Excellent, Affordable, Locally Produced Theatre

RCTC Group Shot

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company is a not-for-profit society with a focus on:

  • Theatre productions
  • Live entertainment events
  • Theatrical training 
  • Skills workshops for emerging artists
  • Youth mentor-ship and involvement

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company is a theatre and event producing not-for-profit society. The Royal Canadian Theatre Company has been in operation since 2006 to the present, and throughout that time has presented theatrical events annually at the Surrey Arts Centre, The Anvil Centre, and The Massey Theatre. They have also toured to many other venues throughout the Lower Mainland from Vancouver to Chilliwack.

We are working with our community to bring new and interesting stories at reasonable prices for all. We firmly believe that every person deserves to be a part of live performance, either in the audience or on stage, and were the first company in the Fraser Valley to host relaxed performances in Surrey and New Westminster. RCTC annually partners with the City of Surrey and the Massey Theatre Society to bring Relaxed Performances to audiences who have intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, anxiety, autism and/or economic difficulties.

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company has supported other local charities, including the food bank, through monetary donations and other theatre companies as a prop, set, and costume lender. We also offer our Studio for rehearsals and camps at reduced prices for fellow non-profits and charities.

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company are proud to offer children and youth Musical Theatre classes in partnership with the Clayton Community Centre in Surrey.

We are always looking to improve ourselves, our company and the communities we are grateful to be a part of.

What we do

  • Traditional Pantomime
  • Comedy
  • Who-Dun-It
  • Youth Mentorship
  • Chocolate Fundraiser
  • Bottle Drive
  • Karaoke Fundraiser

Artistic Director
Kerri Norris

Kerri Norris has a Masters Degree in Acting from CalArts in L.A. She has worked with Ellie since before RCTC’s beginnings and has been with the company since its inception in 2006. An actor, director, designer, educator and sometime dramaturg Kerri has worked with companies all over the Lower Mainland. She is thrilled to be carrying on the traditions of RCTC and looking forward to collaborating with all the artists past, present and future who contribute so much to the company.

General Manager
Crystal Weltzin

Crystal mentored with Ellie over the 2021/22 season to be able to help with production management. Crystal first worked with the company in 2010 as an ensemble member in Ellie King’s Robin Hood, RCTC’s annual panto. An avid admirer of Ellie’s work and passion, Crystal has performed in many shows, worked behind the scenes (both backstage and as part of the production team) and stepped into writing plays herself including Something Borrowed, Everyone Blue, Annual Couples Debate, Alice in Wonderland and Snow Queen. She has stepped into the Company writer role for the annual Pantomimes.

History of the Royal Canadian Theatre Company

  • 2006 - RCTC Incorporation
  • 2007 - First show: Cinderella
  • 2008 - Mother Goose
  • 2010 - Alice in Wonderland
  • 2011 - No Sex Please, We're British
  • 2011 - Sword in the Stone
  • 2012 - Bedfull of Foreigners
  • 2012 - Robinson Crusoe
  • 2013 - Sleeping Beauty
  • 2014 - Cinderella
  • 2015 - Dracula
  • 2015 - Puss in Boots
  • 2016 - Beauty and the Beast
  • 2016 - It was a Dark and Stormy Night
  • 2017 - Hound of the Baskervilles
  • 2017 - Sinbad, the Pirates and the Dinosaur
  • 2018 - Hansel, Gretel & the Strolling Players
  • 2018 - Funny Money
  • 2019 - Spider's Web
  • 2019 - Snow White
  • 2019 - A Bedfull of Foreigners
  • 2020 - Screwball Comedy
  • 2021 - Blithe Spirit
  • 2021 - Alice in Wonderland
  • 2022 - Eat Your Heart Out (Dinner Theatre)
  • 2022 - The 39 Steps
  • 2022 - Screwball Comedy (Remount)
  • 2022 - Ghost of a Chance
  • 2022 - The Snow Queen: A Frozen Adventure
  • 2023 - Check Please (Dinner Theatre)
  • 2023 - The Last of the Red Hot Lovers
  • 2023 - The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery
  • 2023 - Cinderella
  • 2024 - Slow Food (Dinner Theatre)
  • 2024 - Cheaters
  • 2024 - Woman in Black
  • 2024 - Knotted: Rapunzel's Story
  • 2025 - We Don't Talk About Bookclub

SUBSEQUENTLY

RCTC has gone on to produce shows at Surrey Arts Centre, Coast Capital Playhouse in White Rock, the ACT Arts Centre in Maple Ridge, Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam, Chilliwack Cultural Centre, Metro Theatre Vancouver, and the Anvil Centre and the Massey Theatre in New Westminster.  The Royal Canadian Theatre Company continues to write an original script every year for the annual British Pantomime – Ellie King has been crowned ‘the Queen of Panto’ for her original scripts and now her mentee, Crystal Weltzin, has continued the tradition of writing original shows for the company – and Geoff King composes the original music. Ellie King directed all three of the company’s shows until her retirement in 2021. The Annual Pantomime is directed by Kerri Norris and guest directors are brought in for the Fall and Spring productions.

The production team is growing as we bring in emerging professionals as well as working with established artists. The company is always working to bring in new emerging artists both onstage, backstage and offstage. 

Casting for our shows currently ranges from fully professional Equity members through semi-professionals, community players and fresh faces who have never performed in live theatre.

The Youth Mentorship programme has built in scale since 2006 and is now operating annually during the Holiday Pantomime.  Through it RCTC has helped many youth -and occasionally adults – deal with issues such as anxiety, depression and behavioural problems while learning to sing, dance and act in a professional environment.

RCTC has built a strong audience base in Surrey and New Westminster. RCTC also gives back to the community in many ways including donating tickets and offering specialized performances for those with disabilities.

FUTURE GOALS

RCTC’s goal is to become Surrey’s Resident professional theatre company, still touring to all other current locations, with the eventual aim of becoming a fully-fledged regional theatre company.

RCTC started classes for youth which ran out of their studio. This program was called “Playworkers Youth Theatre”, with the basis of learning all aspects of theatre. The students created and performed their first performance “Dino, We have a Problem” at the Studio on December 1, 2018.

Classes currently run out of the Clayton Community Centre on Wednesdays for ages 7-12. We teach Musical Theatre Beginner and Intermediate classes ending with a performance on the last day for parents to attend.

RCTC plans to bring back their Annual One Act Play Festival which ran out of their Studio in May 2018. They were able to run the festival with three one act plays by emerging artists, playwrights and directors. RCTC is hoping to bring back this festival in May 2025 if their current transition in leadership supports it.

RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE POLICY

RCTC’s respectful workplace policy is documented and kept at the Studio for business purposes and procedural needs. The policy is in place to protect all employees, the Board of Directors, volunteers, artists under contract, members and non-members who work with RCTC. The policy is in place in our studio and at any venue where we are working. If there is an incident, the policy clearly outlines what is considered in breach of this policy and how it will be handled. There are policies that cover both the options for a quick resolution and what to do if the report needs to be escalated. RCTC recognizes its obligation to ensure that this policy and its procedures are fair to all. Complainants must feel free to bring their workspace issues forward. Those against whom allegations are made must have a full and fair opportunity to respond. Both the complainant and respondent are covered by the protections under this policy. RCTC will listen to both parties relative to a complaint and provide a fair, unbiased third party response, mediation, investigation and/or remedy as necessary.