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* In 2010- 2011, Original Kids Theatre celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

* Original Kids Theatre Company was founded as a not-for-profit charitable youth organization by David Conron in 1991 with 12 members.

* The Main Company came first, then Summer Camp. David Conron has now left the Company (2004).

* First home- Alma College in St. Thomas.

* First production for the general public was at Summer Camp 1994. It was “Cats of Alma”, performed in the outdoor theatre at the College and directed by Art Fidler and Reed Needles. Georgina Smith’s daughter was in this show and it was here that Georgina’s connection with OKTC began. She is now our amily Liaison & Coordinator of Volunteers..

* Same summer, OKTC moved to London and rented office, rehearsal and performance space in the basement of the London Regional Art and Historical Museum (now Museum London).

* Main Cast performances took place in the Museum Theatre. At this point, there were no stand- alone shows. OKTC did only short productions (About 45 minutes long) in a pair of two week Repertory Seasons (Dec. and Apr.)

* For two years, Summer Camp took place at Huron College, UWO, under the leadership of Mike and Tia Pearse.

* After two years using the Museum Theatre, OKTC built it’s own theatre in the Museum, and called it The Bull-Donaldson Theatre after two volunteers, Keith Bull and Joe Donaldson, who spearheaded its construction. Joe remains with the Company in General Maintenance and Head of House Management.

* In February 1996, Art Fidler retired from teaching and took over as Artistic Director of OKTC. That summer, Original Kids did its first big theatre production (“Annie Warbucks”) at UWO’s Talbot Theatre, directed by Fidler.

* We then tried our first full length productions as part of our season with “The Boy Friend “ directed by Tia Pearse and “Daisy Pulls It Off” directed by KC Cann, who was a director at the time of the founding of Original Kids.

* The next summer, a troupe from OKTC represented Canada at the World Youth Drama Festival in Lingen, Germany in an original work under the direction of James Schaefer.

* In 1999, OKTC moved to our current home, the Spriet Family Theatre in the new Covent Garden Market. It has this name since we were enabled to build the theatre (designed by Peter Mennie and Art Fidler) through the generosity of Andy and Helen Spriet, prominent philanthropists in London.

* It was also at this point that our annual trips to New York City and Edinburgh began.

* Summer Camp moved to Spencer Lodge on Windermere Road, and now back to Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario

* In 2002, Art Fidler withdrew from the Artistic Directorship to take on Marketing and Special Projects and the position was ably filled by his Assistant Artistic Director, Dale Hirlehey who remains in position as Artistic Director. Our rehearsal space was given the name “The Art Fidler Rehearsal Hall” at this time.

* Now, in 2010-11, OKTC has a membership of 325 performers in the Main Company and a year-round theatre program for 5 to 8 year-olds called Original Kidlets. Summer Camp, now named Camp OK, has grown to a complete July/August event with 4 two - week sessions. The OKTC T.A.G. program (The Actor Grows) has been designed to offer training to Company beginners, offering a series of workshops by theatre professionals and a final gala showcase. The organization has participated in the London One-Act Festival, the London Fringe Festival, and has formed a strong alliance with the London Public Library, co-producing a stellar series of productions in the Library's Wolf Performance Hall as well as a yearly pay-what-you-can outdoor family musical in the Central Library's Rotary Reading Garden. The 2010 production, opening on July 31, is Disney's Geppetto and Son directed by Jeffrey Crane, a young director developed in our Company. The 2010 London Fringe Festival featured our first official OKTC Alumni production, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which was one of the main hits of the Festival. Even though our most famous Original Kid is Rachel McAdams of Hollywood film fame, OK alumni are now appearing at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, and all over the theatrical map. Our primary focus, though, is not fame and stardom, but the providing of an idealistic safe and creative haven for artistic youth. OKTC, perhaps the very first Canadian theatre exclusively dedicated to young theatre artists, is excited to face and celebrate its 20th Year.

* OKTC, one of the first Canadian theatres exclusively dedicated to young artists, remains the premier Canadian youth company.