Great Big Theatre Company (founded in 1994) is a children's and young people's theatre and arts organization based in Hamilton and serving a large area of southwestern Ontario.  GBTC is a registered charity with a mandate to develop and provide drama and arts education programs for young people. 

The company’s focus is on literacy and the arts, integrating into our programs children from a wide variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and with a wide range of ability levels, as well as children from inner-city neighbourhoods and low-income families.  Included in our mandate are: public performances of theatre and artworks, in-school performances and workshops, art and drama classes, afterschool programs, and summer camps.

Over the years, we have presented more than 30 mainstage shows.   Our most recent seasons have featured our Tale Troupersin-school productions, bringing the artistic diversity of international cultures to schools  through a blend of traditional folktales, music, costumes, masks, artwork and dance.   GBTC also offers drama and dance workshops in schools through our TIES (Theatre-In-Every-School) program.

GBTC offers training and education programs in theatre arts for young people.  These include weekly classes, summer camps, and March break camps at locations throughout the region, as well as in-school workshops.  Close to 2,000 children participate each year in our program of summer camps and classes.  Wherever possible, GBTC works with community groups and children's service organizations, so as to make our programs available to disadvantaged youth and core-area communities.  We have provided tickets to local Children's Aid Societies, Big Brothers / Big Sisters, Child & Family Services, and inner-city schools;  we also offer subsidies for children attending our programs through such services as local Boys & Girls Clubs, the Y-SAN Grow Program and Pro-Kids.  GBTC receives support through the Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, Niagara Community Foundation / Osprey Media Summer Camp Fund, Guelph Community Foundation / Guelph Mercury Summer Camp Fund, Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation /  Record Kids-to-Camp Fund, Hamilton Community Foundation / Hamilton Spectator Summer Camp Fund to make it possible for underprivileged children to attend our summer programs.   

 Taking part in arts activities and programs is a wonderful way for children to build confidence and self-esteem ! Our programs are focused on developing personal and social values, enhancing literacy skills and promoting multicultural understanding.  Over the past ten years, hundreds of schools from across the region, including Hamilton, Oakville, Guelph, Waterloo, Cambridge, Brantford, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Woodbridge, Brampton, Mississauga, Markham, Richmond Hill, North York and many other areas, have participated in our activities. 

 Our Web site at www.gbtc.com provides an introduction to many aspects of GBTC's present activities and past history. 

We invite you to visit; we hope you will find the site informative and entertaining !