Calgary’s community theatre awards spotlight who to watch this season

The 21st annual CAT Awards celebrated last year’s standout non-professional productions, and offered a preview of which companies are set to shine in 2025–26.

The big winners for last season are Front Row Centre Players and Morpheus Theatre.

Front Row Centre Players walked away from Saturday’s festivities with nine awards. The production La Cage Aux Folles swept the musical categories, taking home Outstanding Production of a Musical along with wins for leading and supporting performances, choreography, musical direction, costumes, and lighting. The company also scored technical nods for Sweeney Todd.

Morpheus Theatre earned five awards; Steel Magnolias won Outstanding Production of a Play and was also recognized for ensemble, stagecraft, and direction.

Full Circle Theatre made waves with four wins; outstanding original script was awarded to Porcelain Dolls, and there were acting honours for Ali Grams and Megan Baldrey. The company’s knack for new work is putting them squarely on the radar again this year.

There were several other highlights.

Workshop Theatre left with two wins, for Prescription: Murder and And Then There Were None

Imagine Theatre YYC took home Outstanding Soundscape within a Play for The Horse and His Boy

MisFit Theatre YYC was recognized for Engineering and special effects in Guys and Dolls

Behind the scenes, Colleen Bishop received the Sandy Singer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Theatre, honouring her decades of work as a producer, director, actor, and supporter.

A hint of what’s to come

This season, community and amateur theatre companies have full calendars.

Front Row Centre Players will launch their season with the rock-and-roll spectacle Rock of Ages this fall, followed by Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Cabaret.

Morpheus Theatre brings a mix of farce, pantomime, and classic drama with There Goes the Bride, Peter Pan, Little Women, and Patience.

Full Circle Theatre leans into its reputation for originality with A Very Full Circle Holiday Show — a gender-flipped The Taming of the Shrew — and the world premiere of a new original, They Say, a prequel to Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing.