will teach you.
- Dabble in a career in theater - Perhaps you'd like to find out first-hand what theater is all about...without the expense of moving to NYC.
- A real sense of accomplishment - There's nothing better than to experience an excited audience that is truly enjoying a show you know you helped in some personal way in getting off the ground.
- New friends - There are plenty of friendly people of all ages who will always greet you with a smile, are happy to see you, and grateful for your enthusiasm to help out.
- Community Service - Perhaps you just want to "give back" to the community you've grown up in, or get to know neighbors in the one you just moved to.
- "I joined CAT when I moved to Red Deer. Wow! Instant friends and family."
Join CAT
If you'd like to be a member, print the Membership Form and mail it or drop it off to Central Alberta Theatre, Memberships Dept., 4214 - 58 Street, Red Deer, AB T4N 2L6
Individual memberships cost $25 per year. Family memberships are $35.
Volunteer Roles
We have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities and we know there is one that would be just right for you. Below you find a list of some of the many roles our volunteers perform in helping to run our organization. If it seems intimidating, don't worry ... we offer on-the-job-training, a mentoring program as well and even hold a number of workshops throughout the year. We're here to help you find your niche!
- ACTING - Step outside yourself. Wear strange clothes & make-up. Say and do things you normally wouldn't. Make great, lifelong intimate new friends. Be a star! Be a prima donna! Pretend you're something your not. Learn not to be shy.
- BACKSTAGE TECHNICIAN - Assist backstage with set, costume and properties changes for C.A.T. productions.
- BOARD MEMBER - Help make the Society go forward. Get us organized. Provide Leadership. Lend your skills. Give back to the community. Support the arts. No need to have a theatrical bone in your body.
- COSTUMES - Assist with the design, preparation, and adjustment of costumes during dress rehearsals and productions. Help the cast with costume changes between scenes. Make minor costume repairs on the fly during a production.
- DIRECTING - Directing a performance requires previous experience and training. In addition you must be willing to invest a large amount of time and energy.
- FACILITIES - Assist our facilities committee with the many ongoing projects involving the Red Deer Memorial Centre and the adjacent C.A.T. Studios, including carpentry, painting, plumbing, housekeeping and groundskeeping, among others.
- FRONT OF HOUSE - If you enjoy meeting people and don't have a lot of time to spare then volunteering as one of our Front of House staff is the job for you. Both our dinner theatres and Memorial Centre events require the services of FOH volunteers such as Ticket Takers, Ushers, Concession Workers and Bartenders.
- FUND RAISING - Find creative fund raising events to raise money to support Central Alberta Theatre activities.
- GRANT WRITING - Research and develop grant proposals from government, companies and charitable foundations.
- GRAPHICS AND PICTURE BOARD - Help design promotional materials for each production and special event. Create front-lobby picture board displays.
- HISTORIAN - Help maintain historic files documenting C.A.T. activities. Work on historical scrapbooks detailing our 40+ years of community theater using photos, newspaper articles and poster / programs.
- HOUSE MANAGERS - Experience being the House Manager in charge of a performance. The Executive Director provides a written list of responsibilities for the House Manager to follow, and meets with House Managers prior to the event to review duties.
- LIGHTS - Assist with lighting for all productions including design, setting lighting instruments, and operating light board during performances.
- MAKEUP - Assist with makeup during rehearsals and productions, including making young actors look old and old actors look young.
- MANAGEMENT - Once a veteran a lot of volunteers move into production management. These positions include Producer; Director; Technical Director; Musical Director; Stage Manager; and Costume / Set / Light / Sound Designers. These positions require a good working knowledge of C.A.T. and its policies and procedure as well as a willingness to invest a large amount of time and energy into the production.
- POSTERS / PROGRAMS - Assist with the gathering of bio materials, advertisement copy in preparation of CAT posters and programs.
- PROPERTIES - Research, design and collect the variety of props for productions. Think scavenger hunt. What you can't find, you help create.
- PUBLICITY - Prepare and arrange interesting publicity to draw people to our productions, auditions, membership meetings, and special events. You might get your name in the paper.
- SET - Assist the very experienced (think Broadway) crew with design, construction and decoration of the set for all productions. Learn the concepts of illusion.
- SOUND - Select, prepare, gather or create, edit and run the sound effects and music on our computer for all productions.
- WORKSHOPS - Assist with all aspects of CAT-sponsored workshops.
Honoured Members
Since its inception in 1970 Central Alberta Theatre has been honoured by services of very many volunteers … some of whom have been involved for decades. A number of years ago C.A.T. decided it was time to recognize these outstanding individuals and their contribution to community theatre in Red Deer by introducing the Lifetime Membership Status. This special membership is given to those members who have been members for fifteen or more years and have been actively involved during that time.
We are very proud to introduce to you our Lifetime Members:
- Mary Lou Armstrong
- Jeff Challoner
- Elaine Duncan
- Vicki Dykes
- Irma Francis
- Verda Lee Gilchrist
- Lavila Lang
- Ian MacQuarrie†
- Florence Massie
- Peter Massie
- Annette McKendrick
- Barbara More
- Dennis O'Brien
- Erna Soderberg
- Florence Stephan-Coates
- Harold Truckle
- Joan Truckle
- Eileen Watson
† - Fondly remembered by our membership
