Creative Arts Theatre and School (CATS), Arlington Collection

Tarrant County Archives > Holdings > Named Collections > C > Creative Arts Theatre and School (CATS) Arlington

Historical Note

Creative Arts Theatre and School (CATS), Arlington was established under the direction of Zachary and Kathey Ward, initially as a ten-week pilot program during the summer of 1978. CATS relocated from its temporary quarters at an Arlington private school to a leased facility where year-round activities began in June 1979. In December 1982, CATS Board of Directors, along with interested parents and citizens, formed the Arlington Arts Associates, Ltd. to purchase an empty church building at 1100 W. Randol Mill Rd. in Arlington, in an effort to ensure the institute's ability to continue and expand. In August 1983, CATS moved into this new headquarters, a facility that was five times larger than its previous home.

On July 4, 2012, a fire occurred at the building that housed CATS for almost three decades. It caused extensive smoke and water damage. With assistance from the community, CATS set up offices and classrooms in a downtown Arlington building at 602 E. South St., and was able to complete the summer sessions.

Due to a declining enrollment and high costs, the CATS Board of Directors elected to disband the organization and shut down the school in 2016. 

Scope and Contents

After the 2012 fire, the CATS Board of Directors elected to transfer their archival materials to the Tarrant County Archives, and additional materials were added to the collection upon the school's closure. Materials in this collection consist of documents, scrapbooks, artifacts, and photographs, slides, negatives, programs, posters, and audio/visual media relating to the various theatrical productions put on by the school throughout its history

Materials in this collection consist of the following:

Artifacts

  • Two bronze plaques from the CATS building, 1978
  • Brick from CATS building at 1100 W. Randol Mill Rd., Arlington, Texas, undated
  • Quilt made from production t-shirts, undated

Documents

  • Newspaper clippings related to CATS, 1978-2004, undated
  • Mailgram from Zachary Ward to Ruta Lee at Casa Mañana Theatre, June 12, 1978
  • Proposal for the Arlington Creative Arts Theatre and School, 1978
  • Fine Arts Directory, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 19, 1979
  • Press Release regarding CATS summer schedule, 1979
  • Arts in Arlington Magazine, February-March 1981
  • CATS Summer Stars brochure and schedule, 1982
  • Letter of Application for Technical Director by Thomas A. Hussey, 1983
  • Price-Waterhouse financial report, 1985
  • Fundraising letter for building purchase, 1986
  • CATS Meow newsletters, October 1995, December/January 1999 
  • List of Officers, undated
  • CATS information booklets, undated

Photographs

  • Founders photographs, 1970s
  • Building, classes, events photographs, 1979-2015
  • End of Season photographs, 1981-2015
  • Headshots, 1982-2015

Scrapbooks

  • Scrapbook, 1978-1983
  • Scrapbook, 1983-1986
  • Scrapbook, 1985-1992
  • Scrapbook, 1986-1997

Production Materials

Photographs, negatives, slides, programs, posters, and audio/visual materials are grouped by production title for each year. The productions listed below are represented in the collection with at least one of those types of material, while most have multiple. For instance a production could be represented by a single program, or a production could be represented by programs, photographs, and audio/visual materials. Not individually listed here are productions that are unidentified or are undated.

1979

  • Georgy Porgy's Mother Goose
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • The Red Shoes

1980

  • Old Mother West Wind
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • Free to Be You and Me
  • Hiawatha
  • The Littlest Angel
  • Yankee Doodle: A Musical American History Review
  • Rip Van Winkle
  • Dimwit and the Dark Castle
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses

1981

  • Of Dragons and Dwarves
  • Frontier Santa
  • Star Spangled Salute
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • Pinocchio
  • Where Do You Park a Camel?
  • Pot Pourri
  • Coppelia
  • The Ransom of Red Chief
  • Cinderella
  • The Incredible Jungle Journey of Fenda Maria
  • Persephone

1982

  • Graduation Ball
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Raggedy Anne and Andy
  • Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates
  • Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
  • Mother Good Land
  • Cinderella
  • Lumberjacks and Wedding Bells
  • Happily Ever Once Upon
  • The Hobbit
  • The Leprechaun's Pot of Gold
  • B'rer Rabbit

1983

  • Tom Sawyer
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
  • Scrooge
  • Robin Hood
  • Out of Hand, Guild Show
  • Free to Be You and Me
  • Anne of Green Gables
  • Georgy Porgy's Mother Goose
  • Mother Goose Land
  • Little Women

1984

  • Sleeping Beauty
  • The Pied Piper
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • The Golden Grotto
  • The Wind in the Willows
  • The Littlest Angel
  • Tales from the Forest
  • Star Child
  • The Night They Killed Vaudeville
  • Egad, What a Cad: Virtue Triumphs Over Villainy

1985

  • Wiley and the Hairy Man
  • Coppelia
  • Huckleberry Finn
  • The Blue Bird
  • Raggedy Anne and Andy
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
  • Frontier Santa
  • Once Upon a Mattress
  • Shoemaker
  • The Incredible Jungle Journey of Fenda Maria
  • The Leprechaun's Pot of Gold
  • The Hobbit
  • Who Am I This Time?

