History
CATHOUSE PLAYERS INC. ... Formerly CATS (Craigieburn Amateur Theatrical Society) was formed in 1982 in Craigieburn, a suburb north of Melbourne - with 12 founding members. They were committed to not only performing quality theatre, but productions that would appeal to their audiences. Bette Sartore was a founding member, elected as their first President for four years, and then Artistic Director from 1986. The talented members of the company transformed an empty and disused building into a proper little theatre, with comfortable auditorium-style seats, raised stage, stage curtain, dressing rooms, kitchen, indoor toilets! It was a long, happy and productive involvement with the local community, with the unprecedented luxury of rehearsing and performing in their own theatre. Bette appeared onstage in a variety of roles, and directed some 35 plays, including Award-winning One-Act plays at Festivals in Ararat, Anglesea, Kyneton and Macedon. In 2005, the Cathouse Theatre was closed by the local council of the day, for OH&S reasons, and the company disbanded and many props and costumes and technical equipment were sold.
Bette and Frank Sartore re-located to Kyneton, and they were determined to re-form their beloved theatre company, so with a handful of the original core group, plus some enthusiastic locals, they became Kyneton Katz.
Kyneton Katz, in conjunction with Kyneton Theatre Company, in 2010, under Bette's direction, presented the critically acclaimed and financially-successful 84 Charing Cross Road in Kyneton's Bluestone Theatre. They were all set to begin rehearsals in early 2012, for three One Act Plays, when the Macedon Ranges Shire Council closed the Bluestone Theatre, in order to comply with OH&S regulations. Once again, they were faced with no theatre of their own, and no suitable venue in Kyneton.
Undeterred, Kyneton Katz morphed back into Cathouse Players, and mounted three successful productions in Chewton at the Senior Citizens Centre: Trap for a Lonely Man - a thriller, followed by the Noël Coward classic, Blithe Spirit, and the final play in Chewton, Deathtrap. Cathouse Players were determined to return to Kyneton, their home town. There were trial productions at the Mechanics Institute and the Bluestone Theatre before a suitable venue was finally found, The Masonic Hall, in Yaldwyn Street West. Although wonderful in many ways, there was no stage, so once again Cathouse members rose to the occasion and the hall became a pop-up theatre. Atlantic Crossing a season of short plays, was their final offering for 2014, and received enthusiastic support from the locals. With the on-going support of the Masons, Cathouse players still call the Masonic Centre home.
The company now has members who travel from far and wide to be part of their productions.
Always keen to welcome new members please contact us to become part of the Cathouse Family. A theatre company isn’t just about actors but needs a host of others to run the whole show successfully.