IT’S a happy 90th birthday today (September 28) for one of the National Capital’s grandest old ladies – Canberra Repertory Society.

The theatre society, one of the very oldest in Australia depending on how you do the sums, came about because of a financial dispute about a production of Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever” in September 1932.

A breakaway group left the Canberra Society of Arts and Literature, called itself The Canberra Players, and staged “Hay Fever” before renaming the company the Canberra Repertory Society on September 28, 1932.

Yesterday, (September 27) a talkative group of stage managers, directors, actors, set and costume, designers and makers, lighting operators, and former REP presidents gathered at the society’s theatre in Acton to reminisce about the good, the bad and Rep’s many famous alumni, not least former governor-general the late Sir Paul Hasluck, head of Musica Viva Paul Kildea and Tim Ferguson of Doug Antony All Stars’ fame.

Among those on hand were actress, stage manager, stage crew member and lighting designer, Sue Gore-Phillips, who had been married on Rep’s stage, head of wardrobe Jeanette Brown and her husband Russell, former Rep president, MC at “Old Time Music Hall”, head of set construction and designer of more than 120 sets.

Council member and veteran backstage worker, Wolfgang Hecker, said that in March this year it was decided at a council meeting to “do something”, but it had fallen to him to convene the birthday program.

The main celebration will take place later this month with a gala dinner to be held at CIT in Reid, accompanied by the performance of a scene from – what else? – “Hay Fever.”

The 90^th birthday dinner, Function Room at the Canberra CIT, Reid, 6pm, October 20. Book here  or 6257 1950.