1986

  • Winnie the Pooh and Friends
  • The Emperor's New Clothes
  • Charlotte's Web
  • Cinderella
  • Rumplestiltskin
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Babes in Toyland
  • Play On
  • Murder Most Foul
  • Babes in Arms

1987

  • Peter and the Wolf
  • Where the Wild Things Are
  • The Adventures of a Bear Called Paddington Bear
  • Legend of the Bluebonnets
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Jack and the Beanstalk
  • The Story of Young Arthur
  • Here's Love
  • Adaptations
  • Sorry Wrong Number
  • Texas Stars Go Hollywood or Lights, Camera, Chicken

1988

  • Meow Mix: Top Hats and Top Cats!
  • Pinocchio
  • Little Women
  • The Velveteen Rabbit
  • The Jungle Book: Mowgli
  • Charlotte's Web
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • The Littlest Angel
  • Happily Ever, Once Upon
  • Oklahoma!

1989

  • Georgy Porgy's Mother Goose
  • Coppelia
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Just So Stories
  • The Three Little Pigs
  • Robin Hood
  • Goldilocks
  • Scrooge
  • Peter Pan
  • I'm Sorry the Bridge is Out, You'll Have to Spend the Night
  • The Unsinkable Molly Brown

1990

  • The Red Balloon
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Pollyanna
  • B'rer Rabbit
  • Dr. Doolittle
  • Goldilocks
  • The Calico Tiger
  • The Little Mermaid
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • The Great American Disaster Musical
  • The Snow Queen

1991

  • The Rest of the Story
  • Treasure Island
  • The Princess and the Magic Pea
  • The Secret Garden
  • Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Anne of Green Gables
  • Tom Sawyer
  • Hagar the Horrible
  • Bye Bye Birdie
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • 42nd Street
  • Animal Farm

1992

  • Rip Van Winkle
  • The Glass Menagerie
  • Lucky Dollar - Private Eye: The Musical
  • Hello Dolly
  • Frosty the Snowman
  • The Three Little Pigs
  • Prince and the Pauper
  • Rapunzel and the Witch
  • The Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss
  • Raymond the Fox
  • The Magic Fishbone
  • Dragonsong
  • The Legend of the Texas Easter Rabbit
  • The House at Pooh Corner
  • Kids Helping Kids

1993

  • Puss 'N Boots
  • Cinderella
  • Frontier Santa
  • Heidi
  • Li'l Abner
  • Ozma of Oz
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Of Dragons and Dwarves
  • My Emperor's New Clothes
  • Curious George
  • Blue Horses
  • Kids Helping Kids

1994

  • The Hobbit
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • Raggedy Anne and Andy
  • Peter Pan
  • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
  • Endgame
  • Breakfast Club
  • The Ant and the Grasshopper
  • Butterflies Are Free
  • The Battle of Fort Petticoat

1995

  • Pinocchio Commedia
  • The Legend of the Bluebonnets
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • The Secret Garden
  • A Christmas Carol
  • Bloomer Girls
  • Babes in Arms
  • The Invisible Dragon
  • A Christmas Carol Scrooge
  • Little Women

1996

  • The Ransom of Red Chief
  • Follow that Rabbit
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
  • Urashima Taro
  • Canterville Ghost
  • Babes in Toyland
  • The Alice and Wonderland Story
  • Pajama Game
  • The Ugly Duckling
  • The Little Engine that Could
  • Swimming with Polar Bears
  • Red Hot and Cole

1997

  • The House at Pooh Corner
  • There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • A Little Princess
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
  • Annie Get Your Gun
  • Haunted Theatre
  • The Night They Killed Vaudeville II
  • Armadillo Kids

1998

  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Aladdin
  • The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
  • Frosty the Snowman
  • The Attic
  • I Believe in Make Believe
  • The Music Man
  • Haunted Theatre
  • Noodle Doodle Box
  • Anne of Green Gables
  • Waiting for Lefty
  • The Old Lady Shows Her Metals
  • The Elves and the Shoemaker

