Since 1956, Treblaires Show Choir has entertained in the Niagara Peninsula, and has evolved from a ladies’ “stand up and sing” choir to doing productions involving costumes, actions, dance and many different forms of music. These ladies were one of the first cultural groups in Niagara area and are known to many as the Treblaires, or Trebs, for short. They started as the Hospital Auxiliary ladies choir who sang Christmas carols. Soon they decided to form a separate organization with a name and a constitution and thus, Treblaires Ladies Choir was born. They performed at P.T.A. meetings, fashion shows and church services.
Holy Trinity Church sponsored Treblaires’ first major concert in 1959, when The Reverend Ralph Price was the Rector. The group’s first director was Mrs. David Saulters and their first pianists were Barbara Price and Marjorie Stirtzinger. In 1960 Treblaires was sponsored by the United Church. Kirk-on-the-Hill Presbyterian sponsored the group later on in 1965 for a Christmas Concert. Three years later, in 1968, Treblaires performed at Centennial School with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra.
Gradually the group became involved with costuming and staging and in 1969 they appeared on T.V. in a colourful musical. Many will remember Treblaires Ladies Show Choir, whose numbers had now grown, in their exquisite Victorian gowns as they grouped in the delightful surroundings of Cooneen Cross, home of Mr. And Mrs. A. B. Scott in Effingham. The arrangements of songs and choreography became very professional.
Treblaires choir entered and was judged at Kiwanis Festivals and received several awards. By 1974, they had evolved into regular performances at what was then known as Thorold-Fonthill High School, now Glynn Green Senior Public School. Barbara Price, Barbara Barrett assisted by Joyce Honsberger, and Paul Erb were the pianists throughout the ‘70s. Instruments were an added attraction with Lavern Tritton and Andre Pelletier playing banjo and guitar, and Jim Casson on drums. In 1974 Linda Allison took over from Florence Saulters as Director.
In the early 1980’s Treblaires Ladies Show Choir started producing larger shows at Brock University. Christmas shows were performed every December and spring shows every other year. One of the first shows was “The Gay 90’s”, which featured period costumes with elaborate sets and choreography.
During the 80’s and 90’s Treblaires once again performed with the Niagara Symphony at the Shaw Festival. Other shows at Brock, to mention just a few, included: an authentic 1952 Packard parked at a drive-in restaurant with real roller skating car-hops/singers for “The 50’s Show”, featuring Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Elvis, and many others; “Steppin’ Out”, a blues/jazz revue; “Stairway to the Stars’, which was a “heavenly” experience. Linda Allison was the Director for the majority of these years, along with choreographers Ann Shennan and Jan Williams, and Artistic Directors Marilyn Casson and Pat Laing. The final show at Brock was “The 13th Hour “, under new Director Susan McVeen. Sheila Langstaff accompanied Trebs on piano, with John Ediger on standup bass.
In the late 90’s shows were moved to smaller venues due to overhead costs. Claudia Myers filled in as interim Director in 2002 and Val Saari took over permanently in 2003-2004. After many years as accompanist, Sheila Langstaff retired and Jessica Prickett came on board in Sept. 2004. Carol Morningstar assumed the leadership in September of 2004 through to the end of 2005. Brian Bozzato, guitarist and sound man, joined Trebs in January 2008. In January 2006, Cyndy Farnsworth, a long-term Treb member, became director until her retirement in February 2009, when Anne TenDen, another long-term Treblaire member, took over and directed the choir until June 2011. In September of 2011, Jessica Prickett-Cowan, former accompanist, assumed directorship of the choir and a new accompanist, Reinhard Fochtberger, came on board, In September of 2012, Reinhard moved on to attend the Music Program at Brock University and Carolyn Bergen joined Treblaires as the accompanist. In January of 2014, Ben Phelan took over as accompanist with Treblaires. In January 2018, Laura Scott joined Treblaires as their new accompanist. August of the same year Emily Tokola joined the group as their new Director.
In 2005, Treblaires Show Choir became a not-for-profit corporation, and in August 2009, received a Trillium Grant, which is being used to enhance their ability to serve within their community. Treblaires’ mandate to entertain a broad demographic of audiences at a variety of different venues around the Niagara Region continues unabated.
There are 2 performance seasons: one set from late November into December following a holiday/winter/Christmas theme and a different spring set from March to June, where the theme varies. We are available for special events, fundraisers, etc. and, given enough notice, can tailor the music, to a certain extent, to a particular theme.