1999

  • Georgy Porgy's Mother Goose
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Peter Pan
  • The Three Little Pigs
  • Charlotte's Web
  • The Littlest Angel
  • Haunted Theatre
  • When the Cat Goes Away
  • Let Me Hear You Whisper
  • Yankee Doodle
  • The Girls of the Garden Club
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
  • Hello Dolly
  • It's Just a Virus

2000

  • The Legend of Pecos Bill
  • The Princess and the Pea
  • James and the Giant Peach
  • Robin Hood
  • Christmas Carol Miracle
  • Murder's in the Heir
  • Stuart Little
  • The Little Engine that Could
  • George M
  • Fiddler on the Roof
  • Haunted Theatre
  • Vanities
  • Tiny Thumbelina
  • Brighton Beach Memoirs

2001

  • Jack and the Giant
  • The Little Mermaid
  • The Velveteen Rabbit
  • Hank the Cow Dog
  • The Unsinkable Molly Brown
  • Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
  • Godspell
  • Youth Fest
  • Haunted Theatre
  • Cinderella
  • Don Coyote
  • L'il Abner
  • The Ten Dancing Princesses
  • Trouble in the West
  • For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls
  • Sty of the Eye

2002

  • Treasure Island
  • Annie
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Pocahontas
  • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
  • Grease
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • Rumplestiltskin
  • Yankee Doodle Dandies
  • Raggedy Ann and Andy

2003

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • Schoolhouse Rock
  • The Jungle Book
  • The Sound of Music
  • Raggedy Anne and Andy
  • The Ant and the Grasshopper
  • The Breakfast Club
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Frosty the Snowman
  • Footloose
  • Haunted Theatre
  • Friday Night Scene Stealers
  • Frosty the Snowman
  • The Breakfast Club
  • Goldilocks and the Three Bears

2004

  • Free to Be You and Me
  • Georgy Porgy's Mother Goose
  • Little Women
  • Peter Cottontail III
  • Fiddler on the Roof
  • 42nd Street
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day
  • Seussical the Musical
  • Friday Night Scene Stealers
  • Free to Be You and Me
  • Yankee Doodle Dandies
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

2005

  • Cheaper by the Dozen
  • The House at Pooh Corner
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
  • Footloose
  • Miss Nelson is Missing
  • Funny Girl
  • Disney's Aladdin Jr.
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • The Littlest Angel
  • The Diary of Anne Frank
  • Play on Hill
  • Cattitudes Christmas
  • Tiny Thumbelina

2006

  • Tom Sawyer
  • A Wrinkle in Time
  • Once Upon a Mattress
  • Aesop's Fables
  • No Bunnies, Please
  • Junie B. Jones
  • A Year with Frog and Toad
  • Peter Pan
  • A Christmas Carol
  • The Diary of Ann Frank
  • Anything Goes
  • The Emperor's Invisible Clothes

2007

  • Prince Caspian
  • Alexander Who's Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move
  • Children of Eden
  • Macbeth
  • Noises Off
  • The Stinky Cheese Man
  • Urinetown: The Musical
  • Charlotte's Web
  • Nate the Great
  • Honk! Jr.
  • Frontier Santa
  • A Hogwarts Tale
  • Lights, Camera, Action!

2008

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Shoemaker and the Elves
  • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
  • Little Shop of Horrors
  • Cinderella
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
  • The Christmas Carol Miracle
  • Into the Woods
  • Holes
  • Follow that Rabbit
  • The Pied Piper of Hamlin
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf
  • Time to Say Goodbye
  • Cinderella Wore Combat Boots

2009

  • Into the Woods
  • Dear Edwina, Jr.
  • High School Musical
  • Disney's Geppetto and Son
  • Carla's Song: The Story of the Homeless Christmas Tree
  • Free to Be You and Me
  • Go, Dog, Go!
  • A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
  • The Boxcar Children
  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny
  • Bunnicula

2010

  • Yankee Doodle Dandies
  • The Berenstain Bears on Stage
  • Zombie Prom
  • A Groovy Christmas
  • It's a Wonderful Life
  • Annie
  • 80's Mania
  • The Suessification of Romeo and Juliet
  • Aladdin Kids
  • There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom
  • The Secret Garden
  • Lyle, the Crocodile

2011

  • The Hundred Dresses
  • Disney's The Jungle Book Kids
  • Pinkalicious
  • If you Give a Mouse a Cookie
  • Babe the Sheep-Pig
  • A Groovy Christmas

2012

  • Back to Our Future
  • Cinderella Kids
  • Tale of a West Texas Marsupial Gal
  • Back to Our Future
  • Disney's Aladdin Kids

2013

  • The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
  • Disney's Winnie the Pooh
  • American Horror Story: Date Night
  • You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • Love is a Funny Thing